Listed Building

The only legal part of the listing under the Planning (Listing Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 is the address/name of site. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing – see 'About Listed Buildings' below for more information. The further details below the 'Address/Name of Site' are provided for information purposes only.

Address/Name of Site

15 NORTH BANK STREETLB28265

Status: Designated

Documents

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Summary

Category
A
Group Category Details
100000019 - see notes
Date Added
14/12/1970
Local Authority
Edinburgh
Planning Authority
Edinburgh
Burgh
Edinburgh
NGR
NT 25515 73616
Coordinates
325515, 673616

Description

1723-7, with alterations by Sydney Mitchell and Wilson, 1901. 7-storey and attic 4-bay office building with central crowstepped 2-window nepus gable and tall finialled conical-roofed angle turrets with arrowslit windows; 5 storeys, attic and basement to rear. Rubble with polished dressings (harled to rear). Corniced architraves to windows. Regularly fenestrated (small windows to 6th and attic storeys). 2-leaf timber panelled door (2-leaf glazed inner door with decorative fanlight) in key-blocked round-arched surround in pilastered and corniced doorpiece with decorative carving and strapwork over (see Notes).

REAR (JAMES COURT) ELEVATION: taller 2-window crowstep-gabled block to centre with apex stack; 3 bays to right, 4 bays to left; timber boarded door with small-pane glazed fanlight in roll-moulded surround to outer right. Cast-iron railings to basement area.

INTERIOR: corniced timber panelling, decorative plaster frieze and compartmented ceiling to vestibule. Corniced timber panelling to College Dining Room (see Notes); bolection-moulded timber chimneypiece framed by pilastered and pedimented aedicule; geometrically compartmented plasterwork to ceiling. Senate Hall: compartmented plaster ceiling (probably concealing fireprooof construction); 2 decorative timber chimneypieces with cast-iron inserts; glazed timber book-cases.

2-pane upper, plate glass lower sashes in timber sash and case windows; small-pane glazing to attic windows. Rendered stacks.

Statement of Special Interest

The A group comprises Nos 11-13 North Bank Street and 8 James Court, Nos 15 and 16 North Bank Street and the Balustraded Terrace in front of Nos 15 and 16 North Bank Street (all separately listed). Nos 11-15 North Bank Street and 8 James Court are the remaining NE section of James Court, built for James Brownhill in 1723. A drawing by James Skene shows the block in its original form. A fire in 1857 destroyed much of the NW section; an etching by DO Hill appears to show that the fire was concentrated in the W block (No 16 North Bank Street), which was largely rebuilt by David Cousin in 1857-60 as the National Security Savings Bank and offices for the Free Church. The BUILDER describes this building as abutting 'the gable of the remaining old tenement to the E.' No 15 was remodelled by Sydney Mitchell and Wilson in 1901, after the union of the Free Church and the United Presbyterians to form the United Free Church in 1900; alterations included the alteration of floor levels, the construction of a new roof and angle turrets, lift, slapping new doorways through to connect No 15 with No 16; the rear elevation remains largely unaltered. The principal door was moved from the outer left bay of No 16 at this time; the drawings show that Sydney Mitchell intended strapwork pediments to the windows to mirror those at No 16. Carving over the door reads 'Free Church of Scotland Offices,' and the date 1860, and in the strapwork pediment is the symbol, the burning bush, the motto NEC TAMEN CONSUMEBATUR, of the Free Church. The College Dining Room contains panelling, doors and plasterwork, probably of early 18th century date; it was used from the early 19th century until 1887 as a meeting hall by the Guild of Bakers. In this room hang portraits of Dr John Bruce (Minister of St Andrew's Church, George Street at the time of the Disruption) and Dr Samuel Miller (minister of St Mathew's Free Church, Glasgow) by Noman MacBeth RSA. The Senate Hall houses an important collection of books, portraits by Norman MacBeth RSA and Henry Wright Kerr RSA, and some fine mid 19th century furniture; according to BUILDING NEWS walnut furnishings were supplied by Taylor and son, Princes Street, Edinburgh.

References

Bibliography

Dean of Guild 13th June 1901. BUILDER 30th October 1858 and BUILDING NEWS 27th March 1863. Gifford, McWilliam and Walker EDINBURGH (1984) p 196.

About Listed Buildings

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Listing is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for buildings of special architectural or historic interest as set out in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997.

We list buildings which are found to be of special architectural or historic interest using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Listed building records provide an indication of the special architectural or historic interest of the listed building which has been identified by its statutory address. The description and additional information provided are supplementary and have no legal weight.

These records are not definitive historical accounts or a complete description of the building(s). If part of a building is not described it does not mean it is not listed. The format of the listed building record has changed over time. Earlier records may be brief and some information will not have been recorded.

The legal part of the listing is the address/name of site which is known as the statutory address. Other than the name or address of a listed building, further details are provided for information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland does not accept any liability for any loss or damage suffered as a consequence of inaccuracies in the information provided. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing. Even if a number or name is missing from a listing address it will still be listed. Listing covers both the exterior and the interior and any object or structure fixed to the building. Listing also applies to buildings or structures not physically attached but which are part of the curtilage (or land) of the listed building as long as they were erected before 1 July 1948.

While Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating listed buildings, the planning authority is responsible for determining what is covered by the listing, including what is listed through curtilage. However, for listed buildings designated or for listings amended from 1 October 2015, legal exclusions to the listing may apply.

If part of a building is not listed, it will say that it is excluded in the statutory address and in the statement of special interest in the listed building record. The statement will use the word 'excluding' and quote the relevant section of the 1997 Act. Some earlier listed building records may use the word 'excluding', but if the Act is not quoted, the record has not been revised to reflect subsequent legislation.

Listed building consent is required for changes to a listed building which affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest. The relevant planning authority is the point of contact for applications for listed building consent.

Find out more about listing and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.

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Printed: 29/03/2024 09:58