Spring 2010 No.27

ATHE MAGAZINE OF THHE ARCHITECTURAL HESRITAGE SOCIETYS OF SCOTLAND

For the Study and Protection of Scottish Architecture 2 introduction AHSS contents Magazine Spring 2010 (No. 27) Obituary Collation: Mary Pitt and 03 Carmen Moran Reviews Editor: Mark Cousins 07 News from the Glasite Meeting House Design: Pinpoint Scotland Ltd. 08 News President: The Dowager Countess of 11 Heritage Lottery Fund Wemyss and March Chairman: Peter Drummond 13 Projects Volunteer Editorial Assistants: Walking in the Air Anne Brockington Chris Judson 15 RCAHMS Philip Graham The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland NATIONAL OFFICE Edited by Veronica Fraser. The Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland HS Listing The Glasite Meeting House 20 33 Barony Street Edinburgh 21 Other Organisations EH3 6NX 30 Talking Point Tel: 0131 557 0019 Contemporary architecture in the historic environment. Fax: 0131 557 0049 Email: [email protected] My Favourite Building www.ahss.org.uk 33 Investigation The Rural Church Copyright © AHSS and contributors, 2010 The opinions expressed by contributors in this 36 Consultations publication are not necessarily those of the AHSS. Edited highlights of AHSS responses to recent consultations. The Society apologises for any errors or inadvertent infringements of copyright. 38 Reviews The AHSS gratefully acknowledges assistance from the Royal Commission on the Ancient and 43 Education Historical Monuments of Scotland towards the production costs of the AHSS Magazine. 50 National activities 50 Group activities 54 Group casework 59 Membership 60 Diary

CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS If you would like to contribute to future issues of AHSS magazine, please contact the editor at [email protected] Submission deadline for the Autumn 2010 issue is 24 July 2010 . If you are interested in volunteering as a copy-editor for future issues of the AHSS magazine, please contact the AHSS National Office. Cover: St Benedict’s Chapel, Sumvitg, Switzerland. © p2cl, flickr

THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND I SPRING 2010 obituary 3 Eleanor Robertson 1919 – 2009

n order to remember the immense per - ner. Our existence concentrated the minds sonal contribution of the founder of the of the Cockburn Association and the Society, Eleanor Robertson, who died on National Trust for Scotland. Joint action I12 December last year, we include here became possible. A society with limited aims, some of her own words, describing the the conservation of Georgian architecture, development of the Architectural Heritage had its place, it could focus attention. We Society of Scotland, in which her character widened the aims later perceiving the need shines through. In addition, some members for a national society devoted to the conser - of the Society recall their memories of vation of all historic architecture. Eleanor. George Square is long ago. What is not ‘T he Story of the Society: The Georgian realised now is what a close run thing it was. Group of Edinburgh and the Scottish The Secretary of State refused to intervene Georgian Society’ was not a committee member until he suc - on grounds provided solely by the University ceeded me as the Society's secretary in which revealed its ignorance on matters of This article is an abridged version of the 1964. He was its éminence grise without conservation and preservation. The amenity paper first published in AHSS Magazine No. whose advice the Society could not have societies were not consulted. Had it come to 6, Winter 1997. It is based on Eleanor become what it is. He was also an invaluable a public inquiry the result might well have Robertson's talk to the Forth and Borders link with the National Trust for Scotland at been different. The University paid for its Group entitled ‘George Square’ and the ori - that time. We both believed that a national intransigence. It was reported that the appeal gins and development of the AHSS, given on society was required but realised that to which it launched at that time evoked the Monday 21 October 1996 at the Glasite attempt to form one at that point was response from many alumni that they would Meeting House. impractical. The George Square threat was not contribute because of the University's immediate and in people's minds, it was a vandalism in the matter of George Square. 'Whatever is good of its kind ought to be live Edinburgh issue. We lost but we had made our mark. preserved in respect of antiquity as well as our present advantage, for destruction can Anyone thought likely to be interested in In 1961 the main issue was St George's be profitable to no one but such as live by saving George Square was invited (postcards Parish Church. An appeal had been launched it.' Hawksmoor, 1714. individually typed, no photocopying in and money collected but not enough to pay 'Regulations give the force of law to the folly those days) to meet in my drawing room at for complete restoration. There was a likeli - and limitations of the present.' Isumbard 10 Buccleuch Place on 20th March 1956. hood that the congregation would be united Kingdom Brunel. One of them coming up the common stair with that of St Andrew's, George Street, thus was heard to remark: 'Hm, same old stage making St George's as a church redundant, Arriving here as a foreigner in 1946 I army'. Colin's paper ‘Georgian Architecture and so the Kirk Session did not feel justified became conscious of some of the differ - in Scotland’ was distributed. The decision in using the money for its restoration. This ences between English and Scottish to found an Edinburgh society, 'The Society and the Cockburn Association called Georgian architecture. I found a lack of Georgian Group of Edinburgh', was taken a meeting of representatives of the National awareness of its value, greater I think than by 25 peo ple. Trust for Scotland, the Charlotte Square even that in England at the time, and the Proprietors, the Saltire Society, the Ancient threat to the survival of George Square We were a small body, easily dismissable, but Monuments Society, the Patrons of the seemed the most conspicuous example. that changed. We succeeded in establishing Appeal, the Pilgrim Trust, together with the Efforts to interest such older and estab - ourselves as a voice to be listened to very Session Clerk, the architect and the City lished figures largely failed, with the excep - quickly. In 1957 the late Earl of Haddington Planning Officer. tion of Robert Hurd. agreed to become our first president. People had to take us seriously after that. The meeting took place in the board room I believed that to reduce the threats to He possessed the two major virtues, intelli - of the National Trust for Scotland and Lord George Square it was necessary to start a gence and goodwill, and was held in great Haddington took the chair. Universal good - society and, knowing how crucial to the suc - public esteem and affection. He made him - will was expressed but no action followed. cess of any campaign the availability of accu - self available to us in all sorts of ways. He Providence intervened, however, because the rate information is, I asked Colin McWilliam had much good sense and practical knowl - Kirk Session found that they might be held what he thought (realising that he was as edge. responsible for a dangerous building. They fanatical as I was and much better informed). realised that they could use the money He agreed that this was the way forward, so Many people asked: 'why another society?' raised to make it safe and time was gained Colin's impeccable scholarship was available The answer was that those which existed for an alternative use to be found. Lord to the Society from its beginning.The impor - had appeared unable to concentrate on the Cameron at a meeting of the council of the tance of this cannot be overstated. Colin threat to George Square in an effective man - Cockburn Association opined that Mrs

SPRING 2010 I THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND 4 obituary

Robertson might have been getting at the beyond the Georgian period became clear about Society activities and could she help in telltales, a proud day for her. over the threat to the New Club (Burn and any way? So I asked her to come to the Bryce) and the Life Association Building same committee meeting. We were asked by the City Planning Officer (Barry and Rhind).Thirty years later it seems to define an area of great architectural and incredible that they should have been The result was that between them they set landscape value in connection with the quin - allowed to disappear, this is in a way a meas - and ran a much enhanced programme. I quennial review and our proposals, which ure of a swing in public opinion which we overheard two ladies whom I didn't know were accepted, included the New Town with have helped to create. agreeing that the Georgian Society had not its outlying areas and a large proportion of had very much to offer before the advent of early 19th century Newington. This marked The Civic Amenities Act 1967 recognised this wonderful young Irish doctor. I was puz - rapid progress (in 1961) since the refusal in the need for the preservation and enhance - zled for a moment thinking of a medical doc - 1960 to zone Charlotte Square and other ment of whole areas and conservation areas tor. But Alistair's and Margaret's contribu - New Town areas as of great architectural began to be designated in Scotland, though tions to our Society go far beyond the importance. delays occurred occasioned by fear of what recreation of the programme, splendid the financial implications might be. Damage though that was. In 1962 we also gave evidence at the City went on happening in the New Town which Council's invitation at the planning inquiry really only ended when the 1970 Scottish In 1970 we needed a new secretary and which arose from Eglinton Hotels Ltd's Civic Trust Conference on Georgian Margaret cheerfully took that on. She pro - appeal against the City Council's refusal to Edinburgh bore fruit in the founding of the vided the Society with the sound administra - give planning permission for the building of a Edinburgh New Town Conservation tive base it needed and in her immaculate tower block as part of their expansion to Committee, the situation then taken suffi - servicing of the casework set a standard the George Hotel, in close proximity to St ciently seriously for effective government which earned us the grant from Historic Andrew's Parish Church. The Secretary of action on the scale needed. Such political Scotland. Her work in establishing the State turned down the proposal. This put a action is the result of pressure brought Society in public and official esteem was stop to the threat of tower blocks in the about by bodies like ourselves. later recognised by her MBE. New Town and marks progress in the per - ceptiveness of both the City Council and the It became clear from an early period that we Under the Town and Country Planning Secretary of State. It is unfortunate that we needed a programme of lectures and visits (Scotland) Act 1969 notification of applica - were not clued up enough to perceive the to attract members and, more importantly, tions for planning consent to add to, alter or threat inherent in the redevelopment of the to define our role publicly, and one was demolish listed buildings had to be given to St James Square site (for the St James started in 1958. It was never exclusively con - various bodies, a responsible opinion having Centre), we would have lost but we should servationist, town planning issues were also to be offered within 21 days of the applica - have fought it. addressed. This programme has continued tion. Colin was opposed to our undertaking with only one break.The break had great sig - this on the ground that he couldn't do it all In 1965 I succeeded William Dickson as nificance for the Society as will be seen later. himself and if not done by him it would be chairman and Colin MacWilliam succeeded done badly and would bring the Society into me as secretary, a new era for the Society. There were high points. In 1960 we made our disrepute. I said that, though mistakes would Colin's knowledge of buildings, of the legisla - first visit to Ireland. In 1962 we visited York no doubt be made, if we didn't accept this tion which affects them and his talent as an and we learnt about the use of photogram - challenge we would have to write ourselves educator were revealed in his annual metry in the reconstruction of the burnt out off as being an effective national society. My reports. Though we had started to be con - dome at Castle Howard. Our programme in view prevailed and it has been justified by sulted about cases outside Edinburgh, our York was designed by Patrick Nuttgens, later events. Casework brings us into constant substantial extension as a national society director of the York Institute of Advanced dialogue with planning authorities and thus was made possible by his active involvement Architectural Studies. In 1962 Professor makes us more able to influence decisions. as secretary. His knowledge and concern Youngson gave us a preview of his book The Nevertheless Colin's other warning issued were nation-wide and the foundations of Making of Classical Edinburgh . This proved so at this time should be heeded. He said that effective casework were laid down. enthralling that, egged on by his audience, the casework did not cover every issue and that lecture spread well over its allotted time. But we should not feel it was all that was Colin drew attention to so many aspects of such programmes depended on individuals to required of us. Our involvement in it should conservation and the criteria for it: architec - propel them and in1969 it ceased. not make us less aware of other threats. tural significance, the quality of the environ - Casework, essential though it be, is not ment, its creation and preservation, and the Providence intervened. I had told Alistair enough. group value of a building, which might not Rowan that he must join the Society of have seemed important in itself had it been which he hadn't then heard and that he was A small cases committee started to meet in the only one of its kind in an area. He was needed on its committee and gave him the the office provided for us by Murray Beith able to express so much that many of us can date of the next committee meeting at and Murray, organised by George Burnet. sense but not make articulate. which he should show up. That same day The North East Group, the Society's first Margaret Gilfillan, who had joined the local group able to undertake casework, was The need for the Society's widening scope Society being interested in conservation, but founded that year so the foundation of what to include distinguished works in architec - heard nothing further because of the col - has proved to be one of the greatest ture, landscape architecture and planning lapse of the programme, rang up to ask strengths of the Society was laid, its tough

THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND I SPRING 2010 obituary 5 regional based organisation. Local groups Both the quotations I started with are up in opposition to the Corporation's proposals attract members, make possible the spread apposite. Eminent architects appear to have and in support of these and to stimulate local nation-wide of responsibility and public felt themselves threatened. Hawksmoor is interest I had got a group of Planning students opinion, breed initiative. Some degree of relevant here, how else to account for the at Edinburgh College of Art to do a study and autonomy is essential, irritating though this animus in promoting George Square's make proposals for Stockbridge. We put on a is to tidy minded people who aspire to run destruction? IK Brunel defines the state of show in an empty butchers' shop in the Society entirely from a national centre. mind which produces the destructiveness Stockbridge, just where the leaning trees stand of planning blight. These buildings could in front of the flats at the bridge. In 1973 our chronic shortage of finance have been rehabilitated and continued their (not aided by the birth of the Bulletin) had useful life. Some progress has been made, it I had taken Eleanor and Robert Hurd to meet to be addressed. A gift of £1,000 towards might not happen now. But how capable are the students at the College to hear and discuss the expenses of the fund-raising campaign we of creating urban space? Housing devel - their proposals for this project. We were in the was offered by Eric Ivory. Decision as to opments proliferate without sense of urban taxi rattling down Dean Park Crescent on the how to use it took much committee time. space or amenities, commercial develop - way home. Eleanor, out of the blue (and this Knowing that no campaign succeeds unless ments are inhuman in scale. Nothing was 48 years ago) said in her clear lovely voice there is an effective individual to propel it relates. The causes seem to be, amongst and nice chuckle, which some will happily and, having identified a capable and con - others, bad planning law, planning officers remember. 'I must be getting old, I'm begin - cerned individual, Sylvia Stevenson, I man - not visually trained, lack of visual training in ning to like the young'. aged to persuade the committee to appoint our schools, our inability to prevent unsuit - her. Few fund-raising campaigns can have able legislation, the system of planning gain, My other story comes a few years after 1963 been so successful. She maintained it for a akin to bribery. I believe that the future of (when Robert Hurd died). Eleanor said of year and raised £30,000, equivalent to our Society depends on our identifying and Robert, 'I go on missing him - he was the only approximately £240,000 nowadays, a work - tackling them. one of the architectural establishment to be on ing capital. On the whole attempts to erode my side - and what a person to have on one's this for speculative exercises or for running Conservation still requires endless vigi - side'. I knew it, Robert was my partner. This costs have been resisted, not without diffi - lance but in a sense it is no longer contro - was of course over George Square and the culty. Extra funds made possible the great versial. What is required of us is that we demolitions proposal to make way for expansion of casework and the foundation bring our minds seriously to bear on creat - Edinburgh University expansion. The opposi - of the Strathclyde Group. ing the urban space in which we are all tion was not particularly opposing university going to have to live, to ask the relevant development; it was trying to prevent vast and In 1973 Colin succeeded me as chairman questions. For instance why do so many of unnecessary destruction. In this fight our which is where I shall end my part in writ - the people who have a choice about where Society was born. ing the Society's history. This piece is they live choose to do so in the New Town intended for the members of our Society, or the Colonies? What sort of urban space IAN BEGG and I have not hesitated to express person - fosters a sense of community? How can we al views, not all of which will be shared. learn from the past in this respect? Eleanor was an enthusiastic and knowledge - able supporter of the AHSS Weekend Study In concluding I want to return to George The future of the Architectural Heritage Tours during my time as Organiser of these Square because I think it exemplifies in Society must be in the effectiveness with between 1984 and 1996, never allowing her microcosm problems which are still alive. which we deal with such issues. It will, as it difficulty in walking to hold her back from George Square and its surroundings repre - ought to, be a controversial one. exploring the furthest corners of every garden sented and fixed in stone the transition and the uppermost floors of every tower. between Edinburgh's Old and the New ELEANOR ROBERTSON Towns. When it was being built the idea of Past President and Fellow JANET CLARK the OldTown was not quite abandoned.The New Town as we know it was not yet con - Brave, kind and determined, the founder of the ceived, although its conception had become AHSS supported the steady expansion of our inevitable. George Square was an example Society which she and her husband Giles cre - of the now lost Scottish quality to create I have two very short stories I would like to ated in 1956 as the Georgian Group of good urban space, it catered for a wide recall... Edinburgh to prevent further demolition of range of economic classes, it housed a com - George Square. munity. There were many good vernacular, The first comes from a taxi ride. It was in low rise, high density buildings in the vicini - 1962. Edinburgh was buzzing over the high When we came to Edinburgh in 1972 she and ty, the merits of which were revealed when speed ring road proposal by Edinburgh her husband were among the first to invite us they were briefly occupied in the late 1960s Corporation which would bring a completely to their home, with our daughters aged six and as student accommodation. What replaces new road through the south side, east of the four. In the dining room was a beautiful dolls them is a parking lot. These handsome ear - Bridges and Nicolson Street. It was then house modelled onThe Royal Bank of Scotland, lier buildings were lost and are probably intended to dive under the Royal Mile, leap 36 St Andrew Square - a fascinating toy which unrecorded. The University was not the over the railway and again dive under Calton had to be kept out of bounds! They were gen - only vandal. Much of it fell victim to various Hill and swing west to pass just north of erous and kind to students over the years. sorts of planning blight. Stockbridge. New local action groups sprang The onset of arthritis restricted her mobility. As

SPRING 2010 I THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND 6 obituary part of her treatment, she was required to swim but had to be lowered into and helped out of Guy Pettigrew the Glenogle Baths. It was moving to watch her keeping afloat using her arms and trying to 1943 - 2009 move her legs. Slowly she became mobile and graduated to two sticks but she kept up the uy Pettigrew died on 12 December daily swim for years. 2009, a day before his 66th birthday. GBorn in Motherwell, he lived most of Her determination and indomitable spirit kept his life in Glasgow and was actively involved her going even to climbing Glenfinnan in the preservation of the city’s cultural and Monument on an AHSS tour of the Highlands! architectural heritage. He gave generously of She retained her interest in and support for the his time and effort in the pursuit of this aim. Society even when she could no longer attend meetings. A long-time member of the AHSS, he was Chairman of the Strathclyde Group in Requiescat in pace 2005-2007. He was a member of the Cases Panel for many years and fulfilled his role DESMOND HODGES AND there with his usual diligence and care and MARGARET HODGES continued to attend meetings until not long before his death.

My first meeting with Eleanor was in 1968, in Guy was ever mindful of the need to pre - her lovely drawing room in Saxe Coburg Place, serve as much as possible of the tradition - when I attended a committee meeting there. al architecture of Glasgow and of She was shy and quietly spoken and yet had Strathclyde in general. He was particularly obtained, and was chairing, a wonderful collec - protective of the relatively few unspoilt tion of people dedicated to architectural conser - examples of the work of Alexander ‘Greek’ vation. Committee members had a wide spread Thomson. Though conscious of the value of knowledge and expertise, some with consid - of appropriate and sympathetic modern erable influence. Serving at that time, either on architecture, he was certainly no fan of the the committee or in conjunction with it, were tall, impersonal glass structures currently academics of different disciplines, including art in fashion. Guy was a man of great charm with a quiet, and architectural historians; architects; business - laconic wit. Kind, good-humoured, and men; country house and estate owners; a finan - He took much pleasure in his comprehen - smiling, he was always good company – a cier; a journalist; lawyers; an MP; a retired naval sive collection of Scottish pottery, glass gentle-man in the true sense of the word. commander and town planners. Also involved and paintings – the latter mainly connected He is survived by Morag, his three sons and were representative members from different with the west of Scotland. With his wife, four grandchildren. He will be greatly conservation organisations, including the Morag, he was an active member of the missed by his many friends. NationalTrust for Scotland, and members in the Scottish Pottery Society and of the New regions. Eleanor combined her work for the Glasgow Society. JOHN MILES Society with being the mother of a very happy family of five children.

I loved the combination of conservation and family life. The content of discussions amongst committee members, much ahead of its time, fascinated me, the warmth in the welcome Erratum Eleanor and her husband, Giles, gave, coupled Autumn 2009 edition with the encouraging appreciation of every effort I made, was heart warming. Knowing The review of Conservation of Phoebe Anna St Giles Cathedral. Additionally, not all of her family, all of whom had a deep apprecia - Traquair Murals at MansfieldTraquair Centre, Lorimer's papers were left to RCAHMS; they tion of art and architecture and enthusiastical - Edinburgh, page 54 said Phoebe Traquair's remained with the firm of Lorimer & ly supported their mother, was a great pleas - assistant was Robert Lorimer, which was Matthew, which continued to operate after ure. In founding the Society, involving such incorrect. Her assistant was John Matthew, Lorimer's death under John Matthew, people, and maintaining an active interest assistant to and later partner of Lorimer. Lorimer's partner. Some of them were given until her health failed, was a truly remarkable by Stuart Matthew, son of John Matthew, to achievement. The Strathclyde Group Study Day: Hill of the Special Collections Department of the Tarvit and Fife, page 72 stated that Lorimer University of Edinburgh Library. The remain - MARGARET GILFILLAN MBE was knighted for his work at the Scottish der, including many drawings and photo - Secretary 1971 – 1991 National War Memorial. He was in fact graphs, were subsequently acquired by knighted for his work at theThistle Chapel at RCAHMS.

THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND I SPRING 2010 GMH 7 News from the Glasite Meeting House redecoration of the McWilliam (Feast) Room

ack in November 2008 the Glasite viewed carefully, and discussed them. After Meeting House Trust began careful deliberation, we decided to brighten fundraising for the much-needed up the room with a bold yellow. Now the Bredecoration of the McWilliam walls are a stunning, sunny yellow (Babouche Room. At successive AGMs of both the No.223), with the cornice (Matchstick Trust and the AHSS it had often been dis - No.2013) and ceiling (New White No.59) cussed what a boost it would give the build - painted in complementary neutrals suggested ing – and all that happens in it – if there by Farrow & Ball. The ceiling colour is a could be a scheme of redecoration. As we warm shade, which lends a subtle glow to the all know in our own homes, good use of room, and the soft shade of the cornice colour and improved lighting usually makes blends seamlessly with the delicate intensity a dramatic difference to our perception of a of the walls. room and adds to our sense of well-being. In due course the main Meeting Hall will be The dramatic – for so it is - transformation is redecorated too, but it seemed best to start a joy to behold. As the McWilliam Room's with a space that was in every sense more walls and ceiling were patched and filled in manageable. The McWilliam Room was innumerable places, we began to realise what agreed to be the best place to start as it has a change the new colour was about to bring all the characteristics of a very grand draw - to the space. The well-loved room was final - ing room in the Edinburgh of the Late Copyright Stephen McGarry ly getting the lift it needed. Georgian period. There is no doubt that with the simple appli - Shortly after the fundraising drive began, in cation of a warmer, richer colour, the December 2008, the AHSS staff moved out of McWilliam Room is now a more inviting and the McWilliam Room to free the space up for cheerful space. The room looks bright even other uses and functions. It was not long on the greyest of winter days, and the room after that an Egyptian dance class took up feels more intimate - more a family sitting residence one night a week, filling Barony room than a large empty meeting space. The Street with the sounds of finger cymbals and McWilliam Room has now played host to a dancing feet. Later, they were joined by a range of cultural gatherings: from a meeting yoga class three mornings a week, which filled and meal of the Slow Food Movement’s the Glasite with positive energy and happy Edinburgh convivium, to birthday parties, and voices. By the time the Festival came to town a Heritage Lottery Fund briefing. In fact, the last year, the Glasite had a taste of what it McWilliam Room is now considered stylish could be like to be a local arts venue, by host - enough to host a fashion shoot by photogra - ing two small exhibitions: the low-light land - responded swiftly and positively: they would pher Stephen McGarry for our local bespoke scape photography of James Homer and the supply the paint required. jeweller, ReneWalrus. The paint kindly donat - illustrated 3-D books and handmade hand - ed by Farrow & Ball has given the McWilliam kerchiefs by the AHSS's own dedicated and Ideas about the redecoration had been Room the face-lift it needed - and moreover enthusiastic staff member, Carmen Moran. expressed for, literally, years. But the Trustees it has given us a taste of what potential rests decided to have a well-focused discussion. On in the Glasite Meeting House as a whole. The fundraising drive proved amazingly and the evening when it had been decided that a satisfyingly successful - essentially it was the decision would actually need to be made To all those involved, both those who gave contributions of a group of friends who have Robert Robertson brought to the meeting, as the money and those who so generously sup - a great affection for the Meeting House and previously offered and agreed, a number of plied the paints – our new friends at Farrow are involved with it one way or another - and samples of possible options. These we & Ball – we give our heartfelt thanks. we quickly realised that we would certainly be able to meet the cost of the skilled painterwork. In addition we needed to raise the cost of the paint. So we decided to Farrow & Ball, Rene Walrus approach Farrow & Ball, manufacturers of tra - 20 North West Circus Place, www.renewalrus.co.uk ditional paints and wallpapers, which are par - Stockbridge, Edinburgh EH3 6SX ticularly geared to the needs of historic inte - Tel: 0131 226 2216, Stephen McGarry riors, to see if they would be willing to pro - www.farrow-ball.com www.stephenmcgarry.org vide a measure of sponsorship. Farrow & Ball

SPRING 2010 I THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND 8 news

Historic Environment (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill

In September 2009, the Scottish Government duties or costs'. Consultation on a draft Bill - gathering by the lead Committee in the early announced its intention to bring forward in under a different title - had already taken summer, with detailed Stage 2 examination - this session a Historic Environment place between May and August 2009. The when amendments will be considered - in the (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill, stating: analysis report of the consultation is available autumn, with all parliamentary stages com - 'Scotland's historic environment is both on Historic Scotland's website. The propos - plete around the end of the year. Historic inspiring and irreplaceable. It has a significant als in the Bill were generally well supported, Scotland looks forward to keeping in close role to play in developing a sustainable eco - although a number of technical points were touch with BEFS throughout the process, nomic future for Scotland. The Bill provides raised and some respondents argued for the building on the very successful experience the opportunity to improve Scotland's her - Bill to include a wider range of provisions. with the recent Marine Bill. itage protection framework and address gaps One consultee was generally critical of the and weaknesses in the current legislative Bill. We are currently planning on the basis of LUCY BLACKBURN framework that have been identified through introduction in the spring. The timetable Bill Director, Historic Scotland stakeholder engagement. The Bill will be beyond that will depend on which Scottish enabling legislation that will allow issues that Parliament Committee is given the Bill and For more information, go to: affect local and central government and the how it decides to proceed. However, a rea - http://www.historic- owners of historic assets to be addressed sonable assumption for colleagues in the sec - scotland.gov.uk/index/heritage/ without introducing significant new burdens, tor would be for general Stage 1 evidence environmentbill.htm

Cockburn Association News

New President British Insurers and the Royal Scottish Council and was a Board member of a – Sir Sandy Crombie Academy of Music and Drama, and regional Cultural Consortium. With a We are pleased to welcome Sir Sandy as Chairman of the Edinburgh World City of degree in Politics and Environment Marion our new President of the Association. Literature Trust. He received a knighthood has been involved constructively in many Retiring Director and Group Chief for services to the insurance industry in campaigns and has experience of sitting on Executive, Sir Sandy had been a director of Scotland in the 2009 New Year Honours an Environment Agency Area Board and The Standard Life Assurance Company List. representing cultural interests on the since January 2000. He was Chief Executive Regional Planning Guidance team. of Standard Life Investments Limited from New Director its launch in 1998 until his appointment as – Marion Williams Marion said 'I am delighted to take on the Group Chief Executive of The Standard Life Marion brings with her a wealth of experi - role of Director. Using the skills and experi - Assurance Company in 2004. Sir Sandy is ence in the areas of planning, heritage and ence I have acquired over many years and Senior Independent Director of The Royal culture. She has been actively involved in my passion for the built environment and Bank of Scotland Group plc. He is also a planning, public consultation, appeals proce - community involvement in its culture and member of the Chancellor of the dures and campaigns; sat on a regional heritage I aim to maintain and develop fur - Exchequer’s High-Level Group on Financial Heritage Lottery Fund committee, Chaired ther the Cockburn Association's significant Services, a director of the Association of a regional Museums Libraries & Archives contribution to the stewardship of the City'.

Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) published

The SPP, which covers the historic environ - parts of the system, policies and clarifies the Government’s ment (paragraphs 110-124) has now been • statutory guidance on sustainable devel - expectations of the system and planning published and is available online at: opment and planning under Section 3E services. It is a brief statement of policy and http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/ of the Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006, does not attempt to provide a comprehen - 2010/02/03132605/0 • concise subject planning policies, includ - sive summary or explanation of the plan - ing the implications for development ning system in Scotland or to describe the The document states: planning and development management, full and diverse range of objectives to which ‘...This SPP is a statement of Scottish and planning may contribute... The policies Government policy on land use planning • the Scottish Government’s expectations expressed in this SPP should inform the and contains: of the intended outcomes of the plan - content of development plans, should be a • the Scottish Government’s view of the ning system. consideration in decisions on planning appli - purpose of planning, cations and should be used to inform devel - • the core principles for the operation of This approach places planning in the wider opment proposals from initial concept to the system and the objectives for key context of Scottish Government aims and implementation...’

THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND I SPRING 2010 news 9

Exhibition of Scotland’s First Housing Expo opens in Birnam

An exhibition of the UK’s first sustainable Fully supported by the Scottish The Expo will be held on a site at Balvonie housing expo, which will be held in Government, Highland Council and a con - Braes, south east of Inverness, just off the Inverness in August 2010, went on display at sortium of agencies, Scotland’s Housing A9. When it ends, the houses will be avail - the Birnam Institute, in January. A series of Expo is a result of an architectural compe - able to buy or rent and it will become a liv - scale models demonstrated the layout of tition which selected the teams who have ing community. the housing expo, including 55 cutting edge designed these innovative homes. The Expo sustainable homes and the surrounding houses and their contents will form a plat - Councillor Jean Urquhart, chair of the pathways, roads, trees, social spaces and form for showcasing the wealth of Highland Housing Expo board said: 'The exhibition community areas. and Scottish design talent, including interior will really help to bring the Expo to life and and product design. The initiative also pro - demonstrate how Scotland’s housing could Based on an established model found in vides a ‘test bed’ for construction and tech - look in the future. We are incredibly grate - Finland and mainland Europe, the Expo is nological innovation, which will inform ful to SUST for making the exhibition tour set to put Scotland and the Highlands firm - Scottish house building in the future. The happen.' ly on the map as a leader in sustainable liv - houses will inspire developers to learn new ing and provide a vision for the next gener - skills and source fresh ideas to incorporate ation of Scottish housing. 40% of the Expo into future designs, while demonstrating For more information, go to: homes will be affordable, with the remaining how new building standards can be met on http://www.scotlandshousingexpo.com 60% available for sale on the open market. energy efficiency and carbon reduction.

Thomson Society seek funding for Glasgow landmark Plans are in train to rescue Glasgow’s credentials. Rectifying this state of affairs One Alexander Thomson Place has the Caledonia Road Church from ruin in a £4.5m architects Gholami Baines plan to instate a backing of both the Alexander Thomson project to transform the site into a museum feature doorway, salvaged from a Society and Glasgow City Council who have and gallery dedicated to the work of one of demolished Thomson warehouse on Bell committed £280k to the project and granted the city’s greatest architects. Street whilst stabilising the structure. the scheme planning permission. A significant Significantly the ruin will not be rebuilt but fund raising campaign remains to be carried The A-listed church presently languishes in rather retained and conserved – its out however if full financing is to be secured. a dangerous state of disrepair after being roofless interior serving as a central gutted by fire in 1965 and has become court. A new build extension built in For more information, go to: something of an embarrassment to a city silver grey granite will adjoin this to www.greekthomson.com that prides itself on its architectural complement the original.

UK to put forward ‘fewer and fitter’ places for future UNESCO World Heritage Site designation

A competition to find more cultural and panel. A new ‘Tentative List’ of candidate heritage to the world in an eye-catching natural heritage places of global impor - sites will then be drawn up for submission way. But bidding for World Heritage status tance, which are fit to become future UK to UNESCO in 2011, with the first nomina - carries a cost, and we want to be sure that World Heritage Sites, was launched by tion going forward from 2012. Those on public resources are well deployed. So, in Culture Minister Margaret Hodge. In the the last UK Tentative List, drawn up in future, we want a process that ensures that future the Government will put forward 1999, which have not so far gone forward only sure-fire winners with outstanding fewer sites for consideration by UNESCO, for consideration by UNESCO, will be able universal value go forward. This means we with a streamlined application system to to apply again for inclusion on the new list. will make fewer nominations, selecting help ensure success. sites from a new, shorter and more Margaret Hodge said: focused list' . Local authorities, and others, throughout 'To be designated a World Heritage Site is the UK including the Overseas Territories a real honour and a rare privilege. It can and Crown Dependencies will have the bring social and economic benefits to areas For more information, go to opportunity to nominate such sites for chosen, and it’s great for tourism, promot - http://www.culture.gov.uk assessment by an independent expert ing the profile of our cultural and natural

SPRING 2010 I THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND 10 news

Karen Anderson to Chair A+DS

Minister for Culture Fiona Hyslop has capacity as an advisory board member of make Scotland’s towns and cities more announced that Karen Anderson has A+DS and I look forward to handing attractive, economically vibrant and been appointed to become the new over to her this very professional organ - more sustainable for the future. Chair of A+DS. Ms Anderson took up isation. She brings a real wealth of prac - the post on 1 April 2010 and has suc - tical experience in both urban and rural ‘The future of A+DS is built on the firm ceeded Raymond Young CBE. Scotland to the role of Chair and I am foundations of the excellent work that sure that under her leadership A+DS has been carried out by our teams in Speaking shortly after the announce - will make an even more significant con - Edinburgh and Glasgow and I will ensure ment Ms Hyslop said: tribution to better place-making in that going forward we build a higher ‘With her impressive background in Scotland.’ public profile by focussing on our pri - architecture and regeneration, Karen mary role; championing good design by Anderson has the right skills to drive Following the announcement of her working with policy-makers and devel - forward the work of A+DS. This appointment, Karen Anderson said: opers whose decisions affect our envi - appointment marks the first step in ‘I am delighted to have been appointed ronment.’ implementing the new simplified gover - as the new Chair of A+DS and I am nance structure, as recommended in the ready to help drive forward the Scottish recent review of the organisation. Karen Government's ambitions to deliver plan - For more information, go to will assume responsibility for the new ning reform and support the creation of http://www.ads.org.uk/news body as it emerges as an Executive non- a better built environment in Scotland. The Scottish Government’s departmental public body in April.’ announcement may be found here ‘Poor development adversely affects our http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/ Welcoming her appointment, former landscape, economy and communities, Releases/2010/01/22103136 A+DS Chair Raymond Young said: potentially forever. Well-designed new ‘I have worked directly with Karen in her development and infrastructure can help

Ground breaking new initiative from Scottish Civic Trust: My Place Awards 2010

The importance of place and place- While we are made aware of projects making is increasingly important. This that have been ill-conceived and take is, of course, because we know how the little account of their negative influ - buildings, spaces and places we make ence, there are many more that gen - for ourselves can impact on our day-to- uinely reflect positively on life day to day lives. Local communities aspire to day. It is these projects and buildings improving their neighbourhoods, and that are being sought. The support of can be all too often thwarted by poor local agencies ensures that the My Place quality development. However, there Award can and will celebrate and are many examples of developments encourage communities to consider that add value to our places. The on their architectural, heritage and/or carefully the projects they undertake. Scottish Civic Trust’s new initiative the place making benefits. The aim is to In addition the award helps promote My Place Awards seeks to celebrate identify and commend recently com - good building and good design within Scotland’s most appreciated and suc - pleted projects and buildings that have a the communities that live and work cessful projects whether new builds, positive impact in a local neighbour - with these places and spaces. renovations or restorations. hood and have delivered positive bene - fits to that local community. In 2010, its first year, a Scottish Civic The Scottish Civic Trust’s Trust My Place Award will be presented With almost 200 local civic societies My Place Award 2010 will be to a project that contributes positively and preservation societies affiliated to presented by the Minister for to local place-making. It may be a new the Scottish Civic Trust it’s clear that Culture and External Affairs, building or a conservation project or an throughout Scotland we care about Fiona Hyslop in early Spring. improvement scheme for a public space architecture and architectural heritage. Full details can be found or park. The award is not intended to on the award website: be for ‘professional merit’, with archi - www.myplaceaward.org.uk tects or developers seeking accolades or by phoning the for their own projects. Instead, proj - Scottish Civic Trust on ects will be nominated by local civic 0141 221 1466. groups and they will then be assessed

THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND I SPRING 2010 news 11

EWH lights the way in Edinburgh

Edinburgh World Heritage and the City of will aim to replicate with scope for con - and even when lit the quality of light was Edinburgh Council are teaming up to devel - temporary design 'where appropriate'. poor. Often the oil within was stolen for op a lighting strategy for Edinburgh’s New use in cooking, compounding the problem. Town. Historic lamps in the city are sparse today but evidence for them remains in the form Public funding saw these replaced in the Measures being investigated include the of square indents at the base of iron rail 1820s with gas lights, capable of producing replacement of modern concrete lamps fencing. a far superior luminosity. with historical lighting, modelled after sur - viving originals, as they deteriorate. Privately constructed wrought iron oil For additional information, see lamps can still be found on Charlotte The Edinburgh World Heritage website Subtle design variations between streets Square and were in use till the early 19th at http://www.ewht.org.uk/ added diversity to the architecture, some - century. Only used in winter, the city was World-Heritage-lighting-strategy.aspx thing a rolling programme of replacement plunged into darkness over the summer

Recent HLF Awards

Glenfinnan Station Museum Govan Cultural & Heritage Campus The Glenfinnan Station Museum Trust has of the largest engineering undertakings of been awarded a grant of £195,000 to revi - its time. A yet-to-be determined collection of histori - talise the exhibition and visitor facilities at cal sites important to the people of Govan Glenfinnan Station Museum on the West The project will conserve and repair the will become its 'Cultural and Heritage Highland Railway Line. Constructed in station buildings and convert the surround - Campus' thanks to an HLF grant of £35,000 1900 by Robert McAlpine, this B-listed ing Old Goods Shed into a museum store to the Pearce Institute. building situated on the scenic Mallaig and curator’s study and the signal box into extension of the West Highland Line, is a research room and audio visual studio. The Govan Cultural and Heritage Campus both an operational station and a museum. The current collection will be fully cata - project, run by the Pearce Institute, will enable The museum provides visitors with a jour - logued and volunteers will be trained to do the local community to strategically plan the ney into the past of rail travel in the this. A new activities programme and future of their key heritage assets through Highlands recreating the appearance and schools’ educational sessions will be creative workshops and events. Local volun - working atmosphere of a rural train sta - designed and new guides will be written teers will explore the ancient and recent her - tion during the early 20th century. The and translated to be available in a variety of itage of Govan through training and research station is situated next to Loch Shiel formats. The Glenfinnan Viaduct footpath sessions based on a variety of different National Scenic Area and Site of Special will be upgraded and new waymarkers themes. Delivered in schools, community Scientific Interest, from which visitors can installed. Volunteers will also receive train - buildings and the Fablevision media studios, gain a stunning outlook across the loch to ing in guiding, collections care, path mainte - these sessions will focus on the heritage the Glenfinnan Viaduct, an A-listed struc - nance and interpretation and will play a piv - assets which community consultation identi - ture also built by Robert McAlpine as one otal role in the delivery of the project. fies as important. These assets will form the notional 'campus'.

The groups will then decide how their research can be shared with new audiences using different mediums, guided by profession - Corstorphine Old Parish Church als from the relevant fields. Together they will The A-listed Corstorphine Old Parish local landmark in the conservation area of compile a feasibility study of how the heritage Church has been granted an award of Corstorphine. Historical information can be supported in the future. This will pro - £90,900 for repairs to the church’s stone about the church is available on the inter - pose conservation work and future activities work and rainwater goods. The project is net, primarily from the websites of local to highlight the rich history of Govan and the also being supported by Historic heritage societies, although more general significance of the past to the area. Leading up Scotland. visiting and service information is available to this will be exhibitions, new web-based on a number of local sites and that of the learning materials, drama productions, a film The church is a central and distinctive Church of Scotland. and open-air historic re-enactments.

SPRING 2010 I THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND 12 heritage lottery fund

Conservation and Development of the Speirs Centre, Alloa

Clackmannanshire Council has been The project will bring new life to the given adequate space, a luxury it does not awarded a first round pass to develop a building, whilst the removal of modern currently have. project to restore the B-listed Speirs interventions will reveal the true heritage Centre in Alloa. A unique building, the and historic value of the building. The A range of opportunities will be created Speirs Centre was designed by JJ Burnet restored building will be brought back throughout the project for the local and draws influences from a range of into valued community use through the community to become involved. Training architectural periods. Moorish, Baroque, installation of a library, museum, archive in both the capital works and the opera - Art Nouveau and Classical references all and associated facilities. The archive will tion of the museum and archive will be appear in the entrance hall and a Chinese include the Walter Murray Collection of made available and programmes will be influence can be seen in the entrance local studies material, which contains developed to include in-house training screen to the former swimming pool. books, maps, pamphlets, photographs and for staff and volunteers. Life long learn - Originally built as ‘Alloa Public Baths and slides, local newspapers, Census enumer - ing and schools programmes, community Gymnasium’ in 1895 through a patronage ators' books on microfilm and Old Parish heritage exhibitions, in-service training of the mill-owning Paton family, the build - records dating from the 16th century. for teachers, a children's area and associ - ing holds a socially historical significance, The Museums collection which covers a ated activities and a continued and telling modern day visitors of the atti - diverse range of objects - including a col - extended outreach programme will also tudes to general public cleanliness, health lection relating to domestic life, industry be developed through the course of the and fitness of the period. and commerce and photography - will be project.

Gartnavel Royal Hosptial Chapel

Glasgow Building Preservation Trust has Burnett in 1904, was to provide spiritual Support Scotland, a support service been awarded a first round pass to support to patients of the Royal Lunatic offering holistic therapy and counselling, develop a project which will provide a Asylum (now Gartnavel Royal Hospital). who will be the end user of the building. sustainable use for a building at risk. The The restored chapel will house an exhi - B-listed chapel is currently owned by the The building will be repaired, conserved bition area and library reading room and NHS. The original purpose of the distinc - and extended to ensure that it is not lost there will also be a reception area, holis - tive chapel, designed by John James and the applicant is working with Cancer tic treatment rooms and office space.

Haddo Park, Ellon

Aberdeenshire Council has been award - park incorporates areas of woodland, The grant will allow the Council to restore ed a first round pass to develop a project grassland and open water that have been the heritage features and increase public through the Parks for People scheme used for public recreation since 1978. access and interpretation. Work includes which will restore Haddo Country Park The park is visited by approximately the relocation of features that compromise in Aberdeenshire. The character of the 220,000 people each year and is highly the historic setting and improvements to park is defined by the A-listed 1735 valued by the local community who are the park infrastructure to meet customer Palladian Haddo House that was actively involved in the development of needs and expectations including designed by William Adam. The country the project. enhanced facilities for disabled users.

Defending the Past

The Royal Commission on the Ancient and with the building of the A-listed Cape events including a programme of guided Historical Monuments of Scotland Wrath Lighthouse designed by Robert walks, talks, archive sessions and a camping (RCAHMS) has been awarded a grant of Stevenson in 1927, Clais Charmach slipway trip for local schools. Due to the £38,000 to investigate the heritage sites of and storehouse, the remains of the Chain remoteness of the area a local mini bus Cape Wrath. Home Radar Station and various 20th service will be provided to encourage century defence structures built to defend people from further afield to visit the area. The remote military training area includes Britain during the Second World War. an interesting range of heritage sites such A website, information leaflet and DVD as early 19th century structures associated The project will include a wide range of will also be created.

THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND I SPRING 2010 projects 13 Walking in the Air

The romantic view of an architectural histori - types of researchers for both professional cannot visit. The press coverage surrounding an is of a researcher buried amongst piles of and personal use, and collectively they pro - the launch of Street View has perhaps made plans and books tracing the defining themes vide a fascinating insight into the wealth of its existence a thing of common knowledge, of an architect’s style or the history of a par - architecture and engineering across the but the concept it introduces of exploring ticular building. Whilst this method of nation.The following list provides the website the streets of Scotland through online research is still as valid as it ever was there is address, an overview of the information avail - research can be very usefully expanded to an increasing range of digital sources available able from each and some tips on using the illustrate the wealth of historical information to assist architectural research. These open site successfully. which is available on those very same streets up research not only for architectural histori - which can be meandered down with Street ans, but for those interested in researching Perhaps the ultimate dream of the architec - View. their own home, street or town, or even the tural researcher is the ability to look at hospital where they were born. This article streets and buildings, and when it is not pos - As well as the product of a Google search aims to provide an overview of the sources sible to do this in person this can now be which will provide a broad range of infor - which are available and the information completed online. Many of us may be familiar mation on any location of interest there are which they contain to make them easily with the search engine Google as a conven - a number of specific sources of information accessible for all researchers interested in ient portal to access information, but through which can help to provide information architectural history in Scotland. Google maps it is now possible to explore about a building, and lead to further many of the streets of Scotland through sources. Some of the best sources for initial Each of the sources below is available online Street View, which really does allow us to searches about particular sites are outlined with free or relatively low-cost access for all ‘walk in the air’ through neighbourhoods we in more detail below.

Historic Scotland undertaken by the staff to provide a collec - historic maps for an architectural historian www.historic-scotland.gov.uk tion of over 15 million items, covering when attempting to date a particular build - archaeology, buildings and maritime her - ing and looking at the development of a site. The Historic Scotland website provides itage. The huge wealth of material is acces - The NLS maps collection is very broad, with access to search list descriptions (for listed sible by an online search of the Canmore a range of maps significantly pre-dating the buildings), schedules (for scheduled monu - database, accessible from the homepage. earliest Ordnance Survey editions as well as a wealth of data from OS and Bartholomew, ments) and the database of gardens and Searches can return a variety of information all of which provide fascinating insights into designed landscapes, all of which provide a on a building from original plans and draw - how the landscape surrounding us has wealth of detail on the particular sites ings to archive images and modern survey changed over time. included. When researching a building per - drawings. The record also often includes haps the most common search will be of references to other sources of written In addition to the general collections held listed buildings. If the building in question is information on the site. by NLS there are two specific collections included on the Scottish Ministers list of Scotland’s Places which merit further consideration. These buildings of special architectural or historic are the NLS collection of military maps, interest its list description will be returned www.scotlandsplaces.gov.uk including the Roy Military Survey of via a search of the database. In addition to Scotland, which can be found at the statutory information the list descrip - Scotland’s Places is an online portal which www.nls.uk/maps/military/index.html, and in tion includes technical information about provides access to the information held by addition the Ordnance Survey also provides the building, including the architect and date a number of other organisations. The data - access to historic epoch mapping through where these are known, and often a wide base is searched by geographic location and NLS at www.nls.uk/maps/townplans/index. range of further details including a set of provides a good way to access broader html and www.nls.uk/maps/townplans/ references which is an excellent guide to information about a local area as well as a overlays.html. sources of further information. specific building or site. In addition to data from RCAHMS (see above), the site pro - Dictionary of Royal Commission on the Ancient vides millions of pages in government and Scottish Architects and Historical Monuments of private records including tax rolls and annu - www.scottisharchitects.org.uk Scotland (RCAHMS) al reports from County Medical Officers of Health. www.rcahms.gov.uk One of the defining pieces of information National Library of Scotland about any structure is the identity of the For both listed buildings and non-listed sites Maps architect who built it. The DSA is a database one of the most useful initial sources of which provides biographical information and information is the collections of RCAHMS. www.nls.uk/maps job lists for all architects known to have The Commission began collecting in 1908 worked in Scotland between 1840 and 1980. and the gifts of original drawings and plans Whilst considering location based informa - The database can be searched by architect, have been supplemented by survey work tion it is important to consider the value of by building or by client and provides a

SPRING 2010 I THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND 14 projects

This hopefully leaves our romanticised vision of an architectural research still using weighty tomes and scrutinising original plans, but with a laptop too amongst his range of tools for research further enhancing the enjoyment which can be had from Scotland’s unique and fabulous architectural heritage

wealth of information for buildings through - UK National Inventory of applications, and details of applications are out Scotland. War Memorials now available online through the planning www.ukniwm.org.uk/ portals for each authority. In the majority of The Registers of Scotland cases the sites also include archive applica - www.ros.gov.uk This online database provides information tions allowing the user to trace the history on the designers, locations, condition and of development on a particular site. Having established the identity of the archi - inscriptions of war memorials across the tect who designed a building the ownership UK, including Scotland. Gazetteer of Scotland history of a particular site can provide fasci - www.geo.ed.ac.uk/home/ nating historical information on the develop - Scran scotland/scotland.html ment of the building, and in some cases fur - www.scran.ac.uk ther information on the ownership of the building itself. The services offered by the This website, hosted by the University of Registers of Scotland to both public and pro - Scran is an online charity with over 360,000 Edinburgh, provides an up-to-date account of fessional users allow for information from digital images detailing buildings and com - almost all conceivable locations in Scotland, the deeds to a property to be searched for a munities across Scotland in addition to both the first gazetteer of its type since 1885. small fee, providing detailed information on sound and video media, which is now host - the history of ownership and in some cases ed by RCAHMS. Resources for Learning, Scotland development on a particular site. Am Baile www.rls.org.uk/ The National Archives of www.ambaile.org.uk/ Scotland This source is hosted by the National Libraries of Scotland, and provides a single www.nas.gov.uk An online learning and research resource of search portal for accessing data and records digitised archives for the language, culture from over 100 Scottish archives and library. Whilst in the area of researching legal and and history of the Scottish Highlands and Islands. official documents, the vast collections held This article has provided only a brief by the National Archives of Scotland are also overview of the resources available online worth considering for the huge diversity of Edinburgh Drainage Records to those interested in researching estate and legal papers which they hold, pro - www.cecdoc.co.uk Scotland’s rich built and cultural history. viding valuable information on a vast range Rather than being a definitive list it is a of subjects. The database of records can be This fascinating resource, hosted by City of beginner’s guide, illustrating some of the searched by keyword and there is a full Edinburgh Council, includes records of the most easily accessible sources of informa - record of wills and testaments available drainage for the whole city, providing a fas - online via the website for ‘Scotland’s People’ cinating insight into some of the capital’s tion as a starting point for further explo - www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk. lesser known subterranean history. ration of the vast range of information avail - able online. This hopefully leaves our In addition to the sources which are outlined Aberdeen University George romanticised vision of an architectural above there is a huge diversity of specific Washington Wilson Photographic research still using weighty tomes and scru - sources of information for researchers, a Collection tinising original plans, but with a laptop too range of which is outlined below. Whilst the http://ibase.abdn.ac.uk/ amongst his range of tools for research fur - resources outlined provide much detailed ther enhancing the enjoyment which can be material about a particular site of interest, a had from Scotland’s unique and fabulous The archive, most of which is available digi - number of the specific and more unusual architectural heritage. sources can provide very specific additional tally, contains over 40,000 images from information for some types of site. around Britain created by the George Washington Wilson Company during the The author would like to acknowledge the later parts of the 19th century. Statistical Accounts assistance of Dominic Echlin and Shona http://edina.ac.uk/stat-acc-scot/ Local Council Planning Portals Humphrey in developing the source material outlined above. www.gwydir.demon.co.uk/ The Statistical Account and New Statistical Accounts are available online for an access uklocalgov/localgsi.htm fee, and provide a range of information on DAVID FLEETWOOD the topography and population of parishes Most of Scotland’s local authorities have AHSS Forth and Borders across Scotland between 1791 and 1894. recently digitised the process for planning Committee Member

THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND I SPRING 2010 RCAHMS 15 Recording our Recent Past: Post-War Sites and Monuments Archives, 1945-80

THE ROYAL COMMISSION n the mid-1980s, RCAHMS began recording (Historic Scotland). Throughout the 20th ON THE ANCIENT AND Scotland's post-war built environment in century there has been a recurring tension response to the increasing academic and between the aspirations to widen the scope HISTORICAL MONUMENTS heritage interest in that period; in the 1990s of heritage to embrace more and more of the OF SCOTLAND active collecting of related archive began. built environment and cultural landscape, and This article examines why and how the practical reality of extending preservation edited by IRCAHMS established itself as the leading that far. Since 1980, a decade after the drive national resource for the post-war built envi - behind the national programmes of recon - Veronica Fraser ronment, and highlights the scope and diver - struction had fallen away, the post-1914 built sity of that public archive.* Although the two environment became accepted as potential separate strands of recording and archive col - ‘heritage’; an inventory of the interwar period This issue of the magazine features lecting developed in parallel, as outlined was pioneered by the RIAS Scottish Thirties below, their practices and contexts often dif - project, and was reflected in Historic an examination of how the fered. This paper will focus primarily on the Scotland’s listing programme. From the early recording aspects of RCAHMS history. 1990s heritage focus began to shift to the pioneering RCAHMS building post-1945 years. Foundations survey programmes, begun in the RCAHMS began as the first attempt at sys - Scotland’s post-war heritage was, and still is, a tematic nationwide heritage inventorisation focus of strong passions and conflicting views. mid-1980s, paved the way for a in 1908. This adopted a wide definition, and Preserving or ‘listing’ large post-war ensem - the terminal date of 1707 was also late for its bles such as peripheral housing schemes and re-evaluation of Scotland’s post- time. From 1913, the government's building new towns is a difficult process; surveying for preservation efforts took a different route, posterity and archive gathering is less so. war architectural heritage. In but the RCAHMS county-by-county inven - RCAHMS, in response to this ever expanding tories continued until 1992, independent scope of heritage in the late 1960s and 1970s, addition, new accessions to the from preservation responsibilities. Today, extended its terminal date of 1707 to cover RCAHMS, with the online catalogue pre-1850 monuments, then pre-1914, but Rare Books Collection, which add Canmore at its core, is the recognised crucially by the late-1980s it incorporated the na tional collection for the historic environ - to our knowledge of the ment. The continuation of three original guid - Monktonhall Colliery, Midlothian (No. 1 shaft winding ing principles - autonomy from preservation, tower), prior to demolition in 1989 (Crown copyright: development of housing in breadth of survey and archive-gathering, and RCAHMS) a threat-based remit - have enabled Scotland, are highlighted. RCAHMS, following its incorporation of the Scottish National Buildings Record (SNBR) in 1966, to provide an extensive and broad General comments or requests for information overview of Scotland’s post-war built envi - can be addressed to: ronment through its collections, and strategic surveys. These guiding principles are particu - Veronica Fraser larly relevant to the complexities surrounding Royal Commission on the Ancient and often large scale post-war built environ - Historical Monuments of Scotland ments, which have been controversial from John Sinclair House the early 1990s, and are increasingly under 16 Bernard Terrace threat of demolition. Edinburgh EH8 9NX Firstly, the autonomy of RCAHMS survey and collections work from building preservation Tel: 0131 662 1456 has enabled a dispassionate analysis of this Fax: 0131 662 1477 often controversial Modern Movement peri - e-mail: [email protected] od. In Scotland, unlike almost all other west - ern European countries, we have a strong Please visit the RCAHMS website at: separation of survey and collecting from the www.rcahms.gov.uk government buildings preservation agency

SPRING 2010 I THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND 16 RCAHMS

Cumbernauld Town Centre, North Lanarkshire during Prefabricated bungalow (AIROH), Moredun, Edinburgh, prior to demolition in 2001 (Crown copyright: RCAHMS) part demolition in 2000 (Crown copyright: RCAHMS) vast post-war sites and landscapes into its ried out precautionary recording against system. This established that RCAHMS should ongoing survey programmes. From the outset threat of aerial attack, and crucially, began col - have the statutory right to record any listed the SNBR had no date range exclusions, with lecting architectural drawings and archive. It building approved for demolition. The ‘threat- new builds in historic burghs being recorded was formed ostensibly to record important based’ recording wing of the SNBR was taken as early as 1950; in 1968 the acquisition of the buildings under threat of bombing, but more over by RCAHMS and a new post was creat - Ian G Lindsay collection, a large proportion of fundamentally its main aim was a further elab - ed in 1968 to co-ordinate the programme. which is post-war, was secured. oration of theTraditionalist agenda of preserv - That statutory right has continued to the ing and recording vernacular architecture, not present day, and its scope was expanded to Secondly, the very wide definition adopted in elite buildings like country houses, as an inspi - include un-listed buildings in conservation 1908, and still retained today – ‘ancient and ration for future national architecture. The areas in 1998. Until the 1990s only a compar - historical monuments and constructions con - SNBR was one of a new cluster of interwar atively small number of post-war buildings nected with or illustrative of the contempo - and early post-war cultural and preservation were listed, so this statutory remit had no real rary culture, civilisation, and conditions of life initiatives focussed on old historic burgh hous - impact on early Threatened Buildings Survey, of the people in Scotland’ – has allowed a es which were imminent targets of slum clear - but with increased listings in the late 1990s it broad-based approach to surveying and col - ance. A broad mixture of threat-based and has proved extremely useful. lecting. This is particularly well suited to the systematic recording of diverse building types large collective post-war planning of entire characterised SNBR work in the 1950s and Alongside this new threat-based role, the new areas or redevelopment of 19th century 1960s, but one of the enduring legacies of its SNBR’s traditional programme of recording city slums. In terms of recording and collect - Traditionalist architectural ethos is the strong building types under long term threat, outside ing, the traditional 19th century emphasis on representation of architectural collections the statutory framework, was expanded to individual bespoke architect-designed build - from private practices who specialised during include further non-elite building types, includ - ings can be given due recognition in public the 1940s and 1950s in site-sensitive modern ing industrial ones. RCAHMS activity was architecture such as churches, schools, admin - vernacular redevelopments, and were also hugely boosted in 1985 when the Scottish istrative buildings, and hospitals, but equally heavily involved in pioneering post-war Industrial Archaeology Survey was transferred important are the non-elite houses, streets, preservation. from Strathclyde University. RCAHMS industrial zones, and ordinary architecture of Industrial Survey led the way with its system - these new environments. RCAHMS tradition - Threat-Based and atic coverage of the vanishing traditional heavy al topographical site-based approach counter - Topographical Survey industry in the 1980s and early 1990s. acts any tendency to give dominance to any How did RCAHMS set the pace for post-war Examples from this strategic programme particular architect or individual building, and building recording? It was the three-pronged include the products of 1950s coal-mining positions that architect’s work within the late 1960s and 1970s initiatives of threat-based expansion such as Monktonhall Colliery, broader collective nature of the urban envi - survey, building archive gathering, and expand - recorded in 1989 prior to demolition, and ronment. Private practice architects’ papers ed building recording programmes outwith Rothes Colliery, surveyed in 1993. The vanish - from this era often cover a full range of build - the traditional inventories, that enabled ing steel industry, Ravenscraig Steel Works, ing types, from a firm’s important public RCAHMS to shift its focus on to the more built from 1957, and recorded prior to demo - works, down to its ‘bread and butter’ domes - recent past, and fully exploit its broad remit. lition in 1990, and de-commissioned nuclear tic work and alterations. and coal-powered stations, Hunterston ‘A’ For the first time, a special niche for threat- Nuclear Generator, recorded prior to demoli - Thirdly, the threat-based remit of the original based recording was established for RCAHMS tion in 1989, and Kincardine Power Station, SNBR had far-reaching implications for the under the Town and Country Planning surveyed in 1999, were also included. development of RCAHMS collecting and (Scotland) Act 1969. Recording prior to dem - recording activities relating to the post-war olition, and making that record available to the This long term threat-based approach was built environment in the 1980s and 1990s. general public, was seen as the ‘last resort’ in quickly extended to a wide range of non- Founded as a private initiative in 1941, it car - the new conservation development control industrial types under threat, ranging from

THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND I SPRING 2010 RCAHMS 17

ning with the vast Glasgow and Clydeside area, and chiefly created images of post-war housing schemes, schools, hospitals, and new administrative and commercial town centres. In the early 1990s it was greatly expanded with the introduction of low level oblique aerial photography. All significant urban areas have now been covered.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s the APS covered the post-war new towns, East Kilbride, built from 1947; Glenrothes, from 1948; Cumbernauld, from 1957; Irvine, from 1962; and Livingston, from 1966. Cumbernauld New Town illustrates the ben - efits of separating RCAHMS survey and Hutchesontown-Gorbals CDA, Area C, Glasgow, Basil Spence perspective, 1958. Demolished 1993 (Crown copyright: RCAHMS, Spence, Glover and Ferguson collection) archive collecting from conservation. Active preservation, in this instance, was problemat - ic. Despite being a multi-award winning new town, which received the acclaimed American Institute of Architects R S Reynolds Award for Community Architecture in 1967 (now deposited at RCAHMS), in the early 1990s Cumbernauld acquired a notorious reputa - tion amidst a general anti-Modern Movement climate, as one of Britain’s most reviled prod - ucts of post-war architecture and planning. Six post-war buildings have been listed in the new town area: four religious and education - al buildings by the avant-garde practice Gillespie Kidd & Coia, and two churches by Alan Reiach. Unburdened by preservation concerns, RCAHMS carried out a full ground Smithycroft Secondary School, Glasgow, prior to demolition in 2001 (Crown copyright: RCAHMS) and aerial photographic survey of the town between 1990 and 1991, and began archive Victorian asylums to Cold War defence sites; prior to and during demolition; Royston gathering in anticipation of the winding-up of it also includes mass post-war buildings in CDA, Area B, recorded in 1992; and the Cumbernauld Development Corporation many cases now suddenly obsolete. The scale Dundee’s massive Ardler Estate, surveyed in in 1993. This included the most significant of the threat to Scotland’s post-war heritage 1997. Broader threat-based recording in the architectural and planning elements of the over the last three decades is reflected in the late 1990s focussed on the vanishing 1950s new town design: its layout, housing patterns, RCAHMS collection, covering all significant and 1960s site-sensitive neo-vernacular hous - landscape, its massive megastructural town post-war building types. Surveyed hospitals ing developments in the east of Scotland, for centre (G Copcutt, Phase I, 1963-7), its and asylums include the 1950s extension area example Dysart & Buckhaven Central churches, and educational buildings. The to Carstairs State Hospital, surveyed in 1994, Redevelopments recorded in 1997 and 2001 renowned town centre was partly demol - and Lennox Castle Hospital complex, sur - respectively, and post-war schools earmarked ished and refurbished from 1999-2007, and veyed in 1996 prior to closure and subse - for demolition as a result of the 1990s Private RCAHMS recorded this painfully slow quent demolition. Decommissioned post- Public Partnership project, for example, demise in 1991, 1999 and 2000. Cold War defence facilities recorded include Craigmount High School, Edinburgh, and MHQ Pitreavie Underground Headquarters, Smithycroft High School, Glasgow, both sur - In terms of collecting post-war architects’ surveyed prior to closure in 1996. Recorded veyed prior to demolition in 2002. papers, it was the ambitious salvaging of office factories include Cummins Diesel Factory, papers from Scottish architectural practices, surveyed in 1996 prior to closure. Among Following the decision to move on from the threatened with downsizing and closure in surveyed churches burdened with technical traditional RCAHMS inventory format in the challenging financial climate of the early problems is St Benedict’s, Drumchapel, 1986, a series of non-threat based thematic 1990s that formed the core of RCAHMS recorded prior to demolition in 1990. The and topographical surveys were set-up to holdings. The ground-breaking Scottish records of post-war housing schemes threat - enhance the public archive. In particular, the Survey of Architectural Practices (SSAP) set ened with demolition and regeneration in the Area Photographic Survey (APS) greatly up in 1992, enabled RCAHMS, in collabora - 1990s, ranging from tower blocks to small expanded the post-war built environment tion with the Royal Incorporation of prefabs, dominate RCAHMS archives. These archive. Although resource-limited and signif - Architects in Scotland and the Heritage include Basil Spence’s Hutchesontown- icantly smaller than the threat-based record - Lottery Fund to survey and selectively re- Gorbals CDA, Area C, surveyed in 1993 ing, it focussed mainly on urban areas, begin - house and catalogue just under 200,000

SPRING 2010 I THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND 18 RCAHMS

architectural papers. Although the majority that focus particularly on housing design of the 1980s and 1990s Post-Modern era, of practices surveyed by SSAP were estab - and the ‘ordinary’ architecture of post-war and of course, is now examining the tri - lished prior to 1950, a large proportion of environments. Key amongst these must be umphs of the 1970s and 1980s these date from the post-war period. These the Saltire Society archive, which records Conservation Movement. RCAHMS has collections ranged from big-practice leading the winners and runners-up of the national enthusiastically incorporated this new era firms such as Spence Glover & Ferguson, to housing (and later conservation) awards into its ongoing survey programmes. prolific regional practices including Buchanan established in 1937, and the unique Campbell, J & F Johnston, and Sinclair Mactaggart & Mickel central-belt house * Historic Scotland’s conference ‘Scotland: Building Macdonald & Son, and to key influential building archive. for the Future’, which took place in Bonar Hall, designers, including Alan Reiach and J L University of Dundee on 24 November 2009, Paterson. Of course, the early pioneers of RCAHMS has been recording and actively examined the heritage potential of the post-war the conservation movement were also rep - collecting archive of Scotland's post-war era. A short paper by Diana Murray and Jane resented in the collections of Ian G Lindsay, built environment for over twenty five Thomas, which focuses more closely, and in more Leslie Graham Thomson MacDougall and years. A significant addition to our expand - detail, on RCAHMS post-war architects' papers Schomberg Scott. The diversity of RCAHMS ing resource came in 2008 w ith the incorpo - and current programmes of work, will be published architects’ papers is outwith the scope of ration of The Aerial Reconnaissance Archives in the forthcoming transactions of that conference. this article, but it is important to highlight (TARA), which has greatly increased 20th I’d like to thank Jane Thomas for her collections that the RCAHMS traditional broad-based century coverage of urban landscapes. input into this brief overview. approach to collecting has led to the acqui - Academic and heritage interest has inevitably sition of a number of non-architect archives moved on to include new buil dings and sites DIANE M WATTERS

New acquisitions to the RCAHMS Rare Books Collection

CAHMS has recently acquired two of the Industrial Population of Scotland was the financial assistance which the government remarkable new reports, produced established to look at the problems of work - proposed to give local authorities and the type by the Local Government Board for ing class housing in Scotland. The report it of dwellings to which people could aspire. RScotland. Provision of Houses for the produced discussed the gross overcrowding Working Classes after theWar , a memorandum found in industrial villages and towns where An architectural competition was held to of 1918, offers advice on the lay-out and large families lived in one room in lightless and determine the layout and design of the new planning of housing schemes for an architec - unventilated houses with unsatisfactory residential areas and dwellings. The Local tural competition arranged in consultation drainage and sanitation. The Royal Government Board memorandum Provision of with the Institute of Scottish Architects. In Commission concluded that the badly con - Houses for the Working Classes after the War 1919 the results of the competition are structed and ill-planned slums of the cities gives advice to the candidates on the selection recorded in Housing of the Working Classes in offered little hope for the future. It was esti - and lay-out of the site with regard to the Scotland: selected plans and designs of some of mated that over a quarter of a million new health and amenity of a chosen area. Twenty the successful competitors . Together these homes were required to replace houses which years earlier in 1898 Ebenezer Howard had reports illustrate government and architec - were unfit for habitation and to ease the over - laid out his Utopian vision advocating the cre - tural thought in early 20th century Scotland crowding problems. The Royal Commission ation of balanced communities living in cot - on the subject of housing the general popu - also noted that as private enterprise had failed tages with gardens surrounded by open spaces lation and give an insight into the promised in the past, the task of building the required in protected green belts; this was published in reconstruction of society after the First number of good standard houses should be the book Garden Cities of Tomorrow in 1902. World War. handed to local government. The government These ideas were to be influential in shaping of the day, anxious to provide the soldiers town planning throughout the 20th century Up to 1914 housing of working people was returning from the First World War with and many architects sought to achieve mostly in the hands of private landlords who ‘homes fit for heroes’, took the recommenda - Howard’s idealised way of life in their housing obtained their properties from speculative tions of the Royal Commission seriously and projects. In Scotland the architect planner, builders or modified older properties for rent - responded by introducing the House and Raymond Unwin, who had worked on the first ing. Thousands of Scotland’s working popula - Town Planning (Scotland) Act in 1919. This residential sections of Letchworth Garden tion lived in small sub-standard dwellings and gave local authorities the task of providing City in England, was instructed by the lodging houses. Terrible housing conditions appropriate numbers of houses for the work - Admiralty and the Scottish National Housing could be found in every corner of Scotland ing classes of their district. The Local Company Ltd to prepare a plan for housing at from the turf-roofed houses of the Western Government Board reports newly acquired by Rosyth. A serious problem had been created Isles to the closes of the industrialised cities. In RCAHMS are an integral part of this process in the town when, in the run up to the First 1917 the Royal Commission on the Housing of change reflecting the nature and extent of WorldWar, construction workers had flooded

THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND I SPRING 2010 RCAHMS 19

Left: Provision of Houses for the Working Classes after the War , 1918. Plan No 3. Gourock Housing Scheme. Local Government Board, Edinburgh (Courtesy of RCAHMS) Right: Provision of Houses for the Working Classes after the War , 1918. Plan No 5. Group of four Houses, Type A. Local Government Board, Edinburgh (Courtesy of RCAHMS) into the area to work on the new Naval arrangement of houses from the housewife’s The Local Government Board had set up the Dockyard. Local housing could not meet the standpoint. Their advice provides a fascinat - competition to draw on the skills and knowl - needs of these new inhabitants and primitive ing insight into the living standards regarded edge of the architectural profession as it hutted encampments had grown up. The liv - as acceptable at that time. Minimum approached the difficult problem of produc - ing conditions of the workers, in this allowances for sleeping places are recom - ing mass housing of a good standard within ‘Tintown’ as it became known, were regard - mended but it also suggests that the largest budget; it was ‘looking for the best advice for ed as a scandal even for those times. The bedroom should be capable of accommodat - designing suitable types of houses laid out Admiralty looked to Unwin for a plan to ing two adults and two children. and grouped in the best manner with the improve the housing of its workers; between Consideration is also given to the position of greatest regard to economy’. Its stated 1916 and 1919 in Rosyth a large number of the bed which should be placed out of the intention was to form a panel of architects architect-designed houses were built in a draught of the window; furthermore, if there from those who submitted winning designs. range and variety of blocks and house types, is no room for a press for hanging clothes Local authorities preparing housing schemes in winding streets with pretty front gardens then ‘a shelf placed in a recess, with a frame would be advised to approach the architects and trees. The foremost architect involved for curtains and pegs should be provided’. on the panel to help carry out their works. was Alfred Hugh Mottram, some of whose There is a discussion of the fitting of the hot Over the next 20 years many of the archi - designs are held by RCAHMS in the RIAS and and cold water supply to the boiler and the tects featured in the report went on to work Dunn & Finlay collections. This new town of cast iron, porcelain enamelled bath in the on housing schemes across Scotland includ - Rosyth embodied the ideas of the Garden separate bathroom. ing Muirhead & Rutherford who carried out City Movement and could have inspired the numerous schemes for burgh councils in Fife advice given by the Local Government Board The results of the competition were record - and Kinross-shire; Stewart & Paterson who to the competition candidates: ‘the disposi - ed in the report of 1919, Housing of the worked on housing schemes at Clydebank, tion of the houses on the site should be Working Classes in Scotland: selected plans and Dunblane and Helensburgh; Cullen, determined by the contours of the ground, designs of some of the successful competitors in Lochhead & Brown who completed schemes existing natural amenities, trees and hedges the architectural competition . The report illus - for Hamilton District Council; and John A W should be conserved, the monotony of a long trates the winning designs in three groups; Grant who worked on Muirhead council straight building line to be avoided, the hous - Cottages and Flatted Types, Tenement housing and local authority housing at es to be grouped in the interests of architec - Houses and One Storey Cottages. The Balhousie, Perth. tural effects with the judicious planting of selected entries come from architects across shrubs and trees to obscure back gardens Scotland including: Alexander Inglis of These reports record the beginnings of local and drying greens, looking to add interest and Hawick; James A Laird of Kilmacolm; government drawing on national resources charm to the appearance of the scheme with Muirhead & Rutherford of Dunfermline; to fund the first major initiatives in improv - consideration of the lay-out and division of Cullen, Lochhead & Brown of Hamilton; John ing housing conditions for the working peo - the front gardens’. The report includes plans Arthur of Glasgow; James Carruthers of ple of Scotland, and the contribution of an of modest schemes at Glengarnock and Glasgow; Stewart & Paterson of Glasgow; G architectural profession keen to become Cambuslang and also photographs of houses Washington Browne of Edinburgh; Greig & involved in building the towns and cities of built in Gourock to illustrate their recom - Fairbairn of Edinburgh; John A W Grant of the new century. The history of housing mendations. Edinburgh; J A Arnott and Burnett N H throughout Scotland is well documented in Orphoot of Edinburgh; and from further the RCAHMS collections and these two Architects entering the competition were afield E D Blacker and H Heathman of Local Government Board Reports from also given extensive guidance on planning the Bristol, and Wallace Marchment of London. such an interesting era of change will make accommodation of the houses and, in an The competition was judged by architects Sir a valuable contribution to future study of innovation for the times, the Board notes John J Burnet, A N Paterson, J M Dick the subject . that it has appointed a Women’s Committee Peddie, and for their experience in town to report and advise on the planning planning, S D Adshead and James Thomson. NORMA ALDRED

SPRING 2010 I THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND 20 HS listing HISTORIC SCOTLAND LISTING TEAM UPDATE

ithin the wider Inspectorate we are continuing with our modernisation Hudson Beare Lecture Theatre (Crown Copyright: RCAHMS) Wprogramme which has a number of different strands. Amongst the projects has been a customer research questionnaire where we gathered feedback from a wide vari - ety of people and organisations who have worked with us. Once analysed, we will use this information to see how we can improve business and interaction with key stakehold - ers. A number of planning authorities have now signed up to E-consultation, which involves planning authorities consulting with us online rather than sending applications through the post. It is hoped that this scheme will speed up and standardise the process. The new Joint Working Agreement between Historic Scotland and planning authorities in relation to statutory casework and consulta - tions sets out current working practices and is intended to ensure that planning authorities and Historic Scotland work consistently and transparently to an agreed standard in taking Buildings to our attention. Designed by forward the management of the historic envi - Robert Gardner-Medwin in 1961 it is a fine ronment. You can find out more about the and early example of Brutalist architecture in Joint Working Agreement from our website at Scotland which survives in near-original con - http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/index/ dition. Set on a cantilevered angled base, dif - heritage/policy/jointworkingagreement.htm. ferent elements of the building are subtly emphasised by the use of different materials, It is the end of another busy year for the list - such as finely textured shuttered concrete ing team. We are nearing completion of our and diagonal timber cladding. In view of this resurvey areas which included part two of special interest it was added to the list at Perth burgh, Lamington Parish in South category B in December 2009. Lanarkshire and Linton and Selkirk Parishes in the Borders. We are planning to continue Opened on 5 May 1965, Our Lady of resurvey in Perth and the Borders, Ayrshire Sorrows Church at Garrynamonie on and Lanarkshire will also be priority areas for South Uist is an important Modernist build - resurvey in 2010-11. Black Watch War Memorial, Caird Park, Dundee ing located in a spectacular landscape set - (Crown Copyright) ting. Now listed at category B, it was Publications remain a focus for us and 2010 designed by the architect Richard will see our publications on hospital architec - McCarron and it was largely self-built by ture, the story of hydro-electric power in local residents. Due to the remote location Scotland and theatres launched.They will all be and the difficulty of securing contractors available to download free from our website from the mainland, experienced parish - at www.historic-scotland.gov.uk. ioners were employed for the duration of the build. The 15 month target for con - We have had some interesting 20th century struction was met and the church cost additions to the list in the last few months around £20,000, a little more than the orig - including a First World War Memorial to inal modest £18,500 budget. The simple and Our Lady of Sorrows Church, Garrynamonie, members of the Black Watch Battalion in South Uist (Crown Copyright) massive exterior combined with the care - Caird Park, Dundee. This was listed at catego - fully lit interior space makes it an exemplar ry B in recognition of its unusual form. Erected of its type. The side altar contains a ceram - in 1922, it is a rare example of a freestanding The listing team is grateful to the AHSS for ic mosaic panel by David Harding who went memorial which was designed to incorporate drawing the Hudson Beare Lecture Theatre on to become the Glenrothes Town Artist a fountain. at the University of Edinburgh’s Kings from 1968-78.

THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND I SPRING 2010 other organisations 21

Conservation of Mons Meg - Edinburgh Castle Conservation and Maintenance Team

ons Meg is a 15th century siege four, and an ogee trail. Mons Meg has no dismantled. It was taken to the Historic gun, which was made in the trunnions, and neither carriage would Scotland joinery workshop at Croft an MBelgian town of Mons in 1449 and have made transport easy, let alone been Righ and repairs made to the hub, spokes presented to James II of Scotland in 1457 an effective mounting for firing. Being a and timber rim using traditional by his niece’s husband Philip, Duke of siege piece it is likely that she would have wheelwrighting techniques. All works Burgundy. The gun weighs some six tonnes been set on the ground and either dug in, were carried out by Historic Scotland and fired 330lb gun-stones. The extreme or buttressed against earth, rock or Monument Conservation Unit craftsmen range seems to have been about two miles, masonry to take the recoil. on behalf of the Collections Unit. as there are accounts from 1558 of her being fired from Edinburgh Castle and the Mons Meg used to be housed in one of On lifting the barrel, it was noticed that gun-stone being recovered from Wardie the vaults below the Great Hall, but in the rear corners of the modern iron Muir (near the Botanic Gardens), to the 2002 it was decided to move her to her carriage frame were making contact and north of the castle. By that time Mons Meg present position in front of St Margaret’s rubbing the protective paintwork from was obsolete and had been taken out of Chapel, a position illustrated in the late the barrel, so the profile of the metal active service; the firing was a salute to 19th century engravings and photographs carriage frame was adjusted to give celebrate Mary Queen of Scots’ wedding which show the earlier carriage. adequate clearance before the barrel was to the French Dauphin. The last known replaced in position. firing was in 1681 and it was then that the Conservation works, barrel sustained the blast damage at the Autumn 2009 The barrel itself bears on a number of high breech end, which is still evident today. Being mounted outside she requires density plastic pads which are fixed to the regular maintenance, and last autumn she timberwork. These were all checked and The whole piece appears to be of wrought was lifted from her carriage to allow a found to be in good condition. There was iron, and is made up of a cylinder formed close inspection prior to undertaking re- little sign of any damage being caused by of lengthwise iron staves, which are decoration of gun and carriage and some any of the bearing points between pads themselves reinforced by concentric iron minor repairs to one of the carriage and barrel. rings. The whole was presumably hammer wheels. welded together in a forge. The smaller For this particular maintenance cycle the diameter breech end gives the appearance The carriage wheels are set in timber intention was not to strip all previous of being detachable, but this may simply cradles to prevent the whole gun being paintwork but to remove defects in the relate to the method of manufacture moved, and one wheel in particular had existing paint finish and then re-decorate. rather than any primitive breech loading suffered from wet rot. When in active After the barrel had been thoroughly mechanism. The firing in 1681 blew a hole service it reputedly took 100 men a cleaned and rubbed down it was apparent in the staves and detached parts of two of whole day to haul Mons Meg just three that there were a small number of the reinforcing rings, and the piece was miles, and even today lifting her safely to isolated areas where minor rusting of the never fired again. In common with many undertake inspection and maintenance ironwork had occurred, resulting in some other pieces of redundant ordnance Mons takes a static lifting beam, two five tonne loose paint blisters. These were mostly Meg was then unceremoniously dumped, mini crawler cranes and six men. For the towards the underside of the barrel, and in this case near the former Cartshed recent works a detailed method usually followed the visible line of the within the castle. She was subsequently statement for the lifting, blocking and joints between the concentric iron taken to the Tower of London for repositioning operation was agreed in reinforcing rings, possibly suggesting smelting, but was too big to fit into the advance with the specialist crane either differential movement or galvanic furnace and only returned to Edinburgh contractor, who supplied the machinery reaction between adjacent rings. A Castle in 1829, since when she has been and manpower for the lifting operation. conventional paint specification was used one of the best known attractions within The priorities were: the safety of all for the re-decoration of the gun and the castle. concerned, the avoidance of any damage carriage. to the gun and carriage, and the The present carriage is a 20th century development of a method of lifting which Displaying Mons Meg outside at Edinburgh creation, based on an image on a carved would allow manipulation of the barrel to Castle means that more regular stone panel set in the walls of the facilitate all round inspection and maintenance is required for both carriage Gatehouse at Edinburgh Castle; this treatment. and gun, but seeing it in its now traditional carriage differs significantly from an earlier position, in front of St Margaret’s Chapel, 19th century carriage, which is known The extent of the rot was only revealed enhances the understanding of both gun from engravings and early photographs. after the gun was lifted, the carriage and castle for the many visitors from The latter had two wheels rather than jacked up and the wheel removed and home and abroad.

SPRING 2010 I THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND 22 other organisations

1

2 3

4 5

6 7

8 9

1. Mons Meg pre 1980, showing the damage to the reinforcing rings 6. Some of the rotten 20th century timber 2. In the castle vaults, in 2001, undergoing paint removal before re-decoration 7. The rotten wheel repaired and awaiting re-fitting 3. Mons Meg in October 2009 with temporary support to one rotten wheel 8. Carefully lowering the barrel back onto the carriage mid November 2009 4. Carefully lifting the barrel from the carriage, early November 2009 9. Mons Meg repaired and re-decorated 5. The barrel supported to enable re-decoration All pictures Copyright Historic Scotland

THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND I SPRING 2010 other organisations 23 Knockando Woolmill

lmost hidden in a valley in the small was possible to dismantle the wheel and then known. Importantly, by this time there village of Knockando on Speyside is transport it in sections. was also a small timber boarded shop with a Aone of the smallest surviving vertical - pitched slate roof beside the woolmill house. ly integrated woolmills in Europe, with fully The original mill building was a small single- operating 19th century textile machinery in storey rectangular plan waulkmill, with an At the height of the mill’s expansion situ . Its location and size belies its impor - attic. Alexander Smith expanded this into a Alexander’s widowed mother moved to tance as a category A listed site which, two-storey carding and spinning mill, by Knockando, adding to an already full house - despite its crumbling appearance, is still in adding a sizable weather boarded lean-to, cre - hold. Accommodation for the woolmill fami - daily use, with all its original machinery ating a new L-shaped building, the purpose of lies began as two traditional single-storey cot - intact. which was to accommodate larger machinery. tages. Situated to the south of the mill, they In 1870 Alexander commissioned a spinning provided homes for the families throughout Evidence of a woolmill on the site dates back mule from Platts of Oldham. It is marked S1, the 18th and 19th centuries. However, to 1784. At that time it was known as a known to be a maker’s identification mark - S, between 1863 and 1877 Alexander and Elsie 'waulkmill', and together with land of about 20 for Smith, and 1, as there was just one Smith had eight children and, although space acres it was an agricultural tenancy from the machine in the order. Because it fits its space would have been extremely limited, for its local estate, and included the mill building. in the mill with exact precision, it is likely that time the surviving cottage appears to have The tenants made their living between work - the extension in which it is housed was added been sumptuously furnished and decorated, ing the land and running the mill, a pattern specifically for this machine. A weaving shed with the tasseled fringe to the mantelpiece, continued almost to the present day. was added in the late 1880s, and now houses roller blind end-holders and even William two Dobcross looms manufactured in 1896 Morris wallpaper still surviving to the present Expansion began around the early 1800s and 1899 respectively. With these, the mill day. when, to increase the waulkmill’s production, must have been at almost full mechanisation, a new carding mill was added. Wool carding meaning that production would have greatly Nevertheless, it must have been a joy for involved an arrangement of rotating drums increased. James Smith and his wife Emma to move to clothed with fine spikes which ‘opened’ the the new woolmill house at the turn of the wool sufficiently to hand spin, and was carried By the end of the 19th century the site of 20th century when a very early cottage was out together with wool washing and dyeing. It Knockando Woolmill included the two-storey demolished to make way for a two-storey was essential to have access to constant flow - carding and spinning mill of random rubble house, leaving James’s mother and sister living ing water, especially for washing and dyeing, build with large windows and a corrugated in the original cottage next door. and as machinery was added the water iron roof and the rectangular plan single- source was harnessed for motive power too. storey weaving shed. A weir to the west of Ironically, as the business of A Smith and Son the mill fed the lade from the Knockando was booming the Smith family itself faced a Up to 1865 the mill was run by the Grant and burn. Tenter posts were located in a field to decade of decimation, five of them meeting Fraser families. Alexander Smith from the west of the mill, allowing cloth to be untimely deaths from illnesses such as pneu - Premnay in Aberdeenshire then took over stretched out for drying. To the south of the monia and tuberculosis. Working conditions and set up the firm of A Smith and Son, mill a winter drying shed constructed of cor - were hard, with the noisy repetition of the Knockando Woolmill. At this time weaving rugated iron was also added around the time machinery constantly filling the air alread y and spinning in the home was widespread. ofWorldWar I, to speed up the production of strewn with particles from the wool and the Across the country home spinners numbered blankets for the ‘War Department’, as it was damp conditions of the location. The children, about a quarter of a million, and expanding commercial operations such as the mill at Knockando were seen as a threat to their livelihoods. Further south the development of spinning machines like the ‘jenny’ and Samuel Crompton’s ‘mule’ were common - place, and Alexander Smith kept abreast at Knockando by building space and adding machinery as and when it could be afforded.

For Knockando Woolmill the Smith tenure was probably the most significant, producing some notable expansion. One of Alexander’s first additions was the installation of a cast- iron overshot water wheel. It was brought from a former meal mill at Pitchroy, three miles away. With an overall diameter of 14 feet, and consisting of eight radial spokes, 40 buckets and an octagonal axle shaft, luckily it

SPRING 2010 I THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND 24 other organisations and grandchildren, had been employed as No great advancement in mechanisation or Finally, the firm of A Smith and Son was young as 13 to work either as weavers and expansion was made by Duncan but it is wound up, after over a century of business, piecers or on the croft tending cattle and largely due to his preservation of the mill and since then Hugh Jones has single-hand - horses. In early October 1902 the body of that it survives as such an important exam - edly run and preserved Knockando Alexander Smith himself was found in a dam ple of its type. Importantly, the mill survived Woolmill, determined to ensure that it near the woolmill. Already frail, it appears that a flood caused by a bridge collapse in 1947 remains the most complete working district he had lost his footing whilst crossing the when the end wall of the weaving shed was mill in the country. stream and fallen into the dam. And so it was washed away, and one of the Dobcross that youngest son James Smith became the looms fell into the burn. The loom was later Plans have been drawn up for the restora - new incumbent at Knockando Woolmill. rescued and returned to operation. tion of the buildings and machinery, and the dedicated members and friends of the Conversely the business continued to go Duncan installed electricity from the grid in Knockando Woolmill Trust began the seri - from strength to strength, albeit with a sorely 1949, resulting in the water wheel and asso - ous business of raising funds some time depleted work force, its main trade being in ciated power systems being shut down when before the mill won the Scottish final of the blankets and tweeds. At Knockando the com - the line shafts became powered by electric BBC series ‘Restoration’ in 2004. The con - plete process was carried out from greasy motors. The carding and spinning operations servation plan does not aim to create just a wool to the finished cloth. On the outside are powered by a 15HP motor and the museum, but intends to preserve and con - wall of the spinning shop there was a small looms by a separate 3HP motor. The sepa - tinue the experience of traditional textile shed in which blanket cloth was sulphur ration of the driving system resulted in a manufacturing in all its glory - the deafening smoked to whiten it from its natural cream very long drive belt becoming obsolete. It is sounds of the operating machinery, with all colour. A teazle gig raised the washed cloth significant that these motors are still in oper - its mechanical working parts, and the sights to a soft finish. The blanket cloth was cut to ation today; the only maintenance necessary and smells of the wool production process - lengths and the ends ‘whipped’ by a machine has been the greasing of the bearings. es from start to finish. The house and old in the shop, ready for sale. Spun yarn was also Electric lighting would have replaced the gas cottage will provide office and education twisted on the twisting frame in the attic to lamps at this time. About the same time, the facilities. The steading will be converted into two or three - ply for knitting wools. As horse plough on the croft was replaced by a a visitor centre, cafe and retail area. A new everyone wore knitted wool at the time, tractor. Duncan employed a ‘loon’ to help in building will be the restoration workshop demand for Knockando’s products was brisk. the mill and on the croft until the mid-1950s. for the old machinery while the old At one time, socks were also produced on an Thereafter he worked the mill and the croft woolmill building is being restored and sub - early knitting machine. on his own with occasional casual help. sequently will house new weaving machin - ery to increase production. With the outbreak of World War I the War Emma Smith retired when she broke a leg in Office contracted Knockando Woolmill to 1964 at the age of 93. Winnie, Duncan’s wife, Funding is now in place to start the project supply blankets which it did in addition to its took on the tasks previously carried out by in the Spring. TheTrust is grateful to the fol - already buoyant business in tweeds and knit - Emma as well as looking after her. Emma lowing organisations for their support: The ting wools. Emma Smith’s nephew, Duncan died in 1971 at the age of 100. Winnie was Heritage Lottery Fund, Historic Scotland, Stewart, was wounded and was not fit for the the great-granddaughter of Simon Fraser Moray Council, Highlands & Islands farm work he had previously done. He who was the tenant in the mid-1800s. Enterprise, Community Energy Scotland, returned home to Scotland and joined his Londoner Hugh Jones arrived at Knockando Scottish Natural Heritage, Climate Challenge aunt and uncle at the woolmill. He took over in 1976 and, mentored by Duncan Stewart, Fund, Robertson Trust, Pilgrim Trust and the running of the mill when James Smith died he learned the traditional processes and the many other charitable trusts, individual in 1938. skills necessary to sustain the machinery. donors and Friends.

To view the conservation plan and read about the mill in much more detail, or to support Knockando Woolmill Trust, please visit www.knockandowoolmill.org.uk or call 0131 3397718

Knockando Woolmill Trust

With thanks to: Alison Hamilton; Andrew P K Wright; Hugh Jones

Copyright Knockando Woolmill Trust

THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND I SPRING 2010 other organisations 25 The Cockburn Association Only the best for Edinburgh...

he Association’s first major cam - Whilst the Association seeks to conserve and enhance Edinburgh’s paign was to resist the removal of landscape and historic and architectural heritage we also want to Ttrees on Bruntsfield Links. I arrived encourage the exciting and innovative design for new buildings that as the new Director of the Cockburn Edinburgh deserves. And something I wholeheartedly endorse is Association just five days after we had encouraging greater public interest and involvement in the planning of won the most expensive campaign in our the city. 134 years as Edinburgh’s civic ‘watchdog’. The ‘Save Our Skyline’ campaign argued that plans for a 17-storey In June 1875 there were enough interested citizens to continue Henry hotel on the Morrison Street goods yard at Haymarket would have Cockburn’s work and the Cockburn Association was formed. In 2010 a damaging impact. Ministers agreed. the need for such an organisation is as great as ever. The pace of devel - opment is far quicker these days.We review hundreds of planning appli - There seems to be a precedent for this, a previous Director’s appoint - cations and make comment to the local authority; we respond formal - ment coincided with the Princes Street Public Inquiry in 2000, jointly ly to Scottish Government consultations on planning, the environment funded by AHSS. The enquiry report recommended that the applica - and transport; and we continue to be an independent and impartial tion be turned down as the recognised need for more city centre retail watchdog. space was outweighed by the potential harm to the environment, including effects on Princes Street Gardens and several listed buildings. Governed by a council of eighteen and with a professional staff of two, Ministers agreed. the Association works tirelessly to encourage only the best for Edinburgh. We rely entirely on the financial support of our members, Without Lord Cockburn and his fierce opposition to attacks on the people who come from a wide cross section of the Edinburgh commu - essential fabric of Edinburgh there would have been little left to desig - nity and beyond and who share our aspirations. As for many member - nate the World Heritage Site we so readily take for granted. Since his ship organisations these are hard times for us and we are focusing on a day there have been innumerable threats to the architectural integrity membership campaign to recruit new individuals and corporate bodies of the City. in order that our work might continue. If you are already a member, thank you; if not please consider joining us and referring us to your So, what are the issues for today? friends and colleagues.

• There will be few arguing the demise of New St Andrew’s House at MARION WILLIAMS the St James Centre, but what will happen at Picardy Place? Director • What will Primark make of their prime site in Princes Street? They invite comment as part of the new pre-application consultation process at a dedicated website: www.primarkedinburgh.co.uk • Calton Hill has been in long need of some TLC and conservation. What plans for one of the city’s premier urban parks? And plans to turn The Royal High School into an arts hotel? • What will happen to little gems like the old brewery site at Sugarhouse Close? • Will new ownership of Lamb’s House in Leith provide a sympathet - ic solution to a building at risk? • Can a holistic approach succeed at Haymarket? • Not to mention the thousands of planning applications received across the City all of which concern neighbouring citizens to some www.cockburnassociation.org.uk greater or lesser degree.

Cinema Theatre Association Cinemas at Risk

ost readers will be familiar with the Buildings at Risk register, King’s Cinema, High Street, Brechin which was initiated in 1990 by the Scottish Civic Trust to http://www.buildingsatrisk.org.uk/BAR/detail.aspx?sctID=4042 Mhighlight architecturally and historically interesting buildings Opened in 1927 and used as a nightclub for the last two decades or which are deemed to be at risk through neglect, development or so, the King’s cinema would once have brought a bit of Hollywood other such factors. colour to Brechin’s High Street, but now unfortunately sits in amongst a row of boarded up properties, and has a pending planning As of February 2010, there are 27 buildings on the register which have some kind of cinema or theatre connection. Here we highlight application to convert to housing. This would involve demolishing some of the more recent additions. the auditorium block but would re-use the not unattractive main

SPRING 2010 I THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND 26 other organisations façade, which has the main recessed entrance flanked by two-storey In Scotland, he built a respectable body of distinctive cinemas in the pavilions, in turn flanked by single storey shop units, all situated on modern idiom, but few of them survive. In Peebles, the small but a steeply-sloping street. distinctive façade of the Playhouse Cinema now houses a chemist's shop, whilst the Playhouse in Elgin continues as a cinema but in much Picture House, Glaisnock Street, altered form – although fragments of the fascinating interior Cumnock decorative scheme still survive. http://www.buildingsatrisk.org.uk/BAR/detail.aspx?sctID=4234 Archive photographs show that this cinema originally offered This then leaves the Broadway in Prestwick as the most complete 'vaudeville' entertainment alongside moving pictures. Its exact surviving example of MacDonald’s cinema work. Bingo gradually date of opening is unknown, but can be narrowed down to took over from the 1960s, until it too closed and the cinema was sometime between 1910 and 1913, making it one of only a handful converted into a leisure centre, with squash courts in the front stalls of the oldest existing cinema buildings in Scotland. Prior to 1910, and an amusement arcade and pool room in the foyer and rear many cinemas were housed in conversions of halls or shops, or in stalls. Behind these later alterations, however, the cinema is temporary buildings, but the provisions of the Cinematograph Act remarkably intact. Wooden panelling, chrome brightwork, introduced that year (such as the need for a separate, fireproof illuminated glass signage, rattan furniture, sanitary ware and even the projection room) led to the first wave of purpose-built cinemas. floor coverings all look as if they could be original to the cinema Needless to say, World War I curtailed this architectural when it opened 75 years ago. Of particular note is the first floor development until material shortages and building regulations tearoom overlooking the main entrance, with its deco light fittings eased in the early 1920s, so the few cinemas that survive from the and faux fireplace. Despite the alteration and rendering of most of period between 1910 and 1914 are of particular historical the exterior at some point, even the Broadway name sign survives interest. intact, stacked neatly in a corner of the projection booth, which also boasts a complete complement of slowly rusting projection Cumnock’s Picture House has changed over the years, most notably equipment! in the 1960s when a new façade was erected over the old one (which still appears to survive underneath), but it still seems The building has been empty for a few years now, but was C(s)-listed unfortunate that a building of such historical and architectural in 2004 and has been the subject of various planning applications for interest should now find itself at risk. In Bo’ness, the Hippodrome re-use as a nightclub or partial demolition for a hotel. The last such cinema, which also dates from this period, was restored and plan, submitted in 2006, was for a combination of nightclub, hotel brought back into use as an anchor for regeneration. In Cumnock, and restaurant use involving the demolition of the auditorium, but however, East Ayrshire Council appears to be taking the lazy and this was refused in January 2008 because it did not provide enough short-sighted view that the building is a liability and an eyesore – its detail on the restoration and retention of the interior elements idea of regeneration is to demolish the building and replace it with which make this such an interesting survival. a car park under the Town Centre Regeneration Fund scheme. Despite being in a conservation area, these plans were sadly approved in January 2010. Regal, Dalrymple Street, Girvan http://www.buildingsatrisk.org.uk/BAR/detail.aspx?sctID=1302 This 1933 cinema on the Clyde coast originally sat 1,100 and was King’s Theatre/Regal ABC Cinema, designed and built by the Glasgow firm of Stellmacs Ltd – a name Titchfield Street, Kilmarnock derived from the surnames of the three architects working there http://www.buildingsatrisk.org.uk/BAR/detail.aspx?sctID=2289 (Maxwell, Stewart and Maxwell). Little else is known about this A monumental landmark in red sandstone on Kilmarnock’s cinema, other than the fact that it appears to have closed for a spell Titchfield Street, and B-listed since 2002, this 1904 theatre has before re-opening fairly recently as a short-lived bingo operation. nonetheless been empty for over ten years now with no sign of a The attractive little tiled and rendered façade (now partially new use. Originally designed by Alex Cullen of Hamilton, it was obscured by bingo signage) is sandwiched between typically austere opened as a theatre with seating for 2,000 patrons, but later altered two-storey sandstone properties to either side, and would once internally to better suit cinema use in the 1920s and 1930s. Later have been a not uncommon example of Clyde Coast deco. still, it was subdivided for cine-bingo use before re-opening after a fire in the 1970s as a three-screen cinema operation. The local Orient, Main Street, Ayr authority has served repairs notices on the building at least once http://www.buildingsatrisk.org.uk/BAR/detail.aspx?sctID=4308 since it closed. The atmospheric style of cinema interior was a curious design fad. Originating in America in the 1920s, it made its way to Britain in the Broadway Cinema, Main Street, Prestwick later years of that decade. The largest and most spectacular British http://www.buildingsatrisk.org.uk/BAR/detail.aspx?sctID=2638 examples were the Astoria cinemas in Finsbury Park and Brixton, Opened in 1935, the Broadway was the work of architect Alister G both of which survive in church and live music use respectively, but MacDonald. MacDonald was the son of Ramsay MacDonald, the Scotland seems to have had more examples than England, and first Labour Prime Minister, and was an accomplished architect who perhaps the earliest one too. went on to become a cinema specialist. He had a particular flair for tucking small newsreel cinemas into awkward corners of railway Atmospheric cinemas took the on-screen fantasy to its ultimate terminals, and his examples at Waterloo and Victoria Stations in conclusion by providing a fantastical set in which to view the film. London are considered to be the finest cinemas of this type ever The auditorium would usually be built to replicate an outdoor built in Britain, although both are sadly long gone. setting, often with special lighting effects to make the ceiling appear

THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND I SPRING 2010 other organisations 27 like a sky, and with miniature buildings flanking the sidewalls and proscenium. Two Scottish cinema architects specialised in these The Mackintosh Legacy designs – William Beresford Inglis and Albert V Gardner. The Orient in Ayr was the work of the latter, and although its atmospheric he Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society is an independent, non- interior was stripped out in the 1950s to install Cinemascope, some profit making charity, established in 1973 to promote and of that exotic design flair remains in the Moorish tower running up Tencourage awareness of the Scottish architect and designer, the centre of the street elevation. The cinema is now boarded up Charles Rennie Mackintosh. The Society has members across the after a short-lived spell as a nightclub. world with active affiliate groups arranging local events in Bath, London and the SE, North East of England, North West of England Up until a few years ago, Scotland could still boast several and Japan, and an associate group in Port Vendres, France. atmospheric cinemas of note, in particular the Spanish fantasy of the Toledo in Muirend, the auditorium of which was disgracefully In 1999, the Society became owner and long-term custodian of the allowed to be demolished for flats. Gardner’s marvellous Orient in Mackintosh Church at Queen's Cross. Membership of the Society pro - Gallowgate, Glasgow, was demolished in 2004 following extensive vides a unique opportunity to support the only church built to Charles vandalism and fire damage, but others which had survived had also Rennie Mackintosh's design. had their interiors stripped – as a product of the silent film age, atmospheric interiors were notoriously prone to acoustic problems The Mackintosh Society continues its role as the gateway to everything in cinemas installed with sound equipment. Mackintosh by promoting the legacy of Charles Rennie Mackintosh to a world-wide audience, from organising members’ events and study Happily, we can still experience one of Gardner’s atmospheric tours, and publishing a quality journal, to developing weekend tours designs in largely unmolested form, in the unlikely location of the which have introduced visitors to the delights of the Mackintosh ven - Kintyre peninsula. The Campbeltown Picture House was built by ues in and around Glasgow. him in 1913, but originally with a plain interior. In 1935, he returned and installed two faux houses flanking the proscenium, and these The Society has a multifunctional role in preserving and encouraging remain to this day. The early date of this cinema, combined with interest in the work of the great Scottish architect, designer and artist, both the rarity of the later atmospheric interior and the unusual Art Charles Rennie Mackintosh. The Society is a leading player in the Nouveau exterior, mean it was rightly upgraded to a category A extensive work of the Mackintosh Heritage Group and in the bid for listing in the cinemas thematic re-survey by Historic Scotland in World Heritage status. With an international membership the Society 2007-8. The B-listed former Odeon in Clerk Street, Edinburgh, is committed to providing an excellent service and information point could also be described as being in the semi-atmospheric style, with for the work of Mackintosh and his contemporaries. the auditorium resembling a Grecian amphitheatre – the campaign against demolition of that interior was detailed in the last issue, and In 2006/07 the Society completed an ambitious refurbishment project is still with Scottish Ministers awaiting a decision. of our HQ here at The Mackintosh Church, with the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund and many other benefactors. Since the comple - Arcade/Alhambra Theatre, Arcade, tion of the refurbishment project, the building now houses a plethora Stirling of events for the CRM Society and has provided Glasgow with a new http://www.buildingsatrisk.org.uk/BAR/detail.aspx?sctID=3997 venue for weddings, concerts, meetings and seminars.The CRM Society Opened as the Arcade Theatre in 1882 in a complex encompassing continues to deliver lively learning experiences, workshops and activi - a shopping arcade and hotel, the auditorium had a single ties for schools, students, adults, families and children. wraparound balcony and an elaborate domed ceiling. In 1912, it was re-named the Alhambra, and variety shows were supplemented by Last year we launched a new volunteer programme offering new cinema screenings, which took over full-time in 1931 – the recruits a range of opportunities to get involved in supporting the projection box tacked onto the rear elevation on brick piers, which organisation. A number of volunteers helped with research in connec - still survives, dates from this time. Sadly, the war and competition tion with The Mackintosh Church Exhibition, celebrating the building's from more modern competitors meant that the Alhambra never re- 110th birthday. The exhibition focused on the social history of the opened following closure in 1939, and it was converted to retail use building and its role in the growth of the local community, as well as its in the 1960s, involving the removal of much of the interior – role in the birth of the CRM Society. A booklet is planned. We believe including the fabulous ceiling. Now once again empty, even a that the Society and our Arts Heritage Centre has the potential to dedicated investigation revealed only fragmentary remains of its deliver something unique to provide an exciting programme of enter - entertainment history, and the space is used as a storage area by the tainment and artistic events for the whole community to enjoy, as well arcade shops and owners. as promoting Mackintosh to a wider audience worldwide.

GARY PAINTER Like other charities the Society is experiencing a range of pressures as a result of the current recession and credit crunch and even with over 1200 loyal members the Society has accepted that membership fees alone will never be enough to meet the substantial costs of running the For more information about the Cinema Theatre Society’s home, The Mackintosh Church at Queen’s Cross. The Association, or any of the above buildings, Society’s new business plan reflects the need to diversify its income please contact Gary Painter or Gordon Barr at stream and generate new monies through new audiences and early [email protected] indications suggest this is possible.

SPRING 2010 I THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND 28 other organisations

Our Mackintosh heritage has the same importance as our castles, his - toric houses and art collections in that it requires appropriate levels of care and investment to protect it for future generations. This prin - ciple is threaded throughout the national Tourism Framework for Change and The Glasgow Tourism Action Plan in Architecture.

Good work can and has been done – most recently atThe Mackintosh Church at Queen’s Cross and at the Glasgow School of Art. This needs to continue.With the ongoing consultation and work related to the bid for World Heritage status for The Glasgow School of Art and The Hill House, failure to take action amounts to a massive blow to the city’s Victorian heritage. I realise this is a difficult time in the eco - nomic downturn, but it is imperative we do not lose any more of Glasgow’s architecture treasures. Left: Queens Cross, c1899, prior to completion (Copyright The Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery, University of Glasgow) Right: Daily Record building, Glasgow: Perspective from the south-east, 1901 With no news on the future of Martyrs’ School, Daily Record Building, (Copyright The Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery, University of Glasgow) the poor condition of Scotland Street School, the Willow Tea Rooms, The Hill House in Helensburgh, and the recent problems with The Lighthouse, this is a deeply concerning state of affairs. There is a per - On the wider Mackintosh front last summer I met with the Chairman ception that given Mackintosh’s international reputation all must be of VisitScotland, Peter Lederer, and we discussed the issues affecting the well with his built legacy. This is not the case and action must be taken maintenance and long-term condition of the Mackintosh properties in quickly to ensure that these Mackintosh buildings do not become and near Glasgow. Peter was very concerned that many of the proper - another statistic on the 'buildings at risk' register. ties integral to our Mackintosh heritage and the visitor experience do not appear to be receiving the appropriate levels of care and invest - STUART ROBERTSON ment, or are under threat of closure. Charles Rennie Mackintosh is an Director, Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society internationally important architect and designer, with an instantly recog - nisable style, imitated and emulated throughout the world, and particu - CRM Society, The Mackintosh Church at Queen's Cross larly associated with Glasgow. These buildings are extremely important 870 Garscube Road, Glasgow G20 7EL to both our heritage and the visitor economy on a local, national and international level. Those visitors who currently come to Glasgow on T: 0141 946 6600, E: [email protected] the strength of our Mackintosh heritage will not continue to do so if W: www.crmsociety.com and www.mackintoshchurch.com such an integral part of the city’s tourism offering is diminished.

Partnership key to building for the future

cotland enjoys one of the most unique and cele - hand the pride and drive of those working across the brated built historic environments in the world. many facets of the sector. SIts importance in terms of our economic growth, continued prosperity and national identity can - The summit, which was chaired by the Scottish not be under-estimated. It currently generates in excess Government’s Culture Minister focussed on recognis - of £2.3 billion to the Scottish economy, and supports ing and celebrating the inspiring work that is happening more than 60,000 full time employees. across the historic and built environment. It also sought to provide an opportunity to discuss roles and share Individually and as organisations we share a passion for knowledge in terms of how the sector moves forward. our historic and built environment, and it is important This is a prime opportunity to harness a new and shared that there is a forum to share that passion. purpose for Scotland’s historic and built environment and it is clear that by working together we have enormous opportunities. This includes: It was for that reason therefore that I was proud to be part of the first ever 'Built and Historic Environment Summit', which Historic • communicating the enthusiasm we feel in ways which will engage the Scotland hosted at the beautiful Bute Hall in Glasgow in November. people of Scotland The summit brought together over 100 representatives from a broad • to make the connections between our historic environment and the range of organisations and individuals who care for Scotland’s rich natural landscape historic and built environment. • to create new partnerships to deliver better outcomes

It came at a time when I had recently joined the team at Historic For those working both inside and outside government, we need to Scotland as Interim Chief Executive. It was inspiring to meet the look at how we take this partnership working to the next level. As it wealth of talent and enthusiasm in the room, and experience first was put to us ‘we need to build a Scotland which values the legacy of

THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND I SPRING 2010 other organisations 29

the past, and understand that if we approach it with the right attitude Meanwhile our education and interpretation staff do a fantastic job in our rich patrimony - natural and man made - is the foundation for build - inspiring the next generation to develop a passion and a pride for their ing a self confident future.’ built and historic environment through our interactive schools pro - gramme. The sector is vibrant and evolving and provides a whole host As a key player in protecting and enhancing that heritage, I believe that of opportunities for those working within it. Historic Scotland has an important role to play in helping to achieve this vision. When I joined the agency I was impressed by the enthusiasm, This is why events such as this Summit are so important in sharing infor - knowledge and talent of the team. It’s important therefore that that mation and ideas and debating the key issues across the built and his - enthusiasm, knowledge and talent is opened up and shared and made toric environment in Scotland. As the Minister argued ‘It’s a chance to available and communicated externally so we can work with partners hear people’s ideas regarding changes to the way that we work, how we and the wider public to help protect and enjoy our built and natural his - can work more collaboratively across the sector, remove barriers and toric environment. To do that we need to continue to look at ways to provide innovative solutions which can improve our outcomes and help meet the challenges affecting the sector on a daily basis and look deliver more effectively for the people of Scotland. Only then can we to both extend existing and create new partnerships across the board. truly unlock our potential and harness our collective enthusiasm for Scotland’s past to service Scotland’s future.’ We also need to continue to share expertise and look at new ways to do so. There is an enormous scope and breadth of work undertaken at I hope in my time here I can help facilitate this and can play a small part Historic Scotland.We look after more than 8000 scheduled monuments in helping to protect and enhance our historic and built environment and run 345 sites across Scotland from Skara Brae in Orkney through for the enjoyment of present and future generations. to Scotland’s number one paid visitor attraction, Edinburgh Castle. Our staff work with organisations across Scotland to help protect and enhance our built environment. We have teams working on maintaining RUTH PARSONS and preserving buildings and supporting traditional skills in the process. Interim Chief Executive, Historic Scotland.

The Prince’s Regeneration Trust The Green Guide for Historic Buildings How to improve the environmental sustainability of listed and historic buildings

ow do you make a listed building more environ - either be disregarded, because they are considered too mentally sustainable without damaging its special challenging to restore and regenerate, or that they are Hhistoric character? It is possible, and in fact many unsympathetically adapted. Instead, The Prince’s solutions are straightforward and extremely cost-effec - Regeneration Trust believes that historic buildings should tive. This practical guide brings together advice on tackling be placed at the forefront of a sustainable future. climate change through the refurbishment and conversion of all types of historic buildings in the UK. Although the The Green Guide for Historic Buildings takes a holistic focus is on listed buildings, it applies equally to buildings in approach to the issues, taking the reader step by step conservation areas and, in many cases, to other unlisted through the process and considering all of the options historic buildings. available. It is unique in that it covers all types of historic buildings, from industrial buildings to inner city flats; it is Climate change has risen up the agenda as a matter of relevant for buildings across the UK; it is accessible for all great and immediate concern. The UK is now committed to reducing and requires no previous knowledge or expertise; and uses best prac -

CO 2 emissions by 80% by 2050. Whilst new buildings in the UK are tice case studies to illustrate the advice. being constructed to high environmental standards, underpinned by increasingly challenging building regulations, there remains the task of To be entered in a draw to win a copy of The Green Guide for improving our existing building stock. The Prince’s Regeneration Trust Historic Buildings , please answer the following question: is often asked for advice from community groups, local authorities and The Government has committed to reduce CO 2 developers on improving energy efficiency and the introduction of emissions by how much by 2050? renewable technologies. It is also becoming a condition of funding bod - ies such as the Heritage Lottery Fund, which now sets minimum stan - Send your answer to the AHSS National Office, The Glasite dards on environmental performance in historic buildings. Meeting House, 33 Barony Street, Edinburgh, EH3 6NX or by email to: [email protected] by 30 April 2010. Buildings which are listed, or lie in a conservation area, present partic - ular difficulties as they are subject to statutory restrictions controlling The drawing will take place on 1 May 2010. alterations and modifications. It can be difficult and expensive to balance their important historic character and different structural needs with Published by TSO (The Stationery Office) and available from: the need to tackle climate change. Our aim in publishing this guide is to www.tsoshop.co.uk help reduce the risk that the UK’s beautiful and important buildings will

SPRING 2010 I THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND 30 talking point Contemporary architecture in the historic environment

he selection of images is taken from a presentation given at the Society’s AGM in October on the role of the TCases Panel within the AHSS. The second half of the presentation was designed to be mildly thought provoking as to what Figure 1 (Right): Town Hall constitutes good development in historical extension, Murcia, Spain. Raphael Moneo (1998) settings. The Forth & Borders casework © JCRA, wikimedia rarely finds planning applications that are truly commons damaging to historic fabric (demolition aside!) but the issue of contemporary architecture as an addition to a historic building or within a historic area can be somewhat thorny. It cer - tainly stirs up controversy in the local press and can result in indignant objections from neighbours. In Edinburgh there’s often a call to emulate Georgian or Victorian architec - ture and an insistence on the use of sand - stone and slate, but I’m not convinced this results in good architecture in the 21st centu - ry. The reproductions are inevitably pale imi - Figure 2 (left): Ministry of tations and the sandstone veneer often Culture, Rue St Honore, Paris, appears disposable, the buildings unlikely to France. Francis Soler (2004) © Pedro Ribeiro Simões, flickr be cherished by future generations. Policy makers are seeking a magic formula that will result in good architecture but it will remain elusive as the tick-box approach will most likely result in the pedestrian. What I feel this selection offers is confident architecture that adds to the building, or area’s narrative. Unconsciously, I have selected buildings that respect the prevailing massing. Tall buildings can offer a real sense of excitement but we need to master consistently better architec - ture at a lower level first. Figure 3 (Right): Caixa Forum Cultural Centre, Madrid, Spain. Herzog de The questions these buildings have raised in Meuron (2008) © Marcelo Costa, flickr my mind are: would this get planning permis - sion in Scotland? And would the AHSS object?

The building that spawned a multitude of infe - rior imitations is adjacent to a Baroque palace and opposite a cathedral that exhibits the Gothic, Classical, Baroque and Rococo (Figure 1). Aping the 18th century flourishes would have been folly but the town hall shares the palace’s elevated piano nobile and balcony. It seems an appropriate response, the civic nature of the building requiring a bold public Figure 4 (left): Town Hall, face and barcode architecture having a classical Manresa, Spain. sensibility. Bailo & Rull ADD Arquitectura (2009) © Erin Williamson, flickr A department of government took over an entire city block creating a new building on two sides and retaining an early 20th century department store on the other two sides (Figure 2). To indicate the shared function of

THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND I SPRING 2010 talking point 31

the whole block the architect has wrapped the four elevations in metal filigree. It is adjacent to the Palais Royal and opposite the Neo-classicism of the Louvre des Antiquaires.

Figure 5 (left): Rue Galvani, Paris. Christian Pottgiesser – A former gas works in the heart of Madrid, the architecturespossibles (2003) brick facades have been retained, albeit sliced at © Philip Graham ground floor level to create the illusion of the heavy building floating (Figure 3). The additional storeys are clad in rusting steel, some of which is perforat - ed, in keeping with the industrial nature of the build - ing.

The ‘polyhedric chip’ has been attached to the rear of a simple 19th century town hall to improve inte - rior circulation and provide an additional escape route (Figure 4). Essentially back-land development it matches the building in colour tone only. Edinburgh’s Old Town is deeply fragmented; could Figure 6 (Right): Kalmar Museum of Art, Sweden. the rear elevation of the City Chambers carry this Tham & Videgård Hansson off? Arkitekter (2008) © Åke E:son Lindman How does one fill a gap site, bridging the gap between Classical and Beaux-Art neighbours (Figure 5)? The city required the use of stone from the Paris Basin and that a street view to a building behind was retained. It’s managed not to be simper - ing and, to my eye, very Parisian.

The 1939 restaurant pavilion in the left of the image (Figure 6) is by Sven-Ivan Lind (1902-1980) a col - Figure 7 (Left): Sjakket Youth league of Gunnar Asplund and a major Scandinavian Club, Copenhagen, Denmark. PLOT = BIG+JDS (2007) architect of the 20th century in his own right. The © Vegar Moen new build houses a modern art collection and while the interior is concrete, it is clad in wooden panels stained black.

Re-using industrial buildings is a frequent challenge and the walls and roof of this factory were subject to preservation orders (Figure 7). The architects have retained the industrial nature by sitting a ship - ping container on top and it seems suitable addition for use by Copenhagen’s immigrant youth popula - Figure 8 (Right): City of tion. Fashion & Design, Quai d’Austerlitz, Paris. Jakob & McFarlane (2008) The warehouse on the left bank of the Seine is one © Philip Graham of the earliest uses of reinforced concrete in Paris (1907). The architects have stripped a nondescript building (its neighbour remains in its original form for comparison) back to its frame and then woven their intervention through it (Figure 8). It may not be to everyone’s taste but with the previous Danish example illustrate how 20th century industrial buildings have a capacity for interesting change.

St Benedict’s Chapel in Switzerland (Figure 9) is a beautifully crafted, simple chapel in a traditional Figure 9 (Left): St Benedict’s Swiss village. It has a leaf shaped plan, is clad in shin - Chapel, Sumvitg, Switzerland. gle and while being far from traditional in form nes - Peter Zumthor (1988) © p2cl, flickr tles within the landscape and village perfectly. I have included it because architecture within the rural landscape is integral to Scotland’s character and, in my opinion, a heritage issue and perhaps a topic for another Talking Point. EUAN LEITCH

SPRING 2010 I THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND 32 talking point My Favourite Building

y favourite building had, over a peri - View from Drive © Peter Gouldsborough. od of some five years in the late M1990s, become a close but rather enigmatic, friend. I say that my favourite building is a building, but one could consid - er it more as a structure, or even perhaps an ornament. It became my friend because it was one of several buildings which were the subject of a research project I was con - ducting at that time and which I visited reg - ularly.

My favourite building can be found close to the North Yorkshire market town of Helmsley. As one crosses the bridge over the river Rye and approaches Helmsley from the south, a turning to the left can be found which leads to a broad driveway ascending an incline through open pasture north, my favourite building, the Ionic epitomised in the imagery created in the lit - land. Towards the top of this driveway my Temple – an object in a landscape. erature of Horace Walpole, Ann Radcliffe, favourite building can be found situated in Jane Austen, and that quintessential English an elevated position amongst trees, standing The Picturesque in landscape design was romantic poet William Wordsworth, as almost as a sentinel to what lies beyond. inspired by travellers of the 17th and 18th well as in those fiery tempestuous paint - This is, in my mind, the sentinel of centuries making the GrandTour of Europe, ings of William Turner. These works have, Duncombe Park, an early 18th century and in the process crossing the Alps and in my view, conditioned the way in which designed landscape associated with one of encountering the Apennines where the ter - we perceive landscapes, and particularly the most important English Baroque houses ror and horror of rough tracks, vertiginous wild, ‘natural’ landscape, and there is a in Northern England. The house was built precipices, jagged mountains peaks and wild strong argument to support the view that for Sir Thomas Duncombe circa 1710 and is remote countryside had to be endured as there is implicit in the Picturesque a per - ascribed to William Wakefield, whose work part of that experience. But it is not just ception which is now deeply embedded in was influenced by Sir John Vanbrugh. the picturesque that is at play here, for it is our culture. Vanbrugh, the soldier, political prisoner, play - the experience of the sublime which is wright and renowned amateur architect, sought too. That experience is one of fear I mentioned that my favorite building is an whose finest works are perhaps Castle but without mortal danger which Edmund enigmatic friend. I say enigmatic because my Howard and Blenheim Palace, is also credit - Burke so eloquently explored in his favourite building did not provide conclu - ed with the design of my favourite building. Philosophical enquiry into the origins of our sive results for my research – but that is the ideas of the sublime and the beautiful of 175 7. way of research. Perhaps more important - It is built of stone; it is modest in scale; it is It is the same experience which the guests ly, it is not known for certain that it was elegant in form and it dates from the 1730s. at Duncome Park would have experienced designed by Sir John Vanbrugh, nor that it It is an open rotunda comprising ten un- on their visits to the terrace and the Ionic was modelled on the Temple of Vesta, the fluted Ionic columns supporting a frieze and Temple, from where there are glimpses of date and provenance of which seem to be cornice, surmounted by a lead-clad domed the jagged outline of the ruins of Helmsley equally obscure. Nor indeed is it certain roof and is believed to be based on the Castle beyond the woodland trees, and the that the house was designed by William design of the Temple of Vesta at Tivoli near cascades on the River Rye in the valley far, Wakefield, nor that the landscape design Rome. Its importance is that it is a key ele - far, below. involved the hand of Charles Bridgeman, ment in the designed landscape of because in 1879 the house at Duncombe Duncombe Park, and the site of the house The significance of my favourite building is park was destroyed by fire, along with much was undoubtedly chosen for its landscape that it is an object in a landscape which is of the family archive, although the house potential. The designed landscape incorpo - believed to have been designed with the was subsequently rebuilt to the original rates a curved, turfed terrace on elevated assistance of Charles Bridgeman. He was a design by William Young. ground, with contrived views down the landscape designer considered to have had steep valley sides to the river Rye below a pivotal role in the transition from the for - So what insights into the past might my and to the surrounding countryside beyond. mal geometric designs of the late 1600s to friend conceal, whose stones have long The terrace is backed by woodland, so as to the freer designs of William Kent, been washed by the tides of humanity, if I isolate it from the house; its layout and the Humphrey Repton and Lancelot may borrow from Ruskin, and has stood as design of the views is in the tradition of the (Capability) Brown. So this is an early silent witness to the passage of time and Picturesque and at each end of the terrace example of Picturesque /sublime landscape circumstances at Duncombe Park for stands a temple on a promontory from design in England, and is part of the fashion almost three centuries? My modest, enig - which there are also contrived views into which would eventually permeate many lay - matic friend; my favourite building. the surrounding countryside. At the south ers of the arts, including music, painting, and end stands the Tuscan Temple and at the literature. It is a fashion of the time that is DR PF GOULDSBOROUGH

THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND I SPRING 2010 investigation 33 The Rural Church

he architectural quality of rural Aberdalgie Church, churches in Scotland has not been Perthshire fully recognised. Often modest in design (with some notable excep - T Kirkmichael Parish Church, tions), the church is the centre, socially and South Ayrshire visually, of villages (and hamlets and small towns) across the country. The spire, tower or bell are markers and visual pivots, giving even the humblest location an identity. There are the more ornate church build - ings, usually Victorian, reflecting the local patronage. Romanesque seemed to be the preferred architectural style latterly. The rural churches of Aberdalgie Church, Ceres Parish Church, Skirling Parish Church and Kirkmichael Parish Church are well illus - trated in the drawings by John Hume for the Skirling Parish Church, Scottish Borders Scotland’s Churches Scheme as part of its Ceres Parish Church, Fife records (www.sacredscotland.org.uk).

All buildings were erected at a time of large congregations and often of local prosperity. Numbers though have declined while run - ning costs and maintenance necessities have risen. The church has had to adapt to chang - ing social and economic issues, reflecting not only attendance and running costs but changes in the wider rural communities. The broader changes often leave the traditional ways of life vulnerable and subject to notice - able changes.

The traditional laird’s loft is no longer social - The incomers continue to search for the nance. A church building becomes a local ly necessary while more community-based pastoral idyll, not always found, contrasting liability. A wide range of new uses is in evi - activities are being developed. The charac - with the traditional local families whose dence. Vacated churches are often available teristics of local populations have been earnings are noticeably low, while distorting for purchase by individuals or community adjusted to accommodate a range of incom - local house prices. Local employment interests. ers who may be resident or temporary. The includes servicing visitor attractions and village is being asked to house the retired, reliance on the tourist trade. An expecta - Change of use follows. Examples include the economically active who commute to tion of the tourist is the attractiveness of a residential, commercial, retail, education and the nearest large town or city, the week- village in a rural setting, of which the church recreation. The design challenge lies with enders, visitors and tourists. The traditional is often a central feature. the sympathetic integration of new with the farmer has addressed the economic pres - old. The existing building carries aspects of sures and often left farming. Families are The church attendance figures have shown the history of the local community such as encouraged to support the local schools. a steady decline (slowed recently). The a memorial to war dead. A dilemma exists Planning policy tends to discourage the sin - changing profile of village populations for the church to retain the collective mem - gle house in the countryside, promoting the appears not to change significantly the num - ory through generations of use and local addition to established settlements (in the ber of churchgoers. The greater loss is with identity with the opportunity financially and name of sustainability). the younger generation, through lack of socially offered by a vacated building. interest or not returning after time away Churches often display crafts and the skills Farms become golf courses or caravan such as at university. The last 50 years have of the craftsman. The new uses may attract parks, while the wind turbine has become a seen a large number of redundant churches contemporary skills to match the old. common countryside feature. Hunting, subject to re-use with some demolished. shooting and fishing remain part of the land - Reduced congregations and increasing run - There has been a surfeit of churches and scape and reflect the traditional landowners ning costs have brought the closures. associated buildings which have been sold and their pastimes. Now a big business, such Deterioration is often swift when without and re-used. The Scottish Redundant activities are enjoyed seasonally by visitors. use and with lack of repair and mainte - Churches Trust acquires churches where

SPRING 2010 I THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND 34 investigation

Cromarty East Church, disguises the local reality. A removal of fea - recently restored tures of a church building would affect this image. Removal of a spire or tower would reduce the visual profile of the village. The village can be a cluster around a cross-road or bridge over a river. The church is a char - acteristic within these clusters. There are dispersed villages with houses and amenities scattered along a road, with the church detached and peripheral, reflecting landown - ership patterns and probably crofting. An example of village amenities is in Kirkmichael, Perthshire. There are four church buildings: the active church in the centre; an Episcopal church open in the sum - mer only (four km from the centre); a derelict church in the centre with spire (act - ing as a visual marker); and a converted Wedding, St Peters Kirk, Orkney church as house (three km from the centre). The village also provides a session house for meetings and education classes; community- owned village shop and garage; village hall (could be replaced by the converted redun - dant church); local hotel and public house; primary school; a growing number of holiday homes and week-ender houses; and village 'green'. Three manses have been sold as houses; affordable housing has been a recent addition. Road, river and trail pass through the village.

A characteristic is the walled cemetery, usu - ally at the side of a church, sometimes acting as a barrier to a programme of physical expansion. The graveyards offer much his - torical information about families and pre - Re-opening concert, St Peters Kirk, Orkney regular worship has ceased. A church is vailing architectural style. restored if necessary and retained for wed - dings, baptisms and funerals with the addition A further policy is for churches to combine of appropriate functions such as concerts, into an ecumenical centre. Often villages do meetings, lectures and floral display. A church house more than one church. Combining can take on a museum role, displaying local users into one resource may be a solution to historical records. The Trust has conserved retain buildings and congregations and the Cromarty East Church with a substantial reduce running costs. Livingston New Town financial assistance from the Heritage with its urban villages developed ecumenical Lottery Fund. The East Church is category A centres, combining the requirement of more listed and regarded as a fine example of rural than one church into a single space, easily church building. Appropriate activities are a adapted to provide layouts and fixtures asso - wedding at St Peter’s Kirk, Orkney and a ciated with each denomination. Non-church concert in the same church. activities could be included in such centres.

The Church of Scotland tends to sell off its The Scotland’s Churches Scheme sees buildings without protecting their historic churches as tourist attractions, with a net - and architectural significance, especially work of churches along a recognised route those reflecting local interests. Recognition (possibly as a guided tour). This acknowl - of the architectural significance can be found edges the rural church as a significant build - in Scotland’s Best Churches , Edinburgh ing type, with heritage value. Access can be University Press, by John Hume. inhibited by a closed church during ti mes beyond services: keys can usually be avail - The romantic view of the village with the able from the local village shop (if still trad - shop, public house, housing, hotel and church ing). Legislation has encouraged defined

THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND I SPRING 2010 investigation 35

countryside walking routes linking hotels Proposed extension to Rosslyn Chapel and visitor attractions such as churches. The Cateran Trail in Perthshire is an example.

Active churches need to adapt to current standards as well as requiring regular repair and maintenance. Access for wheelchair users into and within a church may require considerable adaptation: heating and ventila - tion have become essential as comfort expectations rise. Voluntary assistance appears to play an important role in the maintenance of the church: professional help will be inevitable due to the nature of the construction. Outreach and community functions require at least one meeting room, if not already in place, for meetings, Sunday school and education/social activities, with toilets for wheelchair users. There are practitioners welcomed skateboarding. The With the Church of Scotland, a Kirk changes in the worship patterns: the location church was a sacred space. Skateboarding Session of local individuals is responsible of the sermon away from the pulpit is being was creeping secularisation. There is some - for the upkeep of its church. Promotion of considered to improve communication thing about the sacred which induces all to community activities may cut across other between Minister and congregation. whisper when entering a church, as hallowed local interests and the role of the Electrics have advanced, with improved light - ground. This association with historic record Community Council. Fundraising locally is ing and amplified sound. Organists are in can be a challenge when a church is receiving always necessary for the upkeep of the short supply, let alone organs, which has a new use to retain aspects of the church fab - fabric. encouraged other music sources. ric and form. Conservation of the fabric of a church, Further reactions to reduced numbers have Re-use is the current saviour to avoid closure minor and major adaptations and possible included increasing congregation and visitor and demolition. Conversion requires a sensi - additions require funds. Available funding is numbers by making the church more wel - tive response to combined current architec - extremely limited. An overview of the real coming, ensuring access at all times, provid - tural aesthetic with the retained often well- costs of retaining churches seen against the ing information about the church activities crafted ecclesiastical building. Churches by benefits accrued by adaptation is necessary. and buildings, and promoting events within their form and location are easily recognis - Funding remains a problem: funds available the church. The cost of insurance cover, nec - able: the form is symbolic and requires no are limited, placing most church buildings in essary with such open access, may be too sign beyond its modest information boards, if a vulnerable position. Funding seems to onerous though. that. The design challenge seems to be the favour the larger urban churches. The mod - retention of the essence of the fabric and est but typical rural churches tend to miss The transport network across rural Scotland form while ensuring a reasonable fit between out. is relatively effective. Distance to travel to new and old activities. The work by Page and church services is recognised as a necessity Park Architects at Rosslyn Chapel illustrates Loss would deprive the architectural port - across rural areas, but not always convenient the potential of combining the old with the folio of a significant group of buildings. The for the tourist. Rail/coach travel have new extension. visual qualities of the rural church as well as improved while the scenic route remains a its role in a community, including tourism, tourist feature. Large lorries and vans tour With re-use come changes in certain tradi - should be further recognised. A grouping of rural areas on often minor roads, along with tional features. The stained glass window can conservation and heritage, religious and the touring coach, affecting life and fabric in give way to clear glass (often a memorial win - political interests, needs to address the a village including the church buildings. dow) to provide adequate daylight inside and opportunities. A detailed and costed report sufficient natural ventilation. for implementation across Scotland would An approach to increasing use is the intro - be an essential start. duction of community activities under the A further approach to dealing with an under- umbrella of the local church. These include used church lies with the building as a the village shop, meeting room, Post Office designed ruin (with possibly a new purpose- DR. IAN APPLETON and the like. The inclusion of secular uses built church nearby). The castle as ruin is Dr. Ian Appleton is an raises questions of ease of conversion and accepted: the castle at Dirleton is an exam - Edinburgh-based architect accommodation of the new uses. It is also a ple. Fountains Abbey in England is a major question of appropriateness and acceptance attraction as a ruin. Robert Adam, in his THE RURAL CHURCH: UPDATE by local interests. The Abbey at Malmesbury romantic mood, illustrated the ruin as almost A conference is being planned in the autumn of 2010 at in England allowed skateboarding in a tem - an art form. The ruin continues to reflect its which the role of the rural church and life and work in the porary adaptation to encourage youth. historic and heritage content. A fine example countryside will be considered, including the current Membership among the young rose. Not all is the ruined section of Dunkeld Cathedral. state of rural church buildings.

SPRING 2010 I THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND 36 consultations

Below are the edited highlights of AHSS responses to recent consultations – if you’d like to see the full submissions, please let us know and we’ll happily forward them to you.

Consultation on the implementation of the removal of the duty of Planning Authorities to notify Historic Scotland on certain types of Listed Building Consent application

General As signing up to the Joint Working Agreement (JWA) between Historic Scotland and Planning Authorities in relation to statutory casework and consultation is a requirement for any planning authority minded to take part in the scheme to remove the duty to notify and that key information related to the current consultation is included in Appendix 10 of the JWA, we find it very unhelpful that the consultation on the JWA was open only to local authorities and that this document has been finalised and released to planning authorities in advance of the end of the current consultation on the removal of the duty to notify.

Responses to the specific questions in the consultation:

Entry criteria presence be enough to qualify or is there to be a qualitative What criteria do you think a planning authority should meet in order to assessment of their adequacy? qualify for taking on sole responsibility for determining listed building consent applications and what resources do you think may be involved? Scope of application types included Do you think the scope of applications identified in Schedule 1 is The proposed criteria as stated at Section 7, para 30 are: appropriate? signed-up to the Joint Working Agreement; access to specialist conservation advice; appropriate policies; and No. As currently drafted, Schedule 1 is too vague, and opens up supporting processes and monitoring to operate effectively. significant areas of interpretation by planning authorities, meaning that there may not be a consistent approach across Scotland. The Society endorses the view that planning authorities should have access to appropriate expertise. This is not currently the case While any one or two of the types of works listed might constitute across the country and we hope that, in order to enable them to minor alterations, the cumulative effect of work in several sign up to remove the duty to notify some listed building categories at the same time on the significance of a building could applications, local authorities will reflect on the level of be considerable. We suggest therefore that the assessment has to conservation expertise they can access and whether it is sufficient relate to the impact of the proposal on the architectural or historic for their needs. It would be helpful to include further guidance on significance of the building, rather than simply the nature of the what level of expertise would be considered to be appropriate, as work and overall scale of what is proposed. this will obviously vary depending on the volume of casework and other factors. It's not, however, just a question of having access to Complexity and controversy are related not just to the nature of the resource - it's also one of how it's going to be used in assessing the works proposed at any particular building. In cases where there applications. Thus the provision of appropriate policies and is significant local community interest or where the significance of a procedures, and the monitoring of how these are working in building or structure has been underestimated and therefore not practice on an ongoing basis, are also vital to the success of the previously recognised through the listing or scheduling processes, proposed arrangements. the formal involvement of Historic Scotland in the application process could be beneficial. In order to ensure a consistent quality of decision-making under the new arrangements, it is vital that there is a truly robust policy Schedule 1 should not be extended to include category A-listed framework. The current draft Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) buildings. represents a considerable weakening of the policy (as found previously in SPP23) at the national level. This implies that there Monitoring the scheme should be a commensurate strengthening in the policy framework Do you think that planning authorities’ decisions should be monitored as at the local level, otherwise a policy vacuum will occur. The Society part of any future scheme? has real concerns that the protection of the historic environment will be harder to achieve in this vacuum. How is the Yes. It is vital to measure the effectiveness of the scheme not only ‘appropriateness’ of the policies in place to be measured – will their in terms of whether or not decisions follow local and national

THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND I SPRING 2010 consultations 37 policy, but also to seek to find a way of monitoring the impact on Yes.The Society understands that the performance and effectiveness the historic environment – is the overall effect a lessening of the of planning authorities varies across the country and that any level of protection offered to its special character? individual authority's performance varies over time. It would be irresponsible for Historic Scotland to enter into an agreement to Do you think there are other ways which the remove the duty to notify without the real possibility of withdrawing monitoring could be done? this ability at some future date should the performance of the planning authority become inadequate. The inclusion of some measures by Yes. Monitoring should ideally be carried out by an independent which the quality of the decisions made by the planning authority is body or at least be overseen by a steering group that has outside measured is vital, as poor performance in terms of the quality of representation from amenity bodies and other stakeholders. All decision-making should be the trigger for the withdrawal of the ability cases should be monitored with annual monitoring reports drawn of the planning authority to determine applications without notifying up within a specified timetable and made publicly available. Some Scottish Ministers. The criteria which must be met if an authority is to additional monitoring criteria should be included which indicate the continue to make decisions without notification must be clearly spelt sensitivity of the case, e.g. was the decision in agreement with the out and Historic Scotland must be ready to take the decision to planning officer recommendation, with amenity body or other withdraw the removal of duty to notify when the stated criteria are historic environment consultee submissions, or result in the loss of breached, with all the attendant publicity and controversy this may listed buildings or features of interest? entail.

Do you think monitoring information for planning authority decisions on General C(S)-listed buildings should also be included? Do you support the principle of giving planning authorities sole responsibility to issue listed building consent for more straight forward Yes. Demolitions of C(S)-listed buildings should also applications? be included. Yes, but we have real concerns over the criteria for assessing whether Review applications are genuinely straightforward or not, the robustness and Do you think there are any issues that might lead to the withdrawal of transparency of the monitoring processes proposed and the the ability of planning authorities to determine applications without likelihood of the sanction of withdrawal of the duty to notify being notifying Scottish Ministers? used in the event of the under-performance of a planning authority.

Consultation on Historic Scotland Guidance Notes Managing Change in the Historic Environment

Responses to the specific questions in the consultation:

Do you think the guidance notes present Scottish Minister’s advice on detailing what these exceptions are. An applicant could easily the Historic Environment in a clear and consistent manner? exploit what amounts to a lighter approach to conservation leaving the planning officer, or reporter at public enquiry, without a No. The reform of Scotland’s planning system and the publication of sufficiently robust statutory document to counter aggressive the Scottish Historic Environment Policy (2008) require the proposals. adjustment of the advice found in the Memorandum of Guidance. However, the establishment of the Joint Working Agreement The Guidance Notes make insufficient reference to Historic between Historic Scotland and local planning authorities increases Scotland’s Technical Advice Notes and Guides for Practitioners, the importance of detailed guidance for planning officers working in particularly the 'Conversion of Traditional Buildings - Application of Development Management as they will be determining the majority the Scottish Building Standards'. Details that arise in pursuit of a of planning applications affecting the historic environment without Building Warrant may have implications for the final appearance of the requirement to consult Historic Scotland. Given the varying the building; boiler flues, vent cowls, soil vent pipes, gas pipes are the experience and qualifications of planning officers across planning sorts of thing which are often not detailed in the application for departments it is crucial that that the base policy advice from the Listed Building Consent but impact on the final appearance. Scottish Government is of the highest standard and of a comprehensive nature. The 14 Guidance Notes replace guidance from the withdrawn Memorandum. What aspects of the Historic Environment should be The Guidance Notes do not match the rigour or detail of the considered for inclusion in an expanded series in the future? Memorandum, glossing over topics that were discussed at length (e.g. stone cleaning). They permit a high degree of interpretation, The Guidance Notes should include all the topics covered in the referring to exceptions to good conservation practice but without Memorandum including conservation areas.

SPRING 2010 I THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND 38 reviews Reviews Edited by Mark Cousins

EDINBURGH of repeated neo-classical housing statement; while absorbing a brief typologies along streets and the strange, overview of the city’s history we realise, Mark Denton yet successful, blend between ancient once again, that Edinburgh is a living Frances Lincoln 2009 cemeteries and public green spaces are being. Just like an organism aiming to ISBN 13: 978-0711228764 some of the shocking features that stand alive under the weight of time, £30 challenge and contrast with my always improving. Only the really Mediterranean background. successful aspects of the city will overcome time, while the failures will be Standard photos of the seaside, peaceful surely replaced sooner or later, without images with the ‘best selling’ scent of any mercy. This is the organic evolution tradition. The dualism of the sea against process which shapes most cities, and this the sky. Shy, deteriorated boats dying on is how both Lord Cockburn and Magnus the wet sand, standing like rotten Linklater make us understand its unique skeletons; evidence of time’s evolution. quality. The outstanding immense presence of some gorgeous masterpieces of Ignoring artistic considerations, never ‘There we go, another compilation of engineering like the Forth Rail Bridge, mind aesthetic criteria, this book is vivid postcards’ – or so most might say. reinforcing our deep respect towards that evidence of the reality of one city at one breath-taking discipline. instant. And time will give it due Here we have a portfolio that compromises importance, and probably the gripping and a specific series of photographs by Mark Denton’s beautifully taken photographs, exciting attitude that we slightly miss Denton with Edinburgh as its main theme, mostly panoramic, use slightly long now, although the obvious love and care together with a brief introduction by shutter times for moving water/light in every page and every shot remains self- Magnus Linklater. photos to provide some additional evident. interesting effects. Double exposure The book includes detailed portraits of shots for special detailed cases with high ALBERT LÓPEZ PALAZÓN the varied settings that configure the colour saturation, give a subjective, (exchange student from Barcelona) proud and elegant capital of Scotland. bucolic and naïve view that differs from Shots underlining the bright side of the the characteristic tones and atmosphere old quarter; the quaint narrow streets of Edinburgh. Just a few dramatic and happily sliding down the Castle hill under punchy spots are required to reflect the Peak Water a bright blue sky that seems foreign to dense fog concealing the blurry skyline, that scenery. Ancient stones composing the heavy dull threatening sky. Alexander Bell facades while reflecting orangey flashes at Luath Press 2009 dawn. Romantic pictures of the city as a An excess of predictable points of view ISBN 1906817197 surreal assorted jumble of houses, a that could mislead someone, as if £16.99 moving collage - monuments, churches, intending to convince some tourist and anonymous architecture. before choosing his next destination.

Suddenly, nature overtakes the city and No place for the portrait of activity, the starts playing the main role. Sweet people, the relationships, the complexity glimpses of highlighted buildings of the city’s layers. Challenging work surrounded by fragments of flora. Massive based on capturing the tangible elements areas of intense green grass and masses of of the city. reddish leaves combing autumn’s wind. The soft slope of virgin small hills and tiny, A brilliant foreword performs the humble streams flooding wonderful opening ceremony of the book. Sincere, valleys. The landscape’s unique character informal and charming scenes about the The world is not running out of water, but and tones fascinate every foreigner. unique relationship between the author we are thirsty. We, as a race, have and the city, including some moving and forgotten our dependence upon water; Through non-Scottish eyes, the power of vivid early childhood memories. we die after just three days without it. We the green tones, the strict geometrical have grown cocky and strayed from the order of the city’s shape seemingly Essentially, it is all about ‘memory’. The rivers that once gave us life, or so completely planned, the infinite sequences introduction is evidence of this Alexander Bell would have us believe.

THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND I SPRING 2010 reviews 39

raging at this time, the Peak water is the point when the The Marshall Place events of Marshall Place available water is not enough to meet the Conspiracy may be viewed as rather demands of the world’s growing insignificant. However, I population. Peak water is where water is Vivian Linacre found the book rather rendered highly valuable once again; for it Published by Vivian Linacre 2008 poignant with its tale of is in high demand. ISBN 978-0-9560082-0-6 misappropriated public £13.99 funds and bending of the rules by those in Water is essential; indeed, water was the Vivian Linacre’s self-published title The power drawing rather striking similarities to impetus for civilisation. We struggled Marshall Place Conspiracy aims to shed some current events – an MPs’ expenses scandal against it; we formed societies based light on the events surrounding the creation during a global recession and a foreign war. upon it, it made political systems fall, and of Marshall Place – two terraces of Georgian allowed our leaders to become powerful. townhouses in Perth. The terraces were Being familiar with Perth, I found the history Our existence and origins can be designed by Edinburgh architect Robert of Marshall Place very interesting, but given explained through reference to water. Reid, and constructed between 1808 and the specific nature of the book’s subject, the The book introduces a whole wealth of 1833. The architecture of the terraces publication’s appeal is likely to be limited to knowledge to the reader; it shows how themselves is, however, not the main readers with a particular interest in the water has affected our very being. This concern of the book. Instead, it largely deals history of Perth. keeps one captivated and it is certainly with the titular conspiracy of influential great to have a book which covers a town officials who conceived them as a While the book is well researched and subject as broad as this. project of public works purely for their own contains a wealth of information about the personal profit, and the eventual ruination Marshall Place development, it is not an easy However, the subject is too wide. The which it brought upon them. read. Its accessibility is hampered by first section covers 32,000 years of occasionally dense writing and large human history, all key religions and the The publication is intended to mark the portions of minutes of Council meetings creation of civilisation from barbarianism. bicentennial of the death of one of the men which may well discourage the casual reader. This fast moving book leaves one involved, ex-Provost of Perth, Thomas Hay Additional illustrations within the text wondering whether the author is merely Marshall, and of the building of the first would have been helpful, as on occasion the regurgitating every reference to water in phase of Marshall Place in 1808. author makes reference to locations and our human story, to create a one-sided buildings which a reader without prior explanation of our indebtedness. The book’s 92 pages are divided into seven knowledge would find particularly difficult to chapters and two appendices, including follow. These issues are most likely the With such a huge topic of discussion one historic maps of Perth and colour result of the book being a self-publication unfortunately questions whether the reproductions of historic paintings by and could probably have been avoided by information is fully legitimate. The author MacNeil MacLeay. The author takes the the involvement of an Editor. states in the foreword that he is a writer, reader through the unfolding plot of not an academic. Bell writes a convincing Marshall Place supported with extensive These points notwithstanding, The Marshall argument, but it does leave one minutes of Council meetings, and letters Place Conspiracy remains an impressive questioning its validity. Bold statements written by those involved, leading to the final testament to the author’s care and devotion are made but then played down in the outcome of the financial and personal ruin to Marshall Place and a fitting tribute to the endnotes. The book is littered with of all of the participants. works of bothThomas Hay Marshall and the sweeping statements that seem to architect Robert Reid. prompt more questions than they After introducing the main contributors to answer. the plan – including the project’s namesake MATT MACKINNON Thomas Hay Marshall – and detailing their However, the book is incredibly first meetings and manipulations, Linacre lays successful, once you have covered the out clearly the full implications of the The Grand Tour and its whole breadth of human history and its Marshall Place plan and the plot becomes influence on architecture, myriad cultures, myths, traditions and clear: artistic taste and patronage gods (and negotiated the hundreds of painful watery metaphors). The book ‘The Council planned and promoted the Edited by Lester Borley makes the reader fully aware of human design and development of a mere seven Europa Nostra UK dependence upon water; a fact now houses as a major civic enterprise, risking ISBN 978-0-9560657-0-4 easily taken for granted in the modern public money in assembling the land, £15.00 western world. Bell fully explains our planning the new public road, and auctioning modern predicament and makes clear the feus – an absurdly over-ambitious During periods of political and social that there is a crisis, which when reading scheme undertaken in the most unseemly change in the late 11th and 18th centuries, from the comfort of sodden Scotland, haste – and solely for the benefit of a handful many aspiring public servants travelled will leave you feeling lucky! of civic leaders.’ abroad to study such changes in other nations. Although some simply studied at CASSIE KNIGHTS Given that the Napoleonic War was still universities in the Netherlands and

SPRING 2010 I THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND 40 reviews

Germany, many intended to be one of education, cultural character of this popular town in Ross and made an extended improvement and development of taste Cromarty. The authors’ intention is, in this journey to Italy and manners. The vast sums of parental case, to substantiate and organise reliable taking at least two money used to fund the tour were often archaeological (and thereby historical) years before spent on purchasing and commissioning knowledge connected with Tain into one returning home. paintings, sculptures and books, as well as coherent and accessible resource. As a The phenomenon, on clothing, ‘socialising’, and occasionally result, it is anticipated that this discourse which became known as ‘The Grand Tour’, women. Few gap year students today will establish the essence of Tain in a way was particularly associated with young travel through the Alps with pack-mules that can inform and enlighten the area’s male members of the British aristocracy carrying their belongings, only to return potential conservation issues in the and gentry, although many young men home with antiquities and commissioned future. from other countries made similar portraits. expeditions. The arrangement of the publication Nevertheless ‘The Grand Tour to Italy purposefully presents itself as a flexible The Grand Tour comprises seven essays clearly had a direct and indirect influence commodity - as both an accurate point of written for a conference held in on the way we live’; the essays illustrate reference to a local authority planner and Edinburgh, in September 2007, in the debt we owe to the rediscovery of the as a general guide to the casual reader. association with the Royal Society of classical heritage of both Italy and Greece, Divided into four main sections, Tain is Edinburgh. The Italian Cultural Institute which can be seen in the sketches and art initially analysed from a hyperopic (Edinburgh), one of the project sponsors, work brought home for pubic display as viewpoint; however, the town’s position suggested the conference papers be well as the direct influence it had on the within the general historical context of published in order to reach a wider architecture we are familiar with. Scotland becomes sharply focussed as audience, particularly those in university archaeological suggestions of an and secondary school education. This book ends without a conclusion, and established settlement become more rightly so, but is accessible to a wide apparent. A protagonist for the An introduction and overview of the audience and gives an insight into how the development of medieval Tain is marked as Grand Tour is divided into two phases and Grand Tourists have influenced our towns the presence of St Duthac, whose shrine individual essays then go on to cover and cities. Certainly it provides an impetus invoked pilgrimage to the location. In some of the journeys made. The essays are to explore more of the subject area and addition to the burgh acquiring the Gaelic chronological to indicate the changes will provoke considerable discussion. name ‘Baile-Dhuthaich,’ (Duthac’s town) encountered over the years, the influence Tain claimed subsequent status to of previous tourists on the society the JUDY LINES ‘Immunity’ and became a designated later tourists left behind, and their sanctuary. It is archaeologically elucidated subsequent journeys. Each author by the authors that Tain was only approaches their analysis of the tour’s confirmed a ‘Royal Burgh’ in 1588, influence on architecture, artistic taste Historic Tain – Archaeology contrary to popular belief; this fact and patronage differently and the varying and Development highlights the historical accuracy that writing-styles result in a multifaceted read. these surveys seek to ascertain. (Historic Scotland/The Scottish Throughout, many relevant high quality Burgh Survey) The urban fabric of Tain is examined images of paintings and buildings are R D Oram, P F Martin, C A McKean, through a survey and it becomes obvious interwoven with the text, ensuring a T Neighbour, A Cathcart that the supplementary 20th century built coherent read and visual understanding. Published by the Council for British environment surrounding Tain projects a On occasion the number of names Archaeology and Historic Scotland diverse and inaccurate illustration of the discussed, their relationships and 2009 town’s character. Section Four underlines ISBN 978-1-902771-61-8 chronology become a little hard to follow. this, whilst emphasising that the existing £9.50 The essays could have benefited by being dearth of sufficient archaeological supported with a more graphical investigation into the burgh does not representation. constitute a lack of valuable heritage. Consequently, specific areas of Tain are Nicola Kalinsky, in the essay ‘Milordi, highlighted as sites for accumulating Artists and Antiquarians – Portraiture of potential archaeological knowledge, (for the Grand Tour’, makes an interesting example, the traces of 18th century town comparison between the Grand Tourists houses in the southwest of the burgh) and and today’s gap year students. ‘Today’s girls in conclusion, could provide an impetus and boys of relative privilege usually want towards the regeneration of Tain’s historic to travel beyond Europe…to experience In supporting Historic Scotland’s ongoing core and potentially augment tourism to the other, the exotic, the non-western’ survey of Scottish burghs, the Council for the burgh. unlike the Grand Tourists who aimed for British Archaeology’s publication Historic cultural acquisition in the traditional Tain – Archaeology and Development seeks HistoricTain fulfils its commitment towards sense. The Grand Tourists’ experience was to both unravel and specify the ambiguous being an accessible archaeological

THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND I SPRING 2010 reviews 41 resource for all readers, and interest is In addition to methodically presented allows the reader to delve as deeply into successfully sustained throughout a extensive ecological and biological the subject as they wish. Given this relatively complex narrative of the analysis, the book also offers material of intention, the book is surprisingly ‘...precious and largely misunderstood interest to those concerned with appealing to a more casual reader as the history’ of Tain. A detachable broadsheet architectural conservation. The authors’ topic is genuinely interesting and is incorporated with the book, including Danger Index rates biological forms in informative. Realistically, however, the summaries of various buildings of interest their voracity to attack architectural book is most likely to be read by those with a clear map outlining the works on a scale from zero to ten, from with a prior knowledge of the subject and development of the burgh. Those harmless non-creeping taproot annuals, as such, should be treated primarily as a unfamiliar with Tain can quickly through root-sucking shrubs, to the most reference book and an excellent resource comprehend the area, whilst invasive stump-sucking trees. for students, specialists and those simultaneously a specialist can access the interested in the protection of our appendices for thoroughly researched Elsewhere the biological effects that can cultural heritage. technical information and precise strike particular materials such as canvas, suggestions for undertaking further wood and stone are identified. Further, the CHRIS BEVERIDGE archaeological examinations. book describes problems that can occur in specific environments such as library DEBORAH PULLINGER shelving. Here a material’s ability to regulate microclimate conditions is The Western Seaboard: considered in order to help avoid An Illustrated Architectural problems that would inevitably result in Guide Plant Biology for Cultural damage to our written and graphic Heritage heritage. Mary Miers RIAS Series of Illustrated Biodeterioration and The book introduces investigative Architectural Guides to Scotland Conservation measures such as the monitoring of heat 2008 Giulia Caneva, Maria Pia Nugari & and moisture (thermohydrometrics) and ISBN 10: 1873190298 Ornella Salvadori remedial measures that seek to reduce £18 Getty Conservation Institute biological damage. These include examples 2008 of practical interventions; a statue may ISBN 978-0892369393 have its biological patina staining reduced £40.00 by wrapping in a light-impermeable canvas, thereby preventing photosynthesis from occurring and killing unwanted organisms. Established techniques including the use of chemical (pesticides, biocides) and organic methods (anti-fungal, herbicides) are detailed, along with more recent innovations such as bioremediation, where micro-organisms are used in the cleaning process.

The book’s greatest strength is that it The maxim that ’…the past is a different Plant Biology for Cultural Heritage collates collates a large amount of research from a country’ is never more true of any part of extensive research into the field of variety of disparate fields and provides the Britain than on the western seaboard of biological deterioration of art, reader with a link that has hitherto been the Scottish Highlands. The mountains architecture and archaeology. This book missing. This book is part one of two may provide a seemingly changeless provides a valuable resource for those editions (the latter has yet to be backdrop to the life in this scenically with an interest in preserving our heritage translated into English) and provides a spectacular area, but the architecture in its many forms. starting point for further investigation underlies a series of dramatic disjunctions into this new combined subject area. The within human society. There are other books written that format is appropriate, with sufficient analyse the effects of biodeterioration, but images throughout, plus an extensive Yet, for a region which has ample evidence until now, none have connected the colour section that helps illuminate the of clearance, depopulation, ‘lost’ analysis to the causes of those effects. Part concepts investigated. townships and decaying or ruined castles one of the book essentially details the and mansions, and an awful lot of physical, mechanical and chemical The book is of a scientific nature, using (astonishingly beautiful) ‘nothing’, Mary processes of bio-deterioration, including rigorously technical language throughout. Miers’ illustrated architectural guide has geographical and environmental factors. The authors do not attempt to simplify managed with seamless ease to produce Part two examines prevention, control the theories and techniques covered; the largest ever guide to any area ever and methods of investigation. instead they provide exhaustive detail that produced in the RIAS series. With 400

SPRING 2010 I THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND 42 reviews pages, packed with illustrations (including and Glengarry House (also illustrated books for Country Life magazine where the now usual colour spreads), this with Raeburn’s portrait of MacDonell of she now works as architectural writer, tome/mini-inventory is nonetheless Glengarry), to Lord Leverhulme’s art and books editor. She is, frankly, the eminently portable. It is a single expensive attempt to transform Lewis. perfect choice to write this guide. achievement of Mary Miers’ love for this Most evocative of all, perhaps, are the area and of her skill as a writer that this traditional township houses, lost, Given the background of its author, it is book is also a damn sight more readable surviving and restored, which thread no surprise that this was a book which than anything in the rival ‘Buildings of their way amidst the castles and country defied revision. A succession of valiant Scotland’ series. The book surprises, houses of the great. And there are many editors strove to reduce it to something delights and enthuses readers from the enough of the latter, from the Bullough’s approaching the standard RIAS format. In first glance in the bookshop. incredible castle on Rum, built by masons the end, even after substantial cutting, the who were paid extra to wear the kilt, to book we see today owes perhaps more The area is a gift to a writer of Miers’ stunning, crumbling Castle Tioram, still to Miers steadfastly sticking to her guns calibre. She has in no small way realised besieged by the spiritual war machines of than to the cuts which were made. The its potential to hold attention. The book those who prefer to leave the Western result is a real marvel of greatness of ranges over territory, the names of which Highlands as a memorial to decay and scale and appropriate economy which alone call to mind images of legend and archaeological senility. makes it difficult to know how it could history, from Lochaber, North Lorn, have been done better. I cannot find Glencoe, Morvern, Ardnamurchan, Miers’ experience of a country which she anything which might have been lost Moidart, Knoydart, Skye, Eigg, Rum, has known as home for much of her life without disadvantage. And now it must Canna, Glenelg, Kintail, Raasay …and we allows insight and love to shine through be difficult to know how the RIAS series are by then barely halfway through the its pages. She has had a long involvement can continue without adopting Miers’ book. It then carries on to include Lewis, with historic buildings, having worked format. Shakespeare confirms that Harris, the Uists and the rest of the with the Victorian Society and set up and ‘…brevity is the sole of wit’, but in some Western Isles. single-handedly run the Scottish Civic of the earlier guides there was little Trust’s ‘Buildings at Risk Register’ with a more than pithy brevity. Miers has broken The book’s pages bulge with illustrations, flair for publicity and passionate the mould. architectural achievements, controversies persuasion. Her skill for careful and lost hopes, from Invergarry Castle scholarship runs through her articles and MICHAEL DAVIS

The Western Seaboard: An Illustrated Architectural Guide

From castle to cottage: Kinloch Castle on Rum (photo courtesy of Country Life) is a monument to Edwardian consumerism, while No 472b South Lochboisdale is described by Miers as 'remarkable for its date (circa 1920) and intact state, and for being the home, until his death in February 2000, of bard Donald Macdonald (Dòmhnall Aonghais Bhàin). Thickly set, it hugs the ground like a creature, with ear-like stacks and button-eye windows peeping out from beneath a fringe of thatch. In the kitchen, a livestock tethering ring hangs from the wall…'. The bard is seen in his blue boiler suit, and this reviewer recalls the pleasure of talking with this quiet, charming man at a supper party held by the author at Boisdale House. His cottage has been empty since his death.

MICHAEL DAVIS

THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND I SPRING 2010 education 43 Student Awards 2009-10

We are delighted to announce the winners of the 2009-2010 Student Award. This year we received a total of 15 submissions.

The prizes were awarded World War. On the other hand, the candi - influence of William Burn on the layout of as follows: date highlights the relatively isolationist such houses and, in turn, into his influence existence, and to some extent short-lived on the work of Robert Kerr at Bearwood. First Prize - Anne Raines, Edinburgh influence, of Mackintosh and his work in the This candidate has demonstrated, in the College of Art, 'Charles Rennie Mackintosh post-First World War period compared to production of this piece of work, consider - "I am under a cloud – as it were –"' the subsequent developments in architec - able skills in research and critical thinking. ture and design in Austria and Germany. Highly Commended - Ewan Harrison, What this candidate has achieved here is an Alexandra Reddaway, 'Space University of Aberdeen, MA in History of eloquent assessment of the place of Structures and Historic Buildings' Art, 'Robert Kerr's Bearwood and the Mackintosh’s work and influence during that This entry is a dissertation submitted for "Modern Scotch Model"' and Alexandra period. It is well-researched, well-written the degree of MEng (Hons), and is a sub - Reddaway, Edinburgh University, Structural and a thoroughly engaging piece of work. stantial piece of work of some 130 pages. Engineering with Architecture, 'Space The candidate has taken Holyrood Abbey Structures and Historic Buildings'. Highly Commended Church and has produced a design to roof Ewan Harrison, 'Robert Kerr's Bearwood over part of the ruin to provide enclosed We are extremely grateful to the judge for and the "Modern Scotch Model"' usable space below. This is an ambitious this year's awards, Dr Peter This entry is a dissertation submitted for undertaking in which the candidate has Gouldsborough, who is the former the degree of MA in Art History, and as demonstrated a sound understanding of the Director of Conservation Studies at the such is a much more substantial piece of design and engineering skills required to University of York. work than most of the other entries this develop such a scheme, but also a sound year. The subject is not so much about a understanding of the conservation philoso - We are delighted to include in this issue the Scottish building, because Bearwood is in phy which is required to underpin such a winning submission: 'Charles Rennie Berkshire, but is about two Scottish archi - project. The outcome is something which Mackintosh "I am under a cloud -- as it were tects: the Aberdonian architect Robert Kerr, on the one hand is structurally viable and, --"' by Anne Raines, as well as the judge's whose Bearwood, dating from 1865, is per - on the other hand is architecturally sympa - comments below on each of the prize win - haps his most significant work; and the thetic to the surviving fabric of the Abbey ning entries. Edinburgh-born William Burn, who is cred - Church – however one may choose to ited with the development of the Victorian make that judgement. Some useful and Award Winner country house plan – with all its intricacies interesting projects are highlighted in the Anne Raines, 'Charles Rennie Mackintosh "I to accommodate the complex social hierar - Philosophy and Critical Review chapter, and am under a cloud – as it were –"' chies of that time. although Carlo Scarpa’s work at This piece of work puts the career and Castlevecchio in Verona might be consid - times of Glasgow’s Charles Rennie What this candidate has produced is a well- ered to be a notable omission, I note that Mackintosh into a broader European per - researched, well-written and well-presented that project is mentioned in one of the spective, and eloquently demonstrates the document in which a thorough understand - appendices. A considerable range of skills artistic, architectural and intellectual links ing of the 19th century country house and has been demonstrated on the part of this between Glasgow, Germany and the its precedents is demonstrated. The candi - candidate, and these will stand her in good Austro-Hungarian Empire before the First date further provides an insight into the stead in the future.

Charles Rennie Mackintosh 'I am under a cloud -- as it were --'

harles Rennie Mackintosh has Crawford 1996b), a designer with 'trivial time and after his death in 1927, there is been called many names since he obsessions' and 'private lunacies' (Leon one thing that Mackintosh clearly was not: first came to the attention of the Krier, qtd in Grigor & Murphy 1993, p 39- the creator of a new movement in Scottish Cdesign world with the London 40), and 'an artist-poet sacrificed by the architecture. The turn of the 20th century Arts and Crafts Exhibition in 1896. He has brutal philistinism of critics' (Glendinning climate was ideal for spawning new move - been defined as the last great Victorian 2004, p 26). Perhaps Mackintosh was all of ments in some places, notably Vienna, individualist (Stamp 1992), a pioneer of these things; perhaps none. For all the crit - where Mackintosh had firm friends. In modernism (Charles Marriott, qtd in ical attention he received, both in his life - Glasgow, however, Mackintosh lacked the

SPRING 2010 I THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND 44 education mentor s, contemporaries, and followers 'Probably nothing in the gallery has provoked more decided censure than who would have helped the spark of his these various exhibits; and that fact alone should cause a thoughtful creativity to truly catch fire. observer of art to pause ... If the said artists do not come very prominently At the end of the 19th century Glasgow forward as leaders of a school of design peculiarly their own, we shall be was riding a powerful wave of development very much mistaken.' and expansion. The city had already been GLEESON WHITE, growing for half a century, constructing editor of The Studio, in a review of Glasgow School of Art students’ work at the London Arts and Crafts Exhibition of 1896 (qtd in Howarth 1977, p 38) unending blocks of tenements, street after street of towering commercial buildings, and the impressive machinery of industry and shipbuilding. The city embraced new having completed five years’ apprenticeship collaboration within the office, with technology: electric streetcars replaced to John Hutchison. John Honeyman, born in Mackintosh’s distinctive style and motifs in horse-drawn ones, the subway ran its circuit 1831, had been in practice for nearly thirty evidence in many projects - doubtless his in miles of tunnels, and concrete, steel, and years, having trained in the London office of own hand at work. However, it is evident elevators were employed to force buildings William Burn. No doubt reflecting his from the work completed by the firm a ever larger and higher. For all this astonish - youthful intentions to join the church, he quarter-century later, after Mackintosh had ing growth and progress, Glasgow remained had an extensive portfolio of church left the firm in 1914, that at Honeyman and a surprisingly conservative architectural designs, all falling along classical or Gothic Keppie it was as though Mackintosh had environment. As the 'Second City of the lines. Despite his professional prominence, never been there at all. British Empire', Glasgow was at this time his practice, like many others in Glasgow, giving built form to its institutions of culture suffered from bad economic times in the Architectural progress was clearly happen - and government. Among other newcomers, early 1880s. In 1889 he took on John ing elsewhere. Vienna, the crown jewel of the City Chambers and the Kelvingrove Keppie, thirty years his junior, as his part - the Austro-Hungarian Empire, expanded in Museum made creative, though highly clas - ner; Keppie brought contracts from the this period every bit as much as Glasgow. sically-inspired, contributions to the already office of Douglas and Sellars, James Sellars The city’s population exploded, more than highly classical visage of a city endowed by having died in 1888. Keppie had studied at tripling between 1850 and 1900 to nearly the likes of Robert Adam and Alexander both the University of Glasgow and at the 1.8 million inhabitants. Population pres - 'Greek' Thomson. Glasgow School of Art, and for a time had sures and peaceful times led Kaiser Franz trained in Paris. With his arrival the firm Josef to issue instructions for the demoli - Architectural conservatism pervaded the took on a wider range of projects, though tion of the belt of defensive walls in 1857 work of nearly all design firms in Glasgow at again, most were stylistically classical or and to allow construction on the old buffer the time. In 1889 Charles Rennie eclectic (Figure 1). Neither Honeyman’s zones and drill fields. The Ringstrasse Mackintosh, a promising young architect nor Keppie’s work anticipated Mackintosh’s, became a prime venue for proud new gov - who had won several design prizes during nor did it respond to Mackintosh’s inventive ernment and civic buildings, all taking on his studies at the Glasgow School of Art, absorption and reduction of traditional overbearing classical, baroque, and Gothic went to work for the newly-created forms. In the early years of Mackintosh’s proportions (Figure 2). Private building, in Glasgow firm of Honeyman and Keppie, employment there was a certain amount of particular of middle-class housing, boomed

Figure 1: Warehouse on Jamaica Street, Glasgow, by John Honeyman, 1864. (Copyright RCAHMS, reproduced courtesy of JR Hume) Figure 2: View of Vienna’s Ringstrasse showing Theophil Hansen’s Parliament (1874-1884) at left. (Author’s collection)

THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND I SPRING 2010 education 45

Kirche am Steinhof (Figure 3), the evolution practice. Another friend, James Salmon II, of Wagner’s style is remarkable. One of also attended the Glasgow School of Art Wagner’s students, Max Fabiani, wrote in and entered his family firm in 1895 after 1895, 'Wagner’s teaching works like a reve - working briefly for William Leiper. Salmon lation. When one sees the students’ devo - made successful experiments in a Horta- tion to their master, and the astonishing esque Art Nouveau at the 'Hatrack' building enthusiasm that both sides bring to the task, on St Vincent Street in 1898 and in rein - then one is justified in anticipating extraor - forced concrete at the Lion Chambers in dinary results from this school in the future' 1904. However, by the time his father, (Whyte 1989, p 12). Wagner was a stylistic William Forrest Salmon, died in 1911, pioneer and an invaluable mentor to two Salmon’s work had essentially dried up, and generations of Viennese architects. In this his partner, John Gaff Gillespie, bought out role Glasgow had no equal . Salmon’s interest in the firm. Salmon subse - quently did little more architectural work With no leading light of modernity such as and died in 1924, a few years before Wagner, Glasgow nurtured few architects Mackintosh. John Gibb Morton, a contem - who were Mackintosh’s true spiritual con - porary of Mackintosh’s about whom little temporaries. In fact, most of the architects information survives, practiced briefly in who were attempting to work in a new Glasgow and his known designs evince idiom faced more dire career difficulties some sympathy with the Glasgow Style, but Figure 3: Kirche am Steinhof, Vienna, by Otto Wagner, even than Mackintosh himself, and there he emigrated to Canada around 1910. The 1907 (Author’s collection, Copyright Anne Raines) was virtually no creative collaboration or saddest instance of wasted potential was cross-fertilisation among them. Herbert William J Anderson, who was appointed MacNair, with Mackintosh and the Director of the Architecture Department at in the era of industrialisation and urbanisa - Macdonald sisters comprising 'The Four' at the Glasgow School of Art in 1894 at the tion known as the Gründerzeit , peaking the Glasgow School of Art in the 1890s, age of 30. His project for Napier House before the 1873 stock market crash. worked at Honeyman and Keppie from (Figure 4) demonstrates definite affinities 1888 to 1894 and was Mackintosh’s closest with the work of Mackintosh, but during its Within the ranks of architects benefitting friend. In 1894 he set out on his own, main - construction five men died in the collapse from this enormous growth was Otto ly designing furniture, interiors, and two- of the fifth floor. Anderson suffered a nerv - Wagner, who trained in Berlin and Vienna dimensional decoration, but after losing his ous breakdown and committed suicide in a and practiced in Vienna beginning in the stock in a fire in 1897, accepted a position mental institution in 1900. These tales of 1860s, making him a near contemporary of at the University of Liverpool in 1898. woe are enough to make Mackintosh him - Glasgow’s Honeyman. Wagner designed Although he did return to Glasgow in 1908 self seem abundantly successful, as well as and financed many of his own projects from after losing his position in Liverpool, he was extremely fortunate to have as his lifetime the 1860s to the 1880s, mostly for-sale unable to re-establish himself in private creative partner his wife, Margaret urban apartment buildings for the upper middle class, and displayed his consummate Figure 4: Napier House, Glasgow, by William J. Anderson, 1898 (Crown copyright: RCAHMS) drafting skills in numerous competitions. By the 1890s, on the heels of a winning compe - tition entry for an urban plan forVienna and an appointment as advisor to the Transport Commission, Wagner had attained sufficient professional standing to be appointed direc - tor of the school of architecture at the Akademie der Bildenden Kunst (Academy of Fine Arts). His brief was to 'bridge the gap between classical tradition and modern practice'; for the next 25 years Wagner pur - sued this goal with zeal, taking on the cream of each year’s crop of architecture students in his Wagnerschule , training them painstak - ingly, and eventually employing the most tal - ented among them in his own atelier . Wagner simultaneously developed his own personal style through built works and competitions. Even within a span of a few years, from 1894’s Jugendstil Ankerhaus , through the functional beauty of the 1902 Österreichische Postsparkasse , to the geomet - ric and decorative studies of the 1907

SPRING 2010 I THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND 46 education

threatened by proponents of the Beaux-Arts system, among them JJ Burnet and other advocates of 'the Franco-American ideal' (Stamp 1996). Several Belgian and French artists and architects were lured to the city to transform teaching at the Glasgow School of Art, among them Eugene Bourdon, a Beaux-Arts trained architect, specifically brought in by Burnet via his ties in Paris. Glaswegian architects hoped to emulate the commercial success of American architects who had trained at the École and had returned home to transform the cities of the New World with bold classical-modern sky - scrapers. Whether this strong French con - nection was explicitly meant to exclude Mackintosh is a matter of speculation, but Figure 5: Palais Stoclet, Brussels, by Josef Hoffmann, 1905 (Author’s collection, Copyright Anne Raines) upon Bourdon’s death in the Great War his obituarist wrote that he came to Glasgow 'to Macdonald, to whom he wrote gratefully, 'in Brussels (1905) (Figure 5), a luxury villa wage war upon sheer mediocrity and upon a all my architectural efforts you have been half Gesamtkunstwerk which both presaged and strong cult of eccentricity in architecture if not threequarters in them' (qtd. in outshone the later Art Deco movement. which, strangely enough, emanated from Robertson 2001, p. 17). Social, professional, and creative ties among Austria and Germany' (qtd. in Stamp 1996, p contemporaries were clearly much stronger 202). Mackintosh remained faithful to the While the nascent Glasgow Style was suffer - inVienna than in Glasgow, and within a short looser, freer milieu of his own student expe - ing setbacks at every turn, the flowering of time resulted in an astonishingly wide prolif - rience, rejecting a system based on set meth - talent emerging from Vienna’s Wagnerschule eration of progressive ideas. ods, precedents, and relationships as one of was shaking the architectural establishment. those 'stupid forms of education -- which sti - In 1897 19 members of the Association of Around 1910, faced with a shift of aesthetic fles the intellect paralizes [sic] the ambition Austrian Artists withdrew from the society, tastes in Glasgow, and devoid of local sup - and kills emotion' (qtd in Robertson 1990 p chief among them Wagner’s protégés (and port for or understanding of his ideas, 223). Even before this, though, the tide of Mackintosh’s contemporaries) Josef Mackintosh encountered difficulties in sus - student opinion had already turned against Hoffmann and Josef Maria Olbrich. Olbrich taining his own career, not to mention nur - Mackintosh; a student at the Glasgow School immediately set about designing a new head - turing the next generation. His lack of pro - of Art wrote in 1909 of the extension to the quarters and exhibition space for the new fessional success probably stemmed at least School that 'once the motive is selected an 'Secession' group, while Ver Sacrum , their in part from his intractability. The first phase office boy or trained cat can do the rest' publication, appeared for the first time in of the Glasgow School of Art, completed in (qtd. in Stamp 1992, p 24). Not surprisingly, January 1898. The Secession hosted a quick 1899, exceeded available finances by one when Mackintosh split with Keppie in 1914, series of exhibitions; the Mackintoshes were third, and Keppie as the responsible partner with no capital, no clients, and with the propitiously invited to the eighth exhibition had to make a financial contribution towards advent of war, he was unable to establish in 1900. The work of the Glasgow contin - the shortfall. Similar problems arose in other himself in independent practice and ultimate - gent was enthusiastically received, and projects, and eventually Keppie and ly left Glasgow. Mackintosh became close friends with Mackintosh, while nominally working for the Hoffmann and Olbrich. Secession posed no same firm, had completely separate clients, The Great War not only effectively marked setbacks in its members’ careers; Hoffmann separate projects, and separate staff. Over a the end of Mackintosh’s architectural career, was appointed director of the Universität für period of 15 years beginning around 1898, it also cut off communication between the angewandte Kunst (University of Applied Arts) Mackintosh tried repeatedly to get work Scottish architect and his friends in Vienna in 1899, while Olbrich subsequently worked through competitions but failed; by 1910, and Germany. The Wagnerschule and its under the patronage of Ernst-Ludwig, Grand while business was fairly slow for Keppie, progeny continued to thrive, managing to Duke of Hesse-Darmstadt, in Germany. Mackintosh had practically run dry. bridge both world wars. Wagner himself Other Wagner students busily disseminated Furthermore, around 1906 Mackintosh lost lived and taught until 1918, and his second Secessionist ideas across the Austro- his two key assistants, Robert Frame, who generation of students, chief among them Hungarian Empire: Viktor Kovacic to Croatia, emigrated to Canada, and William Moyes, Emil Hoppe, Marcel Kammerer, and Otto Joze Plecnik to Slo venia, and Jan Kotera to who left for Australia. While his Viennese Schönthal, practiced until around 1938. In Bohemia. Hoffmann resigned from the friend Hoffmann was appointed as a profes - the 1920s and 30s these and other Wagner Secession in 1903 and with Koloman Moser sor early in his career, Mackintosh never students were key designers and planners for founded the Wiener Werkstätte , forging a taught, presumably because of the prevailing the housing estates of 'Red Vienna'. union between art and production. He sub - ethos at the Glasgow School of Art. After Hoffmann also lived to old age, and as late as sequently designed the Purkersdorf the turn of the century, the system of individ - the 1950s was still practicing and teaching in Sanatorium (1902), stripped down to a ual tuition and independent apprenticeship, Vienna (Figure 6). While Mackintosh has no rational simplicity, and the Palais Stoclet in of which Mackintosh was a product, was direct lineage, Wagner’s and Hoffmann’s

THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND I SPRING 2010 education 47

'Mackinslosh' still pervasive in the city of his birth (Aldo van Eyck, qtd in Grigor & Murphy 1993, p 50). Vienna, by contrast, has not stooped to the level of pastiche: throughout the century the city has remained a proving ground for the Austrian avant-garde, with architects such as Hans Hollein, Coop Himmelb(l)au, and Günther Domenig achiev - ing both progress and success. It is Scotland’s loss that Mackintosh was unable to foster a new movement in the architecture of his home country; one man could not single - handedly have created an architectural revo - lution like the Viennese movement to Figure 6: Austrian Pavilion for Venice Biennale, by Josef Hoffmann, 1934 and later (Author’s collection, Copyright Anne Raines) modernity. We cannot know what might have been for Mackintosh, and for Glasgow, architectural legacy can be traced as far as write their own history while the movement had conditions been different, but we can Richard Neutra and Rudolf Schindler in was in progress, to give themselves heroes' clearly see what went right in Vienna during California in the 1940s and 50s. The influ - (Crawford 1996b, p 326), but was later the crucial decades when modernism was ence of Wagner could potentially even be reassessed as 'one of the last and one of the but a tiny and fragile spark. traced to Peter Behrens, who collaborated greatest of the Victorians' (Stamp 1992, p. with Olbrich at Darmstadt. Olbrich and 14). Postmodernist architects picked like ANNE B RAINES Behrens were among the founding members vultures at his stylistic ventures, carrying off of the Deutscher Werkbund , an organisation bits and pieces and incorporating them hap - 1. From a letter to Hermann Muthesius, 1898, qtd in Moffatt 1989. of artists and manufacturers with similar hazardly and 'ironically' into their own work, aims to the Wiener Werkstätte , and which conveniently forgetting about the idea of was in turn a strong influence on the Gesamtkunstwerk and cheerfully declaring, Bibliography Bauhaus. Behrens himself even taught at the 'Creativity does not necessarily demand Buchanan, W. (2004) Newbery and the Building of the School. In: Buchanan, W., ed. (2004) Mackintosh’s Masterwork: The Glasgow Akademie der Bildenden Kunst for several bearing the heavy cross of a philosophical School of Art . Glasgow School of Art Press / A & C Black, London. years from 1922, coming back to the ism' (Yoshinori Mori, qtd in Crawford Clark, R.J. (1988) Olbrich & Mackintosh. In: Nuttgens, P., ed. (1988) Mackintosh and his Contemporaries in Europe and America. London: Wagnerian roots. 1996b), p 337). Mackintosh the man has Cameron Books, pp. 98-112. been handed down to the 21st century as a Crawford, A. (1996a) Chronology. In: Kaplan, W., ed. (1996) Charles While a continuous legacy can be traced for tragic figure of unrecognised and unfulfilled Rennie Mackintosh. New York: Abbeville Press, pp. 17-28. Crawford, A. (1996b) The Mackintosh Phenomenon. In: Kaplan, W., nearly a century, from OttoWagner inVienna genius, part of a Glaswegian 'architectural ed. (1996) Charles Rennie Mackintosh . NewYork: Abbeville Press, pp. to Rudolf Schindler in California, Mackintosh soap-opera' and a 'cult of tragic personality' 321-346 completed nearly all of his works in the space (Glendinning 2004, p 21, 24). Oddly, this Dictionary of Scottish Architects [Internet]. (2008) Available from: www.scottisharchitects.org.uk [Accessed 29 November 2008]. of a decade. With no-one to carry on his same impetus has led to a 'posthumous com - Fiell, C. & Fiell, P. (1997) Charles Rennie Mackintosh . Köln: Taschen. work, Mackintosh was abandoned to the crit - modification' of his designs (Glendinning Glendinning, M. (2004) The Last Icons: Architecture Beyond Modernism ics for fifty years. He was coopted as early as 2004, p 23), from the mass-production of [The Lighthouse Scottish Architecture and Design Series, Issue 1]. Glasgow: Graven Images. 1924 by the modernists, who 'nee ded to Mackintosh chairs to the 'Mockintosh' or Grigor, M. & Murphy, R. (1993) The Architects’ Architect: Charles Rennie Mackintosh . London: Bellew Publishing Co. Ltd. Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the Modern Glasgow School of Art by Mackintosh (Author’s Hill House by Mackintosh Howarth, T. (1977) Movement. 2nd ed. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd. collection, Copyright Anne Raines) (Author’s collection, Copyright Anne Raines) Moffat, A. (1989) Remembering Charles Rennie Mackintosh: An Illustrated Biography . Lanark: Colin Baxter Photography Ltd. O’Donnell, R. (2003) The Life and Work of James Salmon, Architect: 1873-1924 . Rutland Press. Pintaric, V.H. (1999) Vienna 1900: The Architecture of Otto Wagner. London: Studio Editions. Robertson, P., ed. (1990) Charles Rennie Mackintosh: The Architectural Papers. Wendlebury: White Cockade Publishing. Robertson, P., ed. (2001) The Chronycle: The Letters of Charles Rennie Mackintosh to Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh , 1927. Glasgow: University of Glasgow / Hunterian Art Gallery. Stamp, G. (1992) Mackintosh, Burnet and Modernity. In: The Journal of the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland: Architectural Heritage III: The Age of Mackintosh. (1992) Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, pp 8-31. Stamp, G. (1996)The LondonYears. In: Kaplan, W., ed. (1996) Charles Rennie Mackintosh. New York: Abbeville Press, pp. 201-224. Walker, D. (1996) The Glasgow Years. In: Kaplan, W., ed. (1996) Charles Rennie Mackintosh. New York: Abbeville Press, pp. 115-151. Walker, F.A. (1992) Glasgow [Phaidon Architecture Guide]. London: Phaidon Press Ltd. Whyte, I.B. (1989) Emil Hoppe, Marcel Kammerer, Otto Schönthal: Three Architects from the Master Class of Otto Wagner. Berlin: Wilhelm Ernst & Sohn Verlag für Architektur und Technische Wissenschaften.

SPRING 2010 I THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND 48 education Contemporary Architectural Intervention

The work presented here shows the creative endeavour of some architecture students from the Edinburgh College of Art and ESALA. The task was to review/reconfigure the Glasite Meeting House with particular emphasis on street presence and universal access. The students were obliged to develop an attitude to its historic fabric, cultural con - text, physical characteristics and potential revenue sources. Euan Leitch, AHSS Forth & Borders Cases Panel Secretary, attended the project reviews and helped fos - ter some lively debate. The Glasite is a discreet and modest building, which allows a glimpse into a Victorian past. The proposal focuses on introducing light to accentuate original Mark Cousins features within, while providing the building with a heightened presence to the street. The intention is to encourage more people to enjoy the beautiful spaces The first six proposals are showcased in this this building has to offer. issue; the remaining proposals will feature in JAMES CAREFOOT the Autumn issue.

The proposal seeks to transform the Meeting House into a multi- usable space for lectures, exhibitions, concerts and other events. Conceptually, the building is treated as having two very distinct parts; the conservative aspect of the Meeting Hall versus the radical which fronts onto Barony Street. Here, the corner of the original building has been removed and replaced with perforated copper panels creating a dialogue with a new roof extension, tension with the existing stonework and finally giving the building the street presence it deserves. NILESH SHAH

‘Commes des Garcons’ Store This proposal decants the AHSS into nearby mews offices on Albany Lane and creates a new destination retail outlet. The addition of a ramp and lift improve access while rationalisation of the ground floor, opens up the plan. A high-end and bespoke series of fashion retailers, specialising in ‘installation’ style displays would adopt each of the three spaces and the addition of large windows on the façade provide the street with framed views of the unique interiors.

ALEXANDER DEANS

THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND I SPRING 2010 education 49

The intent behind my intervention is to invigorate the Meeting House by identifying the historical uses of each internal space and reactivating them to a similar use. The main hall is a meeting and function room with the caretaker’s lodgings becoming lounge-like break-out spaces. Through the introduction of disabled access the feasting room becomes an attractive venue for functions. The rooftop office extension introduces the relatively new programmatic element of office space for the AHSS. IAIN TINSDALE

Through a process of investigative drawing and deconstructive thought, this proposal exposes hidden, non-linear layers of history that permeate old Broughton village. The final experience, originating from a notional ‘palimpsest’ is then realised through figural tracing; guided by fictional narrative.

EOIN O’LEARY

In a play of openness and concealment, a permeable screen of rusting and stainless steel panels is used to mask new openings in the Glasite’s facade and a new, level entrance. A motif from the Meeting Room’s elaborate cupola is used to puncture the screen, animating light and views to and from the new entrance space.

STUART MEADOWS

SPRING 2010 I THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND 50 national activities AGM 2009

n 31 October 2009, the Following the AGM, Euan Leitch, Society’s members met Forth & Borders Cases Panel Ofor the 53rd Annual Secretary, gave a talk on the histo - General Meeting at the Glasite ry of the Society's involvement Meeting House, Edinburgh. Before with casework, and on new the AGM, members were invited designs in historic settings. The to take a tour of Gayfield House Talking Point in this issue and this proved to be a most pop - 'Contemporary Architecture in ular and enjoyable event. Upon the Historic Environment' is arrival, we were greeted by Mr drawn from the second half of Trevor Harding, owner of Gayfield Euan's talk. House, who kindly handed out details of important dates and At the close of the day's activities, events in the property’s history. In (Copyright Trevor Harding) members were treated to a selec - addition to its role as a private res - tion of traditional folk music, per - idence, it has also been a veterinary college and the home to a chem - formed by Devon DeCelles and Talya Bagwell. The National Office ical and printing firm. We would like to offer our sincere thanks to would like to pay tribute to everyone who volunteered their time Mr Harding, for graciously showing members around his lovely home. and talents to ensure the day was enjoyed by all.

Two members of Council were elected at the AGM: the first, Euan Leitch, was newly elected, while New Council the second, Helen Cargill Thompson, was elected for a second term. There were no retiring Members Council Members at this AGM.

group activities Dumfries & Galloway Group Activities

ike all in Scotland, we have been suffering from ice and snow. Holyrood Palace before 12.00pm. The tour of Holyrood was excellent Our Honorary Secretary was stuck in her house with the road as individual 'phones' were provided allowing everyone to enjoy their Limpassable and no water available. Sue Douglas put on a brave own private commentary. Alas the floor board stained with Riccio's face and came out smiling. Pat Woodley, our Cases Panel Secretary blood has now been scrubbed clean! This used to be the highlight of was unable to leave her house for four weeks due to the thick snow. the tour. After a walk around the grounds we then met for a set lunch One cases panel meeting had to be cancelled. In January, we were in the Queen's Gallery café. As we had time to spare before heading sad to learn about the death of five of our local members. However, for Prestonfield House some of the party saw the exhibition in the I will run through our activities since our last magazine. Queen's Gallery, while others braved the new Parliament building. We then headed to Prestonfield. On arrival we were met by a manager in In July we had a Homecoming event in KirkcudbrightTown Hall. It was a very smart black kilt and had a comprehensive tour of the house and very well supported by both members and the public. There was an were told much of its history, the climax of the tour being the room excellent exhibition, which included photographs of MSPs with their where Lord Watson set fire to the curtains, the scorched curtain pole chosen verses from Burns. After viewing the exhibition and hearing being clearly visible. This was definitely more authentic than the blood two speeches, most members retired to the local fish and chip shop stained floorboard! After tea and cakes and a wander around in groups for a superb supper. we reluctantly boarded the bus for home.

Pat Woodley told me that the group had a glorious day for the visit to In October Professor Peter Burman gave us an outstanding talk in Edinburgh in September. We left Dumfries at 9.30am arriving at the Catstand in New Galloway. His subject was St Paul's Cathedral

THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND I SPRING 2010 group activities 51 with which Peter has been closely associated for many years. His very friendly. It was a lovely occasion to get together to know each illustrations were breathtaking and his enthusiasm for the subject other better. was wonderful to hear. The afternoon was completed by tea, cakes and chat. Our calendar of events was issued to members in January. Our first event on Saturday 24 April is our AGM followed up a talk by Richard In December, we had our Christmas Lunch at the Laurie Arms in the Haslam-Jones on the Architecture of Cruise Ships. This takes place Haugh of Urr. On this occasion we did not visit the famous Motte in the Mill on the Fleet in Gatehouse of Fleet. Please see the of Urr. Unfortunately, Peter Drummond had to call off at the last brochure within this magazine. minute due to unforeseen circumstances. We hope to welcome him JOHN LANE to another function. The meal was excellent and the atmosphere Chairman, Dumfries & Galloway Group

Strathclyde Group Study Day: Bo’ness and the House of the Binns

Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway No one can resist the nostalgia created in the minds of those old enough to remember the age of steam and what better way to start our study day than with some industrial heritage replete with sounds, smells and emotion. Following our morning coffee, we set off on the Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway for a journey by steam train to the far away Birkhill Station.

With the pre-Beeching closure of the passenger railway in 1956 the Bo’ness (originally Seaview) railway station fell into disrepair leading to its demolition but with the track still in use for freight services to the Bo’ness & Kinneil Colliery until 1978. The Scottish Railway Preservation Society (SRPS) commenced its development of the site SRPS Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway in 1979 and opened to the public in 1981.The SRPS has been respon - sible for saving a number of railway heritage buildings from ultimate destruction by their dismantling and re-erection on the site to form the current complex. The A-listings include the former Haymarket Train Sheds, former Wormit Station Building, Signal Box, Footbridge, Goods Office, Goods Yard, Water Tank and Lamp Standards.

The station at Birkhill is an excellent example of a simple structured building becoming an art form with fronds of roof supports forming a forest canopy in cast iron.

Over time the SRPS has extended its collection to over 200 items including engines, tenders, carriages and rolling stock, a number of SRPS Birkhill Station which are on display in the excellently presented museum. Kinneil House (sometimes referred to as Kinneil Palace) has had a precarious sur - vival. The site at Kinneil has an ancient history dating from the Roman occupation and was first recorded by the Venerable Bede in the 8th century. Kinneil was developed by the Hamiltons (whose main seat was at Hamilton House), particularly by Anne, Duchess of Hamilton, who added to the original tower house of 14th century date. Following long decline into disrepair it was scheduled for dem - olition. Having been largely gutted it was only during the commence - ment of the demolition that Renaissance wall paintings were discov - ered. Their significance was such that the building was finally saved Boys and their toys

SPRING 2010 I THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND 52 group activities

The common thread was the availability of the local coal resource - a fuel unknown to Aeneas Sylvius (otherwise known as Pope Pius II) who noted in his journal, following a visit to the area, that 'the poor, who are almost in a state of nakedness, begged at the church door and depart with joy in their faces on receiving stones as alms'.

To facilitate trade the harbour was developed and gradually Bo’ness grew in importance while Kinneil declined.

The development of the Forth and Clyde Canal in the 18th century led to the consideration and partial development of a link canal but construction work was abandoned about half way. When the 'Great Canal' finally opened the fate of Bo’ness as a port was sealed with the revenues falling by 90% in only five years.

A recent review by Historic Scotland has resulted in four category A-listings (Bo’ness Station, Dymock’s Building, Church Wynd grave - yard and the Hippodrome Cinema (by Steele and recently restored) all of which we passed on our walk about. Also of interest were the Seabox Society Plaque, Scotland’s Close,West PierTavern, No 11 South Street (again by Steele), Bo’ness Town Hall, 1904, by George Washington Brown including a library funded by Andrew Carnegie, Bo’ness Old Kirk the adjacent Bandstand made by Walter McFarlane at the Saracen Foundry, Bo’ness Old Kirk on Panbrae Road and the Church Wynd Graveyard. House of the Binns Last, but by no means least, was our visit to the House of the Binns where we were warmly welcomed in person by the former MP for Linlithgow, and 'Father of the House', Sir Tam Dalyell and his wife, Kathleen, who is the National Trust for Scotland’s representative for the house.

Following a most welcome and refreshing 'cuppa' we were given a per - Bo’ness No 11 South Street by Steele sonal tour by Tam and Kathleen of the house and grounds, including some areas not normally open to the public. It was wonderful to hear the very colourful and personal history of the family from a direct descendant told with humour and a twinkle in the eye. The present 'Tam' impishly suggested that the title was probably originally obtained in a 'cash for honours' scenario – a matter close to our own times along with duck houses, moats or the like.

The house, its parkland and contents were given in 1944 to the National Trust for Scotland by Eleanor Dalyell to ensure that the 'his - tory, legend and memory of the family of Dalyell of The Binns, shall be preserved... for the benefit and enjoyment of the nation'. It is one of the few properties in the care of the NationalTrust for Scotland where the Bo’ness Town Hall - George Washington Brown family retains the right to reside in the house. and is now in the care of Historic Scotland. The building is open only The 'Binns' is known to have been occupied since prehistory, possibly on special dates which unfortunately did not coincide with our visit being the site of a Pictish fort, and written records begin in 1335 for but we did visit the splendid little Kinneil Museum located in the for - the 'Bynnis'. mer 17th century Stable Block. It houses a display of local history including the links with James Watt, Bo’ness Pottery and the Between 1621 and 1630,Thomas Dalyell rebuilt the original house, and Foundry (currently operated by Ballantyne’s of Bo'ness). parts of the interior still reflect that period; in particular the north- west portion of the present entrance front, and decoration of the High Bo’ness Town Walk Hall and King's Room created in the vain hope of a visit from King The name Bo’ness seems to be a corruption of the original name of Charles I. These rooms still contain examples of some of the earliest Borrowstounness. The industries on which the town’s prosperity cornices and mouldings in Scotland. Thomas Dalyell's more famous was built were salt panning, coal mining and iron working. son, the Royalist General Tam Dalyell of the Binns further developed the house, adding the first of the towers, and t he western range.

THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND I SPRING 2010 group activities 53 Strathclyde Group Chairman's Report

he Strathclyde Group has enjoyed a very successful series of Winter Lectures in Adelaides, 209 Bath Street, Glasgow. TAudiences have averaged around 50 people and we have been pleased to welcome some new faces. The turnout was especially impressive given the sleet and snow, and zero temperatures, which our intrepid members faced! House of the Binns

In October Mary Miers, well known to AHSS members, author of the Fame or infamy: the house's main historic claim to fame is the occu - latest RIAS guide TheWestern Seaboard , took us on a virtual tour from pancy of General 'Sir Tam' Dalyell (1615–1685) who served as a mil - Morvern to Lewis, with a wealth of visual reminders that our built itary commander for both Charles I and Charles II. heritage has, for too long, played second fiddle to the scenery.

During the Civil War he was taken prisoner by the Parliamentarians In November Mike Davis, architectural historian and former at the battle of Worcester and imprisoned in the Tower of London Chairman of the Strathclyde Group, gave a typically erudite and amus - but escaped and travelled to Russia where he fought for the Tsar - ing lecture on 'Scottish Arts & Crafts Architecture - Hook, Line and earning the epithet 'Muscovite De'il'. He returned to Scotland at the Sinker!'. Mike posed the question: 'Was the flowering of Scottish Restoration of the King, and secured his feared reputation (as Architecture in late 19th and early 20th centuries merely a reflection 'Bluidy Tam') by his violent suppression of the Covenanters from the of English development?' For the answer... well, you will need to invite 1660s. Mike to give a lecture to your group!

By 1678, he had become Commander-in-Chief in Scotland and, in Imagine trying to get about 28 different home owners to agree to a 1681, he mustered a new regiment at the Binns, becoming its first common architectural refurbishment over a 10 year period - and still colonel. This became the Royal Regiment of Scots Dragoons and remain on good terms. Throw into the mix the former GlasgowWest later the Royal Scots Greys in 1877. End Conservation Trust, Historic Scotland and Glasgow City Council, and the potential for robust dialogue is pretty great. The impressive Many artifacts belonging to General Dalyell are still to be seen at the success of the 'Crown Circus Facelift Project' in the West End of Binns and are connected with the fairly dubious stories that have Glasgow was the subject of our January lecture, presented by grown up around him. In this house, the General is said to have Malcolm Mitchell, associate director, Page and Park, Architects, assist - played cards with the Devil and, in the entrance (or Laigh) hall, the ed by Eric Spencer, one of the owners who founded the project, and very table on which he is supposed to have played can still be seen. Ann Laird, from the West End Conservation Trust.

The present house today principally reflects extensions of the mid- Andrew Young historian and a member of the Strathclyde Group, 18th and early 19th centuries. gave the February lecture on Edwin Lutyens, described by Gavin Stamp as 'Arguably the greatest British architect of the 20th (or any In the 1740s, Robert Dalyell added the dining-room and a morning other) century'. room, whilst around 1810 the architect William Burn (1789–1870) adapted the building to the Scottish Baronial style, adding further OurWinter Lectures came to a close with a talk by Rob Close, archi - towers and mock battlements. Some of the Gothic exterior adorn - tectural historian, on 18th March on James Morris, an important ment was inspired by Sir Walter Scott who was a friend of the Ayrshire architect, who from 1886-1896 practised in both Ayr and Dalyell family. London. This arrangement is uniquely reflected in his characteristic style. Our most sincere thanks to Sir Tam and Lady Kathleen for the warmth of their welcome and the highly entertaining tour which Our Christmas Celebrations were marked with a dinner for 50 mem - was a fitting end to an enjoyable day. bers in the Satinwood Suite in Glasgow City Chambers. George Square looked particularly festive, with the centre of the Square Acknowledgements turned into a skating rink, music playing, and Christmas lights sparkling Use has been made of information supplied or obtained from the off the ice. The dining area was equally splendid, the suite being lined following sources to whom due acknowledgement is made: Bo’ness with satinwood imported from Queensland, with many detailed carv - Tourist Information Centre; Bo’ness Heritage Trails; Bo’ness Old ings round the walls, and a fine large alabaster fireplace at the south Kirk; Bo'ness Timeline; Hippodrome Cinema (Falkirk Council Arts end. Development); Falkirk Council Local Plan; Kinneil Museum; Scottish Railway Preservation Society; The National Trust for Scotland, and On a sadder note, 2009 saw the death of Guy Pettigrew on 12 Wikipedia. December. A former Chairman of the Strathclyde Group and a reg - HAMISH MACBETH ular member of the Cases Panel, Guy is greatly missed, and, on a per - (Photos by Hamish Macbeth) sonal note, I had reason to be grateful for his many acts of kindness:

SPRING 2010 I THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND 54 group activities an appreciation of him is carried in the Magazine. The thoughts of everyone in the AHSS are with Morag and the family.

Looking ahead, our AGM will be on the 24th April 2010, in the Pollokshields area of Glasgow. Full details are given in the flyer in the Magazine.

Our Summer Study tour is to County Durham, from Friday 14 to Sunday 16 May 2010. We start with a guided tour of Durham Cathedral, considered by many to be the greatest Romanesque (or Norman) building in Europe. Our weekend goes on to include Durham Castle, Beamish Museum, Gibside Chapel, Ushaw College, Crook Hall and Gardens, Bowes Museum, and Raby Castle. Fuller details and a booking form are enclosed with this Magazine.

HAMISH MCPHERSON Chairman Christmas Fundraising Dinner at the Glasgow City Chambers (Photographs Guy Pettigrew)

Doors Open Day 2009 he Strathclyde Group participated in the Glasgow Doors Open Day event on 19 and 20 September 2009 with a manned display Ton the ground floor at the St Andrew’s in the Square (SAINTS) hub venue for the event. The church, dating from 1754, is now the Centre for Traditional Scottish Music and a performance venue. It was designed by Alan Dreghorn and is similar to St Martins-in-the-Fields in London. Now restored to its former magnificence, it is a testament to its Master Mason builder Mungo Naismith and the project was given a Europa Nostra Award.

Also due for an award for their sterling efforts were the team (Hamish McPherson, Helen-Cargill Thomson, Pamela Parr, Neil Pirrit, John Miles) who were on hand to promote to the visiting public the value of her - itage, and our work within the sector, and to encourage new members to join the Society. Helen and Hamish: Two Saints at the Hub HAMISH MACBETH group casework Cases Panel Reports Dumfries & Galloway Ladyfield West, Dumfries

his small delightful house, designed by Walter Newall, A-listed, This house, originally named Hannahfield, is perhaps one of Walter is in the process of being demolished, leaving an empty shell! Newall's finest designs. Built circa 1830 for a Mr Hannay, a Dumfries TThe house is in the ownership of NHS Dumfries & Galloway. merchant, Historic Scotland describes it as an 'exceptional design for Ten years ago the house became surplus to requirements and was an urban villa of this scale'. boarded up. An attempt was made to market and sell it without suc - cess. It has therefore remained boarded up and neglected for the last J C Loudon, in his book An Encyclopaedia of Cottage, Farm, and Villa 10 years. Maintenance on the house has been totally inadequate, with Architecture , describes the delights of this villa, showing elevations, leaking roof and no ventilation - both wet and dry rot have taken hold. plans and room functions. His only criticism is of the layout of the

THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND I SPRING 2010 group casework 55

Interior of Ladyfield Dry rot in LadyField grounds, where he feels more planting could be undertaken. Loudon house. Nearly all the ceilings and floors of the main rooms had col - visited the house with the owner and Walter Newall in 1831: they lapsed and the upper floor was inaccessible. We were able to go 'were much gratified with the substantial manner in which the whole into the stone parts of the basement. The collapsing beams and dry was executed and with the high style of finish of the different rooms'. rot were horrendous. The only part left of some shutters was the thick layers of paint, the wood having been totally eaten away. The house is well situated above the banks of the River Nith and would enjoy clear views if scrub timber was cleared. The house is sit - We were told that the roof was in imminent danger of collapse and uated in a pleasant area of ground giving an all round policy. This is that this could bring the upper part of the house walls down. We surrounded by a high stone wall. It is situated off the Glencaple Road therefore felt we had no choice but to withdraw our previous opposite the main entrance to the Crichton Royal; the setting has not objections to the proposal of 'careful' dismantling of the house with been compromised. a view to 'perhaps' later restoration! We wrote asking for confir - mation that the house would be carefully dismantled with a hope A structural survey was carried out last year by the Health Board's that restoration would eventually be possible. We have not had a surveyors which showed the appalling amount of damage to the inte - reply! rior, the exterior being reasonably intact. The options were given as total demolition and clearance of the site; controlled taking down; This house is small enough to provide an excellent family house. removing the roof and all interior walls and fittings. All salvageable The future could be reconstruction, bringing the structure up to items would be stored in an adjacent building with a view to recon - modern insulation standards using energy recovery systems and struction of the house at a later date. The third option was total aiming for carbon neutral status. This could be a way forward to restoration. showing how an older house could be brought up to modern living standards. Obviously all the historic architectural features could be We were shown the interior of the house; the only safe place to reinstated, giving this house a wonderful new future. I think if mar - enter was the entrance hall, this being the strong central part of the keted for sale after this it would find a wide market.

SPRING 2010 I THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND 56 group casework

East Fife

t long last the St Andrews & East Fife a relative hollow and its development This Panel has suggested that existing sites Local Plan has surfaced. The public would not be so visually sensitive and within the town should be a first priority Aconsultation period has stirred up would not generate so much opposition. for development. Only then would it sup - considerable opposition with Councils, port limited development on the Trusts, and Societies all venting their fury. It Not unexpectedly there are side issues. As Craigtoun Road Site. It urged that any had been hoped that by this time the long- land-owner of the West Site the building and landscape works on the West awaited Green Belt for St Andrews would University is already in partnership with a Site should be rigorously controlled by the have been in place and the areas which are developer for enterprises on these lands. planners in order to preserve historic now proposed for development would have Meanwhile Fife Council is hell-bent on views. It would have preferred that the been afforded some legal protection. providing a new building for Madras original College building be retained as the College. It appears that the University is nucleus of a new school. The Panel is not The two main areas identified are known prepared to acquire the iconic (William optimistic. as 'The West' and 'Craigtoun Road'. The Burn, 1832) College building in the centre West Site extends from the University of the town and provide a site (in the One cheering piece of news was the (David Russel) residences and sports fields West area) for a new building. It is also recent announcement that the old Grand up to the Strathtyrum estate. Its present suggested that new adjacent sports facili - Hotel building has new owners who also, agricultural use preserves the ancient his - ties could be shared by both University encouragingly, own the Old Course Hotel. toric outline of the town as viewed from and College. As Fife Council is both The exact form its reconstruction will take the Strathkinness High Road (referred to, Planning and Education Authority it is no is to be the subject of public consultation. in a 1250 Charter, as the Via Regia , the wonder that some protesters are crying Royal Way).The Craigtoun Road Site lies in for 'a level playing field'! GLEN L PRIDE

Forth & Borders

ccasionally casework feels slightly recently the potting sheds appear to have demolition was granted on the grounds that like a hamster wheel, the same cases been in decent condition but they have been re-using the building is economically unviable Orecurring in quick succession. stripped back and partially demolished with - and that its derelict state now constitutes Following the report in the last issue that out consent. We have called for their reten - planning blight. It seems that local authority inappropriate development adjacent to the tion and restoration – whinstone with sim - parking requirements make conversion walled garden at Nisbet, Duns had been ple red sandstone detailing typical of the unappealing and until the plot is developed it thwarted, a minorly tweaked planning appli - estate – and objected to the dwelling within has heritable rights to use adjacent plots for cation was submitted to Scottish Borders the walled garden. Our recommendation is parking and construction. The industrial Council. The quality of new build was woeful for a simpler pavilion within the garden of a nature of Granton and Leith has radically but gained consent from the local authority. massing more consistent with agricultural changed in the past 20 years and the materi - As the site is within the cu rtilage of an A-list - building traditionally associated with walled al remains should be an important compo - ed group, the decision was referred to the gardens. Revised drawings indicate some nent of the area’s redevelopment. Sadly, Scottish Government and the Society was success on the potting sheds but less so on buildings that are not pretty find little public one of a number of organisations requesting the house. support and the demolition of the monu - it be called in by the Directorate of Planning mental Grain Elevator on Imperial Dock also and Environmental Appeals. We recently Previously the Production Block of the appears to be on the horizon. learned that this has been successful and a Madelvic Car Factory (1899), Granton had report is being prepared for Scottish been spared demolition through the appli - The Panel has responded to a number of Ministers. The case should draw greater cant withdrawing their planning application. local authority consultations: the Edinburgh attention to Government requirement for They resubmitted in the autumn of 2009 and Built Heritage Strategy; City Centre Kiosks; high quality architectural design, one that gained consent for demolition in January Public Realm Strategy; and the West local authority policies share but are lax in despite objections from the Society and Port/King Stables Road Development Brief. demanding in reality. Historic Scotland. The building is B-listed for The latter gives scant attention to the re-use its historical connections as the earliest pur - of Michael Laird’s Argyle House and would A similar case affects the walled garden of pose-built car factory in the UK, founded by effectively rubber stamp demolition propos - Thirlestane Castle which proposes to the City Astronomer William Peck to build als. We have encouraged a more sustainable demolish and replace the lean-to potting an electric carriage. The Rodboro Buildings approach and that the local authority try and shed and build a large suburban/farmhouse (1901), Guildford are the earliest south of see past the prejudice that exists against type of dwelling within the garden. Until the Border and Grade II Listed. Consent for buildings of the late 1960s. Colin McWilliam

THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND I SPRING 2010 group casework 57

described it as ‘not obtrusive or pompous... elevation. The Panel were somewhat divid - Plan, and they seemed unconvinced that the the detail bluff but elegant.’ There is one ed on the appropriateness of the materials architecture was of a high enough quality to feasibility study that suggests it could be but it was generally agreed that the struc - permit a departure from planning policy. converted into a 500-bed hotel. ture was too large and dominated the 17th Architecture & Design Scotland were century building. The planning report unable to provide a design appraisal for The former home of the Earls of Panmure reveals that Historic Scotland had advised such a small project and the Panel were and Adam Smith, Panmure House in Little against a significant alteration to the exteri - happy to provide such a service even if it Lochend Close, Edinburgh was purchased or but the applicant pressed ahead and the was not a project that affected the historic by Heriot-Watt University for its Edinburgh planning officer has recommended that the environment. The single storey Pylon Business School last year. It was built at the planning committee refuse consent. House would be set deep within a field, close of the 17th century as a T-plan town - Interestingly, the Panel discussed whether have a butterfly plan, one wing slightly house, two storeys over a basement but or not we should recommend the re-appli - stepped down. Modest in scale, vernacular reduced to L-plan in the mid 19th century, cation of a lime harl but decided against it in massing it would be clad entirely in stand - finally losing its interior, and harling, in the as the removal of the harl reflected the con - ing seam pre-patinated copper with well 1950s. The re-entrant corner was infilled servation approach of the 1950s and balanced areas of glazing. Metal cladding has with a lean-to in the 19th century which because too many lime washed buildings a well documented use in rural Scotland was then removed in the 20th century and are ill maintained. from replacing thatch to its use in agricul - the entrance altered from the Close to the tural storage and the selection of copper courtyard. The Edinburgh Business School The Panel has given support to two small elevates the cladding from the prosaic. The seeks to form a flexible building for meet - projects recently. A small two storey office local community supports the project and ings, lectures and to house the Adam Smith building almost directly below Regent although the planning officer recommended Library for research use, all of which the Bridge on Calton Road is proposed with a refusal, the councillors granted consent in Panel were supportive of. As the majority deeply faceted facade clad in larch. It is bold, early March. of the interior is of no historical or archi - wilful architecture but in a dark and rather tectural value we accepted the radical but neglected corner (currently a concrete pan Lastly, no doubt many will have read of the sympathetic alteration proposed but strug - for car parking); it would be a welcome addi - decision by the City of Edinburgh Council to gled to embrace the addition of an all-glass tion. It gathered support from other bodies, enter an arrangement with Duddingston box on a steel beam superstructure filling including Edinburgh World Heritage, but House Properties to convert Thomas the entire re-entrant angle. The atrium now seems bogged down in the plannin g Hamilton’s former Royal High School on would contain a spiral staircase providing department. In December the Panel was Calton Hill into an arts hotel. It is not a use greater space for facilities within the his - approached by Zone Architects to appraise that seems eminently suitable for the building toric building. The glazed structure would a project for a new house at Harburn, West but we will no doubt inform the membership have filled the footprint of the former lean- Lothian which the local authority was find - of the proposals as they are revealed. to but at twice the height it would obscure ing difficult to accept as it was for land not what has become effectively the principle designated for housing within the Local EUAN LEITCH

Strathclyde

n the general climate of new planning leg - which are designed to be linked to and com - owner of a listed historic building applied for islation the panel observed some changes plement the new Local Plan. While they a two-storey extension to provide a lift and at casework level like variation of emphasis reflect the general emphasis on managing function facilities. Ideas in the accompanying Iin policies and in the format of their publi - development, the documents confidently design brief appropriately linked the solution cation. One of the direct influences on pres - express the national principles of quality in to the concept of a stair tower, quoting an entation is the need for accessibility to plan - local terms. By means of copious diagrams example in the conversion of the Stanley ning principles by the general public now and well chosen photographs they identify a Mills. However, the design statement also that community engagement is a statutory clear sense of place for development in the promoted the need for ‘contrast’ as essential requirement. Green Belt and Rural Development Areas. to a modern addition. Subsequently the Conservation, however, is only a two page tower idea evolved into a totally zinc clad We are all aware, for example, of Historic document. Could it be that Historic rectilinear block, a very utilitarian outcome. Scotland’s response with the new booklets Scotland’s booklets are meant to fill the gap? We made a few suggestions. Managing Change in the Historic Environment . All useful background to case work. Although visually engaging they are a rather One contemporary extension we could bland replacement of the Memorandum of Apart from new development most consulta - commend was proposed for a rear elevation Guidance. It is a pity that they are not seen as tions are on shop fronts and extensions of in Glasgow’s West End. Sandringham Lane a supplement to the Memorandum like the varying quality. One extension in North runs parallel to Great Western Road and is a guidance documents we were asked to com - Lanarkshire comes to mind. It was for targeted area for expansion but the succes s ment on recently from North Lanarkshire, Colzium Lodge near Lenzie, where the of this glazed design was its contained scale.

SPRING 2010 I THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND 58 group casework

Not all lane proposals fit the criteria. Some Clydebank Town Hall sites are succumbing to a shift in priorities and the scale of the mews house no longer applies. If a lane development is in a desig - nated inner urban area then density is the priority. Otago Lane, also in Glasgow’s West End, is a case in point. On an enclosed site bounded by Otago Street, Gibson Street and the River Kelvin the original typical low- rise lane buildings are likely to be engulfed by five and six-storey flats, mostly of studio and one bedroom units. This development is only physically possible because of the open aspect to the river. To amenity groups like the AHSS concerned about the impact Govan Lyceum on the conservation area, marginal conces - sions were made in materials and by a one storey reduction in height.

The funding of the regeneration of Govan Cross mentioned in the Autumn 2009 Magazine is now materialising as specific applications for discussion at the cases panel. The THI initiative can only be com - mendable. Town centres are the heart of a community and too many have been lost to retail parks and traffic flow roundabouts. Fortunately enough of Govan’s listed build - ings have survived. Proposals for the public realm work around the Aitken Memorial Govan Pearce Institute Fountain are at present on display in the Pearce Institute. Parking, seating and plant - ing will make a welcome transformation. Next in line will be the statue of Sir William Pearce and the Cadwell Hall (now Brechin’s Pub) that is his backdrop, plus the shop fronts facing it on Burleigh Street. To com - plete the vista will be the eventual restora - tion of the Lyceum Theatre/Cinema once threatened with demolition.

A similar initiative, on a much smaller scale but perhaps marking a beginning, is an appli - cation to upgrade Clydebank Town Hall buildings by James Miller, 1900-02. The pro - Clydebank Town Hall Clydebank Town Hall Govan Aitken posal includes a complex of buildings, one of Fountain the most significant of which is a swimming bath. While we approve the general approach, there are aspects which we think have not been adequately considered. For example, the part of the baths known as the slipper baths is a unique example of social history and should not be demolished in the upgrading. Our comments also suggested that the potential of connecting the com - plex to adjacent and new development had not been adequately researched as a contri - bution to the historic civic core of Clydebank.

AUDREY R GARDNER All photographs by Audrey Gardner

THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND I SPRING 2010 membership 59

New Members August 2009 - February 2010 We warmly welcome the following new members to the Society. Your support is very much appreciated and we hope you enjoy your Contacts: membership with the AHSS. AHSS NATIONAL OFFICE Miss Frances Babirecki Mr Hugh Gregory Mr Timothy Roberton Administration/ Membership: Mr John Beaton Mrs Hilary Hamilton Mr Ronald Robertson Carmen Moran, Mary Pitt Mrs Olivia Bell Mr David Henry Mr Steven Skeldon The Glasite Meeting House Mr Thomas Booth Ms Elaine Kuwahara Mr Graham Steel 33 Barony Street Ms Sylvian Braat Ms Lorraine Marron Mr & Mrs Sandy Edinburgh EH3 6NX Ms Fiona Burgess Mr Graeme McKirdy and Alison Stewart Tel: 0131 557 0019 Mr DJ Flaxman Mr & Mrs James and Mrs Debra Fax: 0131 557 0049 Mr Geoff Flogdell Lindsay Murray Stonecipher Email: [email protected] Ms Emma Floyd Mr Chris Prentice Prof Colin Townsend Mrs Floris Greenlaw Mr Alan Provan Mr Ian Walker DUMFRIES & GALLOWAY Sue Douglas High Arkland The Society’s Corporate Members are: Castle Douglas, DG7 1TA Anderson Bell Christie Technical Conservation T Graham & Son Tel: 01556 680 268 Architects Group (Builders) Ltd Email: [email protected] Appleton Partnership Keppie Design Ltd The Morrison Partnership FORTH & BORDERS Art Institute of Chicago LDN Architects The Robert Gordon Dominic Echlin Benjamin Tindall Morris & Steedman University c/o The Glasite Meeting House Architects National Gallery of Art, The Royal Incorporation 33 Barony Street Edinburgh City Libraries Washington of Architects in Scotland Edinburgh EH3 6NX Gray, Marshall & NMS Library Tod & Taylor Architects Tel: 0131 229 5553 Associates RCAHMS University of Edinburgh, Email: [email protected] Historic Scotland RIBA Library Architectural Library

HIGHLAND Colin Munro The Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland 62 Academy Street FOR THE STUDY AND PROTECTION OF SCOTTISH ARCHITECTURE Inverness, IV1 1LP Email: [email protected] Invitation to Join

NORTH EAST Title: Name: Address: Membership Categories – Sheila Rhind please tick H Ordinary Membership Balbridie, Crathes (£30 annually) Banchory, AB31 6JA H Family (£42.50 annually) Tel: 01330 844 734 H Student Email: [email protected] (£14.50 annually) H Educational Body Postcode: Telephone: (£60 annually) STRATHCLYDE H Small Charity Preferred Group area (Please tick only one) (£42.50 annually) Hamish McPherson H H Dumfries & Galloway H Forth & Borders H Highland Corporate Membership Tobacco Merchant’s House (£120 annually) H North East H Strathclyde H Tayside & East Fife 42 Miller Street H Life (£600) H Glasgow G1 1DT I would be interested in helping with... Life age 65+ (£300) H H H Tel: 0141 576 5934 casework administration work events organisation Email: [email protected] GIFT AID Please return this form Please consider signing this Gift Aid declaration, allowing us to claim tax with payment to: paid on any of your donations, at no extra cost to you. AHSS, The Glasite Meeting House TAYSIDE & EAST FIFE H 33 Barony Street, Edinburgh, I am a UK tax payer and I wish the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland to EH3 6NX treat all donations I make from this date as Gift Aid, until I notify you otherwise. Adam Swan Cheques should be made payable 1 Panmure Terrace Signature: Date: to ‘ AHSS ’.

Dundee, DD3 6HP If you would like further information please contact the AHSS office for more details: Tel: 01382 201 094 Tel: 0131 557 0019, Email: [email protected], Web: www.ahss.org.uk Email: [email protected]

SPRING 2010 I THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND Spring / Summer Programme 2010 diary Members are welcome to attend any activity or visit organised by any of the local groups. Please contact the group directly for further details.

NATIONAL FORTH & BORDERS Saturday 12 June 2010, 6.30pm Musical Evening 2010 House of Glack, Daviot, Inverurie Saturday 30 October 2010 Further information / booking APRIL AGM forms can be obtained from the AB51 0JE by kind permission of Prof. 24 D&G Group AGM AHSS National Office (please and Dr. A Paterson, with music by Dr R Williams. Buffet Supper to follow 24 NE visit to Braemar Castle DUMFRIES & GALLOWAY enclose a SAE). and St Margaret's 'The Laird’s Platter' AGM Episcopal Church Thursday 29 April 2010 - Booking forms and more at Broughton St Mary's Saturday 10 July 2010, 11.30am 24 SC Group AGM Day visit to The Burn, Angus and information for all of the following Church , and conservation lecture 29 F&B Group AGM Glenesk Churches events are available from Sue by Ben Tindall The Burn, Glenesk, Angus DD9 7YP MAY Douglas or the AHSS National Office (please enclose a SAE). Saturday 12 June 2010 By kind permission of Mr D Wood. 14-16 SC Study Tour Visit to Gifford Local historian Mrs A Lowden will of County Durham lead us on a visit to three Glenesk 20 NE Thelma Blance Lecture Saturday 24 April 2010, 2.15pm Annual General Meeting Thursday 17 June 2010 Churches. 29 NE Group AGM , Walk in Leith followed by a talk by Richard Saturday 11 September 2010 Haslam-Jones on 'The JUNE Tuesday 22 June 2010 - Summer Afternoon visit to Mounie Architecture of Cruise Ships'. 3 D&G visit to Sizergh Castle Party , Rutland Square Castle Mounie Castle, Oldmeldrum Free entry, no booking necessary and Levens Hall AB51 0ED by kind permission 12 NE Musical Evening Saturday 24 July 2010 - Visit to of Mr C N Ma Gunsgreen House & 12 F&B visit to Gifford Thursday 3 June 2010 and L Torrance-Nesbit Sizergh Castle Eyemouth 12 SC Study Day to the Falkirk and Levens Hall STRATHCLYDE GROUP Wheel and Culross Coach trip to 14th century Tuesday 7 September 2010 17 F&B walk in Leith Sizergh Castle and gardens near Walk in Leith 22 F&B Summer Party, Rutland Saturday 24 April 2010 Kendal, and Levens Hall with its Annual General Meeting and Square famous topiary gardens. Tuesday 14 September 2010 visit to Pollokshields Walk in the Old Town JULY AGM and visits include: Pollokshields Saturday 3 July 2010, 2.15pm Church of Scotland, Scottish Ballet's 3 D&G talk 'Heraldry' 'Heraldry', a talk by Robert Friday 15 - Sunday 17 October new premises at the Tramway, tour of 10 NE visit to The Burn, Angus Sermons in Stone: Gemmell from Troon. Venue: 2010 - The Fotheringay Centre and visit to and Glenesk Churches Butterfield and Cathedral of Gordon Memorial Hall, Castle Maxwell Park Station. the Isles in context 24 F&B visit to Gunsgreen Douglas. . Please see House & Eyemouth flyer for further details. In Friday 14 - Sunday 16 May 2010 31 SC visit to Glasgow collaboration with the Cathedral Study Tour of County Durham Saturday 11 September 2010 Harbour and the River Hallmuir POW Chapel and of the Isles and College of the Tour will include: Durham Cathedral, Clyde Ginockie Tower Holy Spirit Beamish Museum, Gibside Chapel Visit to the Hallmuir POW and Grounds, Ushaw College, Crook AUGUST NORTH EAST GROUP Chapel near Lockerbie in the Hall and Gardens, Bowes Museum, 21 SC Study Day: The ABCD morning, with lunch to be and Raby Castle. Please see booking of Dumfries Coach Tour arranged, and afternoon at Saturday 24 April 2010, 2.00pm form for further information. Afternoon visit to Braemar Ginockie Tower, the Clan Castle and St Margaret's Armstrong Centre near Saturday 12 June 2010 SEPTEMBER Episcopal Church, Braemar Summer Study Day, Falkirk Langholm. Wheel and Culross: A Contrast 4 D&G visit to Hallmuir Braemar Castle AB35 5XR by kind permission of the Braemar of New and Old POW Chapel and Saturday 9 October 2010, 2.15pm Trip on the Wheel, with lunch at Ginockie Tower 'Thinking and Making, the Castle Trust. St Margaret’s Church Charlestown, followed by a tour of 7 F&B walk in Leith Craft of Architecture', a talk by kind permission of the Diocese Culross, including Culross Abbey 11 NE visit to Mounie Castle by Gordon Murray of Aberdeen & Orkney , a well Church, the 'Palace', Town House of 14 F&B walk in the Old Town known Scottish architect on the Thursday 20 May 2010, 7.30pm 1626 and the Study. work of his office. Venue: Gordon Thelma Blance Lecture OCTOBER Memorial Hall, Castle Douglas. Speaker: Mr Steven Laing Saturday 31 July 2010 Cost: £6 for D&G members, 9 D&G talk (Laing Traditional Masonry) A Speculative Look at the £8 for non-members. by Gordon Murray, ‘Real Title: 'Conservation in Practice' Regeneration of the Clyde, The Modern Architecture’ Lecture Theatre, Scott Sutherland Glasgow Showcase? 30 National AGM Saturday 13 November 2010, School of Architecture, Robert Group visit to Glasgow Harbour and 15-17 F&B weekend at the 2.15pm Gordon University the River Clyde. Cathedral of the Isles ‘James Morris’ a talk by Rob Close NOVEMBER , architectural historian, Saturday 29 May 2010, 2.00pm Saturday 21 August 2010 Followed by refeshments Afternoon visit to Druminnor Summer Study Day, The ABCD 13 D&G talk by Rob Close on Castle followed by AGM of Dumfries: A Tour by Coach James Morris Saturday 11 December 2010 Druminnor Castle, Rhynie, Huntly Visit to Lincluden Church, DECEMBER Christmas Lunch AB54 4LX by kind permission of Caerlaverlock Castle, Sweetheart 11 D&G Christmas Lunch Selkirk Arms, Kirkcudbright Mr A Forbes. Abbey and New Abbey Corn Mill.