THE MAGAZINE OF THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND www.ahss.org.uk AHSS Founded in 1956 – Speaking for Scotland's Buildings I Spring 2017 I No. 39 EDITOR'S WELCOME CORPORATE MEMBERS pring is traditionally a time of renewal, of clearing up and cleaning out. Appropriately then, this Anderson Bell Christie Architects AHSS issue involves dusting off the Society’s archives, reflecting on a year marking the 60th anniversary of our birth and, yes, refreshing the magazine itself. Annie Kenyon Architects Limited Spring 2017 l No. 39 S Appleton Partnership You will notice that while the magazine looks different, the content remains the same, with a mixture of Aquapol Scotland Ltd President features, activity reports and news from the ‘front line’ - our wonderful local groups. This issue reflects on Simon Green MA, FSA, FSA Scot Art Institute of Chicago our Jubilee year and includes a special focus on the AHSS itself, with our President Simon Green looking Benjamin Tindall Architects Vice Chairman back at the Society’s long history. I received Simon’s article on Valentine’s Day and it does read a bit like a Craigleith Masonry Conservation Ltd Caroline McFarlane love-letter! Diane Watters reflects on the outstanding contribution that the journal ‘Architecture Heritage’ Gray, Marshall & Associates Hon Treasurer has made to the scholarly understanding of Scotland’s built environment, and we have a helpful update Heritage Masonry (Scot) Ltd Hamish Macbeth by Elizabeth Graham on the campaign to ensure the best of futures for Edinburgh’s former Royal High Historic Environment Scotland School - a site the AHSS has vigorously championed. Dennis Rodwell’s insightful piece on the Liverpool LDN Architects Editor & Designer Abigail Daly | Ruskin Lane Consulting World Heritage Site, and UNESCO’s scrutiny of the UK’s approach to conservation and development, is a Large Holiday Houses Ltd timely reminder of what is at stake. National Gallery of Art Reviews Editor Page\Park Architects Mark Cousins For those of you interested in a more literal ‘spring clean’, Annie Flint’s article looks at the fantastic RIBA Library resource, ‘Under One Roof’ - invaluable for anyone with shared responsibilities for building maintenance. NATIONAL OFFICE Royal Incorporation of Architects in And if you feel a little world-weary after all that hard work, you would do well to read Mark Cranston’s 15 Rutland Square Scotland article on his brick collection. Not a sentence I ever thought I’d write, but Mark’s enthusiasm and passion Edinburgh EH1 2BE Simpson & Brown Architects 0131 557 0019 for his hobby (or “obsession”), is inspiring. He reminds us why we do what we do: “Just to hold something of T Graham & Son (Builders) Ltd [email protected] age, turn it around and wonder of its origins, who made it, when, why, continues to thrill me... [Research] was like :thatstudio chartered architects ltd www.ahss.org.uk pulling the pin on a history hand grenade. The information exploded out in all directions.” I feel revived already! Tod & Taylor Architects facebook.com/AHSS1956 twitter.com/theahss Abigail Daly | Editor EDUCATIONAL MEMBERS American University of Sharjah Centre Canadian d’Architecture Edinburgh University Library Glenalmond College Contents Historic Scotland Library National Museums Scotland New Club Library Editorial, news & events Activity reports Paul Mellon Centre 3 Editor's Welcome 36 Project Diary: Riddle’s Court The Mitchell Library Abigail Daly Scottish Historic Buildings Trust The Robert Gordon University View from the Vice Chair Historic Environment Scotland University of St Andrews 4 37 Caroline McFarlane Engine Shed - Wendy Malkin | Designations Team - Julie Candy | Accessions - Kristina Watson & Veronica Fraser CHARITABLE MEMBERS 5 Newsround Planning | Campaigns | Funding 42 Built Environment Forum Scotland Banff Preservation & Heritage Society Euan Leitch Church of Scotland General Trustees 7 Events National Study Tour | Year of History, Heritage & Archaeology | Scottish Civic Trust Comrie Development Trust 43 Rhind Lectures | European Heritage Days | ‘Greek’ Thomson John Pelan Dunollie Museum Innerpeffray Library Join us Kilmartin Museum Features Members’ area: casework & activities Musselburgh Conservation Society Celebrating 60 Years of the AHSS Dumfries & Galloway Pollokshields Heritage 10 44 Simon Green Scotland has a rich heritage of castles, mansions and garden St Conans Kirk 46 Forth & Borders landscapes, ecclesiastical and industrial sites, cities, towns and 16 Architectural Heritage, the AHSS Journal villages. This wealth of buildings provides many opportunities for Diane Watters 47 Highland study, but despite being famous throughout the world, our © AHSS and contributors, 2017 Save the Royal High School North East The opinions expressed by 22 48 heritage is in constant need of protection. contributors in this publication are not Elizabeth Graham 51 Strathclyde necessarily those of the AHSS. The 24 Liverpool and Edinburgh World Heritage Sites The Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland is committed to AHSS does not endorse the work or Dennis Rodwell 55 Tayside & East Fife encouraging public understanding and appreciation of our built products of commercial businesses. The Society apologises for any errors or 26 The Scottish Brickmaking Industry environment and supports the thoughtful and meaningful inadvertent infringements of copyright. Mark Cranston My favourite building preservation and restoration of historic buildings. The Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland is a charity registered in 30 Under One Roof Scotland A Black House, South Uist Scotland, No. SC007554. The Society Annie Flint 58 is a registered Company Limited by John R. Hume Guarantee, No. SC356726. 32 Balmoral Castle As “Built Unionism”? Support our work and enjoy the many Michael Davis The AHSS gratefully acknowledges Events diary benefits of becoming a member. assistance from Historic Environment Scotland with archive image Reviews 59 Local and national events reproduction. Lectures, tours, study-days and activities Cover image: Members at Aberdeen’s 34 Books www.ahss.org.uk/get-involved Old Town House, marking the AHSS’s The Buildings of Scotland: Lanarkshire & Renfrewshire | St Paul’s 60th anniversary. © Charles Smith Cathedral | The Planning and Building of the Hebrew University SPRING 2017 I THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND 3 EDITORIAL NEWSROUND View from the Vice-Chair News CAROLINE MCFARLANE year has passed since our last more about what local groups are up to peer reviewed academic journal dedicated LEITH FLATS GIVEN A-LISTED STATUS magazine and this edition is including viewing events, reading planning to our architectural heritage and its demise The latest post-war buildings to be Cables Wynd House © Tom Parnell www.fl ickr.com/photos/itmpa A buzzing with news and activity. application responses and letters, as well as would be a great loss. You can read more recognised for their architectural signifi cance The AHSS has enjoyed an ambitious and reading the latest news from the national about the history of the journal on page 16 are Cables Wynd House (known as the challenging year, celebrating both our 60th offi ce. Members can download free digital and if you would like to support the Journal, ‘Banana Flats’) and Linksview House. Jubilee and the Festival of Architecture. copies of previous magazines as well as or have ideas for how it could be funded, do These Brutalist fl ats were constructed We held a successful conference in Arisaig accessing the journal and new content get in touch. in the early 1960s and were listed by in collaboration with the Society for the is being added all the time, so I urge all We are currently without a Chairman Historic Environment Scotland (HES) after Protection of Ancient Buildings in Scotland, readers to take a look. For those of you and so I am temporarily stepping in as the a consultation with residents, Docomo on social media, our Facebook page and a stimulating study tour which took Society’s Vice Chairman, a role I consider Scotland and the City of Edinburgh Council (/AHSS1956) and Twitter feed (@theAHSS) us to the prosperous countryside around akin to that of a good housekeeper! towards the end of last year. Of the 300 include the very latest news and events and households at the two sites, nine responses Perth. Our 60th AGM was a splendid However, I am confi dent that a suitable are a great way of keeping in touch. If you were received with only 10 residents and celebration held at Fyvie Castle, hosted candidate will come forward for the position are involved with a local campaign, run a tenants attending the drop-in consultation by our lively and generous North East of Chair, to help us build on the reputation, project or have an event you think other sessions. Two residents had concerns Group and was altogether delightful. Whilst resources and reach of this wonderful members might be interested in, say hello about listing but the others were positive organising a number of celebratory events, organisation. In the meantime, I can assure and we’ll help spread the word! about their experience of living in the fl ats, we continued with our daily business of you that our Council continues to work in For many years, our publications were the Society’s best interests and make huge and didn’t see a problem with listing the School. Edinburgh councillors have already BEFS LAUNCH ADVOCACY TOOLKIT cases panel meetings and submissions, which buildings. In the Statement of Special Interest supported by a grant from the Scottish contributions to the ongoing health and approved the music school plans but under Built Environment Forum Scotland is the Society’s core work and for which we HES commented “Cables Wynd House is Government but we were unfortunately vitality of the organisation, as do you, our the terms of a contract with the City of (BEFS) have created a simple toolkit for have to thank all our volunteer cases panel among the best of Scotland’s post-war mass unsuccessful in our recent application members.