Listed Building

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

Address/Name of Site

13, 15 BELL'S BRAE (FORMERLY OLD TOLLBOOTH OR CATHEDRAL MISSION)LB28293

Status: Designated

Documents

There are no additional online documents for this record.

Summary

Category
A
Date Added
14/12/1970
Local Authority
Edinburgh
Planning Authority
Edinburgh
Burgh
Edinburgh
NGR
NT 24154 73922
Coordinates
324154, 673922

Description

Dated 1675; later alterations, including chapel by R S Lorimer, 1900; converted to flats 1976, F R Stevenson. Roughly 12-bay, 4-storey, rectangular-plan former granary with crowstepped gables, two advanced crowstepped stair towers to S; on ground falling to W. Painted harl; raised chamfered margins. Moulded corniced and keystoned doorways in re-entrant angle to stair towers, dated keystone to E, 1675. Roll moulded blind doorway to W stair tower with carved relief panel over of cherubs heads scales and cakes; entablature inscribed GOD BLESS THE BAXTERS OF EDINBURGH UHO BULT THIS HOUS 1675. Roughly regular fenestration with some blind windows at 2nd floor; round arched ashlar bellcote (1900) to W.

Predominantly plate glass in timber sash and case windows, some lattice windows over timber shutters to stair towers from 1976. Pitched roof; grey slates. Coped rendered gable end stacks with modern clay cans. Cast iron rainwater goods.

Statement of Special Interest

A fine early granary with original design retained faithfully to the exterior. The building was built for the Baxter's Incorporation of Edinburgh in 1675. The Dean village contained a range of small scale industries at this time powered by the fast flowing water of Leith and providing goods to the City of Edinburgh. In addition to the granary there was also Bell's Mills (see separate listing) and a tannery. The granary was a large building for its time and can be seen in Slezers print dominating the other buildings in the village, indicating the wealth of the incorporation of Baxters in the 17th century. The building was altered in 1900 by Robert Lorimer to become the Cathedral Mission for St. Mary's Episcopal Cathedral. These alterations included the insertion of a chapel (with an altarpiece by Phoebe Anna Traquair) and a bellcote. Parts of a decorative ceiling still survive on the 1st floor, although there has been some later alteration. The other internal work was removed before the buildings were converted into flats in 1976, it was at this point that crowsteps were restored to the stair turrets.

(List description revised 2009 as part of re-survey.)

References

Bibliography

John Slezer, The Prospect of Edinburgh from Ye Dean (1710) evident; Ordnance Survey, Large Scale Town Plan, (1849-53); J Gifford, C McWilliam, D M Walker, The Buildings of Scotland: Edinburgh (1988) p. 394; http://www.scottisharchitects.org.uk (accessed 6/6/08).

About Listed Buildings

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Images

There are no images available for this record, you may want to check Canmore for images relating to 13, 15 BELL'S BRAE (FORMERLY OLD TOLLBOOTH OR CATHEDRAL MISSION)

There are no images available for this record.

Search Canmore

Printed: 28/03/2024 17:33