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

1, 2, 3, BELFORD ROAD AND 1-5 (INCLUSIVE NOS) BELLS BRAE, FORMER DRUMSHEUGH TOLLLB30066

Status: Designated

Documents

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Summary

Category
B
Date Added
14/12/1970
Local Authority
Edinburgh
Planning Authority
Edinburgh
Burgh
Edinburgh
NGR
NT 24192 73924
Coordinates
324192, 673924

Description

George Washington Browne, 1891. 2 storeys to Belford Road and 5 storeys to Bell's Brae on site falling steeply to N. Roughly 5-bay, irregular-plan Tudor style studio house with free Tudor interior, now subdivided into 3 offices and single residential dwelling to Belford Road (2008). Crenellated and pyramid roofed central entrance tower; deep bracketed eaves. Advanced gabled and barge boarded bay to left (W) of tower with half timbered glazed upper storey; single storey block to far left (W). Coursed random rubble, red sandstone dressings. Deep red stucco base course imprinted with letter H, eagles and thistles. Red sandstone cill course at 1st floor; band course to tower. Canopied entrance doorway with large curvilinear timber brackets. Bipartite and tripartite windows at ground and 1st floor; continuous round arched windows to half timbered bay.

REAR ELEVATION (BELL'S BRAE): roughly 12 bays, 5 storeys with lower 5-bay block to E, tile hung at 1st floor. Crenellated sandstone tower on mock machiolation to centre with half timbered bays and small bartizan to right (W). Coursed rubble; red sandstone ashlar to tower and bartizan; timber and stucco at 3rd floor. Banded string course at 2nd floor. Tripartite mullioned studio window to gable at 3rd floor. Moulded timber surrounds to half timbered bays at 3rd floor; arcade of studio windows in tall round arched surrounds at 4th floor.

E ELEVATION: roughly 4-bay, 2-storey to Belford Road with ground falling steeply to N. Slightly advanced gable to S with canted timber bay off-centre at ground floor. Moulded string course at 1st floor. Irregular fenestration with tripartite window to left of centre (S) at ground floor.

W ELEVATION: irregular elevation, advanced single storey block to right (S). Small rectangular dormers flanking tall wallhead stack. Irregular fenestration.

INTERIOR TO BELFORD ROAD: free Tudor interior; originally a single dwelling with separate accommodation in lower storeys to Bell's Brae. Now converted into offices (2008). Principal entrance leads into timber panelled hall with large fireplace to right (E), open plan to panelled studio at rear with large leaded windows giving onto balcony. Similar room above on 1st floor with addition of small room to NE corner in turret. Some strapwork ceilings on both ground and 1st floor with circle, diamond and vesica motifs. Small tiled (possibly 17th century Flemish) alcoves at 1st floor to S rooms. Some cast-iron and brick fire surrounds throughout with timber mantels; some painted.

Predominantly plate glass in timber sash and case, with distinctive geometric leadwork to timbered gables and 1st floor windows to S façade. Pitched roof of grey slates with clay ridge, pyramidal to central tower with wrought-iron weathervane. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

Statement of Special Interest

A well detailed picturesque studio house designed for Martin Hardie RSA (1858 - 1916) making clever use of the steeply sloping site. The design is an excellent response to the site with a striking juxtaposition of elements to the S elevation and large windows high up on the elevation facing N to provide the ideal lighting for an artists studio. The substantial building beneath on the N side (fronting Bell's Brae) was possibly not built as part of the Browne scheme but on behalf of James Stewart as stabling for his cab business which he ran from the Dean Bridge. There were later unspecified alterations made to the house in the 1920's by various architectural practices including Peddie Walker and Todd. The building replaced the tollbooth which had stood on the site when what is now Belford Road was the main route to Queensferry prior to Telford's Dean Bridge (see separate listing).

Sir George Washington Browne (1853 - 1939) was a prolific architect and was a highly competent designer in a number of styles, from the neo-Jacobean of Drumsheugh Toll to Edwardian Renaissance in his later works such as The Caledonian Hotel (see separate listing). He established independent practice in 1885 after a short time as a partner with Wardrop and Anderson. Shortly afterwards, in 1887, he won the competition to design Edinburgh Public Library After moving into partnership with Dick Peddie in 1897, he built a large neo-Jacobean house called The Limes in Blackford Road confirming his skill with the style he used at Drumsheugh Toll, it was later in the course of this partnership that Browne began to move towards Edwardian Renaissance designs.

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

References

Bibliography

Ordnance Survey, Large Scale Town Plan, (1893 -94); J Gifford, C McWilliam, D M Walker, The Buildings of Scotland: Edinburgh (1988) p. 396; 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.

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