Documents

There are no additional online documents for this record.

Summary

Description

Earlier 19th century. Classically-detailed, rectangular-plan 4-storey hotel on corner site with shop, post office and licensed premises at ground; 3 bays to Watergate (W); 3 bays to Albert Place (N); 3 bays to West Princes Street (S); recessed bowed corners. Painted render and sandstone rubble at rear; painted margins. Raised base course; raised cill, corniced eaves. Architraved and corniced windows at 1st and 2nd floors to N and W, pilastered reveals to 3rd floor windows to N and W; raised margins, projecting cills to S.

W (WATERGATE) PRINCIPAL ELEVATION: later shopfront to left (N) and later timber panelled door at ground off-set to right of centre with fanlight over; flanked by decorative cast-iron brackets supporting large overhanging canopy. Post Office at ground to left of entrance; licensed premises to right. Single windows in all bays at 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors; slightly recessed full-height bows to outer left and right comprising single windows at all floors.

N (ALBERT PLACE) SIDE ELEVATION: modern shops at ground. Single windows in all bays at 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors.

S (WEST PRINCES STREET) REAR ELEVATION: licensed premises at ground; single windows in all bays at 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors.

Predominantly later windows. Grey slate roof; corniced wallhead stacks to N and W; various circular cans.

Statement of Special Interest

B-group with Former Royal Hotel 1-6 Albert Place, 7-9 Albert Place, 5-9 West Princes Street and 10-12 Albert Place (see separate listings). 1-5 Watergate is a well detailed hotel in a classical style and it occupies a highly prominent corner position on the Rothesay sea-front, directly opposite the ferry terminal. The architectural design includes details such as the corniced windows and eaves courses, and is characteristic of the development of Rothesay as an important holiday location from the early 19th century. The building exhibits an architectural style which is more common in a larger urban setting, its use in Rothesay is indicative of the burgh at this period, where it utilised the fasions of larger urban cities to give status to the burgh.

Rothesay is one of Scotland's premier seaside resorts, developed primarily during the second half of the 19th and the early 20th centuries, and it incorporates an earlier medieval settlement. The town retains a wide range of buildings characteristic of its development as a high status 19th century holiday resort, including a range of fine villas, a Victorian pier and promenade.

The history and development of Rothesay is defined by two major phases. The development of the medieval town, centred on Rothesay Castle, and the later 19th and early 20th century development of the town as a seaside resort. Buildings from this later development, reflect the wealth of the town during its heyday as a tourist destination, and include a range of domestic and commercial architecture of a scale more often found in larger burghs. Both the 19th and early 20th century growth of the town, with a particular flourish during the inter-war period, included areas of reclaimed foreshore, particularly along the coast to the east of the town and around the pier and pleasure gardens.

(List description revised as part of Rothesay listing review 2010-11)

References

Bibliography

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.