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

7 AND 9 BRIDGE PLACELB50675

Status: Designated

Documents

There are no additional online documents for this record.

Summary

Category
C
Date Added
14/11/2006
Local Authority
Scottish Borders
Planning Authority
Scottish Borders
Burgh
Galashiels
NGR
NT 48973 36481
Coordinates
348973, 636481

Description

J and J Hall, 1924. 2-storey, 3-bay (4 at ground floor) classical former bank, now in office use. Polished buff sandstone ashlar to front elevation, cement render to rear. Channelled ashlar to ground floor, band course for signage at first floor level, eaves band course, cornice and blocking course. Projecting aprons and keystones.

FRONT (SE) ELEVATION: 3-bay principal block. Central ground floor window, double doors to left and right. Elevation continues to left with single-storey access to flats to SW. Pilastered first floor.

3-pane plate glass timber sash and case windows; 4-pane to rear. Slate roof, piended to front. Wallhead stacks.

INTERIOR: original layout intact but subdivided on ground floor. Some original decoration, including dentilled cornice and scrolled corbels. Glazed double inner doors.

Statement of Special Interest

The former Galashiels Savings Bank (see below) is, despite its small size, a notable example of the architecture associated with financial institutions in the early 20th century. Although the building is relatively unadorned, its use of simplified classical elements such as pilasters and projecting keystones are notably modern. The building, which makes a significant contribution to the streetscape at Bridge Place, is the work of J and J hall, the foremost and most prolific of Galashiels architectural practices, whose work defines much of the late 19th and early 20th century character of Galashiels town centre.

J and J Hall were responsible for the vast majority of the most notable public buildings of the late 19th century and early 20th century in Galashiels. The firm, which had premises at Ladhope Vale, close to this building, had its origins in the building firm of Robert Hall and company in the mid-19th century. John Hall Junior became an architect in the 1880s, when the firm became known as J and J Hall. Other notable buildings by the firm in Galashiels include the Technical College (1908), The Douglas Hotel and the Co-op buildings on High Street (1888).

It appears one door allowed access to the ground floor banking hall, while that to the left allowed direct access to the first floor offices.

The junction between this building and that to the SW, across which the 1924 elevation continues, is part of an older building at No 5. Earlier maps show an outside stair to the upper floor of No 5.

Although it appears this building was known as Galashiels Savings Bank when built in 1924, by then the Galashiels Trustee Savings Bank had merged with Ettrick Forest Savings Bank to become Selkirkshire Savings Bank.

References

Bibliography

1st edition Ordnance Survey map (c1856), 2nd edition Ordnance Survey map (c1896). Ordnance Survey Town Plan (1858). K Cruft et al., Buildings of Scotland, Borders, (2006), p308. Dictionary of Scottish Architects online.

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 7 AND 9 BRIDGE PLACE

There are no images available for this record.

Search Canmore

Printed: 28/03/2024 09:00