Description

1882-1883. Linear range of 6 single storey cottages and studio flat; advanced central cottage to front; advanced outbuilding to rear, arranged in cruciform plan. Rendered; painted base course; stone cills; segmental-arched openings interspersed with square-headed blind shallow panels throughout. Raised concrete pavement surrounding entire building.

S (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: near-symmetrical. Advanced piended 3-bay centre section with central door flanked by blind recessed panels and paired windows. Linear range to W with 3, 3-bay cottages to left of central section of 1-1-2 window arrangement. Linear range to E with 2, 3-bay cottages of 2-1-1 window arrangement; 1, 1-bay cottage to far right.

E ELEVATION: symmetrical. Central door; flanking narrow vertical recessed panels and windows.

N ELEVATION: near-symmetrical arrangement, bifurcated by linking outbuilding extending from centre. Linear range to E with 2, 3-bay cottages to left of outbuilding with central doors flanked by window to left and paired windows to right; 1, 1-bay to far left with window. Advanced central former wash house links cottage rage to outbuilding. Outbuilding consisting of storage sheds and former outside toilets; E elevation, 8-bay, from left to right, small blocked window, paired windows, open archway, two timber boarded doors, small light, open archway leading to three further units; N elevation with two small windows right and left of centre; W elevation, 8-bay, from right to left, timber boarded door with fanlight above, open archway, three timber boarded doors, open archway leading to three further units, small light. Linear range to W with 3, 3-bay cottages to right of outbuilding with central doors flanked by window to right and paired windows to left; to W re-entrant angle, window.

W ELEVATION: symmetrical; windows to outer bays.

Timber panelled doors to cottages; timber boarded doors to utility rooms. Predominantly 8-paned timber sash and case windows with horns; metal windows to far W cottage; some plastic top hung windows to rear elevation. Piended roof; grey slates; moulded stacks to wallheads and ridges; some octagonal clay cans.

INTERIOR: not seen, 2002.

GATELODGE: single storey; rectangular-plan sentinel lodge Rendered; wide base course; stone cills, round-arched windows now blocked. Central door to E; 2 windows to S; window to W; truncated central stack and flue raised out from N wall. Flat roof.

BOUNDARY WALLS: surrounding S, E and W of site; stone coped brick, square plan end-piers; some cast-iron railings on wall leading up to gate lodge; low iron gate leading to lower shore level.

Statement of Interest

Former accommodation of married Coast Guard officers, patrolmen and their families. The property was effected as a result of the Forth Bridge Railway Act of 1873, which gave the Company the right to acquire the old Coast Guard Station to make way for the building of the then new Forth Bridge. However, the Company was obliged to construct suitable new Coast Guard buildings to the satisfaction of the Admiralty. It was as late as 1911 before the site was disponed to the Admiralty by the Bridge Company, the site being occupied between 1873-1911 under the terms of the Act. In 1899 the Royal Navy took over an area of the site and formed a gun battery which was used during the First World War. Prior to this, the six cottages were built between 1882 and 1883 as a Coast Guard Station and these consisted of an officer's house, five cottages and a Watch House, also known as High Battery (formally to E of cottages). The present signal station tower was erected around 1917 and it was at this time that the Coast Guard Station was dis-used. The cottages were used between the Wars to accommodate the Forth River Pilots. It is understood that there were no gun emplacements on the site during the Second World War. The existing external WCs became redundant and are now used as stores.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17793757

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

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  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
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  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
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  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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