Description

Essentially mid 19th century in present form, but not all one build and incorporating earlier fabric. Beside bridge at W approach to town. 2 adjoining 2-storey ranges with attics and basements, stable court to rear (N); piended 2-bay W flank and lengthened W wall of stables rise from river bank retaining walls. Built mainly of red sandstone; slate roofs.

W Range: polished ashlar 6-bay elevation to High Street with 2 doors, modern glazing at ground, single windows and bipartites at 1st floor, band course below 1st floor cill band; attic wallhead gable to right.

E Range: 2 storeys, 3 bays, central door with inserted bolection-moulded doorpiece breaking base course (basement roughly-coursed rubble); 6 and 9-pane sash windows; 3 dormers; straight skews; end stacks.

Stable Court: cobbled court enclosed at N and E by high walls (gate to Battery Street); stables (now part hotel accommodation) with timber-lintelled bays; loft (below eaves) built of brick with ashlar uprights dividing bays; boarded hatch central.

INTERIOR: central entrance corridor opening out to bar and open plan arrangement (formerly 2 rooms). Plain bar counter and gantry. Inter-war panelling to walls; pilasters. 2 timber chimneypieces with Delft tile insets. Intact Gents with tiling and Shanks Urinals (not seen, see Scotland's True Heritage Pubs).

Statement of Interest

a good 18th and 19th century public house and coaching inn occupying a very prominent position at the entrance to Annan.

According to the owner, the building was built in 1770 by William Stewart, a vinter from Lockerbie, who feued the land from the Marquis of Annandale. The building is clearly labeled as The Blue Bell on John Wood's plan of 1826, with the owner marked as Mr Hope. The lower section closest to the bridge was built in about 1840.

In 1917 all the pubs in Annan were taken into state ownership in order to control the consumption of alcohol by workers in the munitions factory in Gretna. Under this scheme the Blue Bell was refitted internally and the Delft tile fireplaces are probably from this period.

Hans Christian Anderson is said to have stayed here.

List description updated as part of thematic survey on heritage public houses.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17779911

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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