Andrew Carnegie Birthplace Memorial Museum, 2-4 Moodie Street, Dunfermline, Dunfermline, Fife

Description

Original birthplace (and adjacent cottage), probably late 18th century with alterations; memorial building added by James Shearer, 1925-28. Pair of single storey and attic; single-fronted; mirrored plan; terraced cottages with catslide dormers; orientated N/S along Moodie Street. That to N was Andrew Carnegie's birthplace; the adjacent cottage to S has been converted to museum entrance hall. Single and 2-storey, partly with basement and partly with attic; memorial building adjoins to S via single storey linking passage; main 3-bay hall orientated E/W; 17th century Scottish baronial design with finialled crowstepped gables and pedimented clerestory dormers to main hall. Coursed droved sandstone to principal (W) elevation of original cottages; rubble rear (E) elevation and harled side (N and S) elevations; ashlar dressings. Coursed slightly rockfaced sandstone with lightly droved ashlar dressings to memorial building. Eaves cornice to principle elevation of cottages; architraved openings (apart from dormers) to principle and N elevations. Base course to most of memorial building (apart from E side); eaves band to gabled sections; architraved windows to W side of linking passage. Coped gables throughout.

W (MOODIE STREET) ELEVATION: built into sloping ground. Principal elevation of cottages to left. Entrances to central bays; both with 6-panel timber doors and rectangular fanlights with patterned glazing; footscraper recess to left of entrance to No 2 Moodie Street. Window to each of flanking outer bays; (that to right has been rebuilt); catslide dormer above each. Single storey linking passage to main part of memorial building adjoins set back to right; pair of windows to left and one to right. Upper part of crowstepped gable of main hall set back above to right; central window with open-topped pediment carved with saltire and harp motifs; lintel below inscribed 1835-1919 (dates of Andrew Carnegie). Porch with Dutch gable adjoins single storey linking passage to right; large round-arched entrance with moulded reveal; spinning wheel and thistle to panel to gable above; inscribed 'the gods send bread for a web begun'.

S ELEVATION: main hall of memorial building to centre. Projecting ground floor/basement (S aisle) with crenellated parapet; slightly projecting central bay with short posts at angles above parapet and large 6-light mullioned and transomed window to ground floor. Bas-relief panel to each of flanking bays; that to left (of ship) entitled 'DISCOVERY', that to right, 'INDUSTRY'. Basement window to left bay. Clerestory set back. Pedimented dormer to each bay; each with crest; that to centre incorporating initials 'A C'. Porch set back slightly to left; large round-arched entrance with moulded reveals to right; segmental-headed entrance to building set back; wrought iron gates with recessed partially glazed panelled timber door. Porch inscribed 'This building in loving memory of Andrew Carnegie is the gift of his wife Louise Whitfield Carnegie to his native town' and 'The first sod of this building was turned here June 25th 1925 by Margaret Carnegie Miller, daughter of Mr and Mrs Andrew Carnegie'. Lower-height single storey and attic section set back to outer right. 2 bays; each with window to ground floor and finialled pedimented dormer to 1st floor.

E ELEVATION: gabled section to left; window to right of centre to ground floor and small central window to attic; 2 windows to 1st floor. Bay at slight angle to right; window to ground floor and pedimented dormer with thistle finial above.

N (PRIORY LANE) ELEVATION: main hall of memorial building to centre. Projecting ground floor/basement (N aisle) with crenellated parapet; slightly projecting central bay with short posts at angles above parapet and large 6-light mullioned and transomed window (with initals 'A C' at head) to ground floor. Bas-relief panel to each of flanking bays; both incorporating wreaths; that to right entitled 'PEACE'. Clerestory set back; pedimented dormer to each bay; each with crest; that to centre incorporating names 'Margaret Morrison' and 'William Carnegie'. Lower-height section adjoins almost at right angles to left. 1st floor at road level on this side; irregular gable, stepped to right. Entrance with moulded surround and timber door to right of centre; window to left. Entrance with part-glazed replacement timber door to right of right return; small window to left. Window to left at higher level. Gable end of original cottages projects to outer right; pair of attic windows. Ground floor window to right of left return (i.e. to rear of cottages). Inserted entrance with late 20th century timber door and inserted narrow window to left; single window to adjoining linking passage to outer left.

Predominantly 12-pane timber sash and case windows to original cottages and memorial building; multi-pane casements to large mullioned and transomed windows to main hall. Grey slate roofs, apart from to original cottages, which have red pantile roof. Corniced gablehead stack at either end (N and S) of original cottage block; pair of copped gablehead stacks to memorial building; one to E side; one at E of N elevation; coped mid-pitch stack to E of memorial building; round cans. Cast-iron rainwater goods; those to either side of main hall with decorative embossed rainwater heads.

INTERIOR: Interior of No 2 Moodie Street intact, including plan, staircase and internal doors. Interior of adjacent cottage completely remodelled as entrance hall to museum; bolection-moulded fireplace surround dates from addition of memorial building. Main hall of memorial building is barrel-vaulted with clerestory windows and lower-height round-arched arcading to aisles, which are divided into separate spaces with coffered ceilings.

BOUNDARY WALLS AND RAILINGS: enclosed terrace to W side of memorial building; coursed slightly rockfaced sandstone, including low coped retaining walls; balustrade at centre and pair of wrought iron gates with scrollwork detailing at N end. Low coped wall surmounted by wrought iron railings along Priory Lane to N of main hall; decorative panels incorporate scrolls and thistle motifs.

Statement of Interest

Of historic interest as the birthplace of the famous self-made millionaire philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. The original cottage (together with the adjoining houses) was purchased by his wife, Louise, in 1895 and is therefore relatively unaltered. The memorial building by James Shearer is of interest stylistically in its own right and was purposely designed to house the museum. The single storey and attic section to the E was originally a house for the curator. The properties purchased by Louise Carnegie in Moodie Street and Priory Lane were transferred to the Carnegie Dunfermline Trustees in 1910. She expressed a desire to build a memorial treasure house on the site in 1923. The building was funded by her and endowed with a maintenance fund.

External Links

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