Description

Sydney Mitchell & Wilson, 1909-11; additional E bay by Auldjo Jamieson & Arnott, 1932. Massive 4-storey 4-bay H-plan office advanced from street line with double attic in mansard roof. Polished granite arcade at ground; upper floors with channelled rustication of polished cream ashlar sandstone. Symmetrical original block seamlessly extended to E. Central arched and rusticated doorpiece with elaborate bronze festoon and consoled cornice, surmounted by stylised glazed 2-bay Egyptian colonnade with tall cornice and huge bronze escutcheon with winged supporters. Flanking 3-bay Greek Doric arcade framed by channelled piers; further 3-bay arcade to E; plate glass glazing behind (shop to E). At 1st floor and 2nd floors windows grouped 3-2-3 (3); square-headed at 1st floor, round-headed at 2nd floor; elaborate bronze festoon above centre window at 2nd floor with 3 flag poles. Dwarf Doric colonnade to 3rd floor with deep set glazing (14-bay to main block, 2 blind and further 5 bays to E). Lead coated parapet with rams heads projects over arcade. Mansard with 12 segmental-headed garlanded lead dormers, and 6 similar round-headed garret windows.

Inner facades faced with glazed bricks; extensive fenestration (much renewed), partly arcaded at ground.

Regular rear elevation of squared, snecked and stugged sandstone;

5 full storeys and attic. Arcaded windows to main block at ground/2nd floor.

Timber sash and case windows; at front, 12-pane to 1st and 2nd floors, 9-pane to 3rd and attic; plate glass at rear (some replacements). Mansards front and rear with grey slates, leaded skews and platforms. Corniced ashlar stacks to end gables and at centre front; grey slates.

INTERIOR: at ground, lobby leads to square single storey hypostyle hall with quarter engaged polished black Doric columns and black and white marble pavement. Shop to E, chapel (by Ian Lindsay, 1953, with stained glass by A L Russel) resited in 1980s with modern meeting rooms to W. Link between front and rear blocks contains lift enclosed by stair; lined with ceramic ashlar and arcaded at all but attic floor; pair of black columns frame entrance to lift; metal windows. Simple offices to front and rear with open plan offices to inner elevations. Rear block with arcaded passages at 2nd and 3rd floors. Some glazed doors, cornices and chimneypieces (timber and granite) survive. 1932 work exactly replicates original.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Church of Scotland Offices at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q5117190

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

• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)