Description

1874-6. 2-storey 5-bay public hall and former library on corner site set into falling ground with Italianate details. Yellow sandstone, ashlar front with stugged ashlar to NW elevation, coursed and squared pink rubble to rear. Base course; band course above ground floor; cill course at 1st floor; eaves cornice and blocking course; architraved and corniced

windows at ground floor with bracketted cills; round-arched windows at 1st floor with moulded heads and impost course.

NE (FRONT) ELEVATION: raised doorway to centre (modern steps) round-arched cavetto-moulded with modern shield to fanlight, Roman Doric porch, columns with egg and dart cornices, pierced balustrade circling over heraldic shield. Single windows flanking and at 1st floor.

NW (KING STREET) ELEVATION: 8-bay; rounded reveals to ground floor windows; plain band and 1st floor cill courses; regular fenestration, secondary doorway to 3rd bay from left. Corniced ground floor window to 6th bay.

SE (REAR) ELEVATION: fire escape stair and round-arched windows at 1st floor, irregular openings below. Timber sash and case windows, plate glass glazing to front, 4-pane to rear. Piended slate roof with metal flashings; metal flues to ridge.

INTERIOR: not seen 1993.

Statement of Interest

Built for ?8000 by Mrs Gamble of Ashburn in memory of her husband, the Rev. Henry Gamble. It included a hall, library and public rooms and was designed to "...contain many of the elements of teaching and elevating power which would attract the working men from the

dangerous fascinations of vice in its various forms and improve them morally, intellectually and physically".

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17825499

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.

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