Town House, Market Place, Selkirk, Selkirk, Scottish Borders

Entry Name: Town House, Market Place, Selkirk

Listing Name: Market Place, Town House, Old Sheriff Court and Boundary Walls

Listing Date: 12 March 1971

Category: A

Source: Historic Scotland

Source ID: 386517

Historic Scotland Designation Reference: LB40569

Building Class: Cultural

Also known as: Market Place, Town House
Sheriff's courthouse
Selkirk, Market Place, Town House

ID on this website: 200386517

Location: Selkirk

County: Scottish Borders

Town: Selkirk

Electoral Ward: Selkirkshire

Traditional County: Selkirkshire

Tagged with: Courthouse Townhouse

Description

1803-4 with later additions and alterations. 2-storey, 3-bay classical building with projections to rear and prominent steeple; sited on ground rising to SE. Polished ashlar at ground; cherry-corked whinstone at 1st floor with polished ashlar (now render-repaired) dressings; whinstone rubble with polished ashlar (now render-repaired) dressings to rear and to SW elevation. Base course; band course between ground and 1st floor; eaves course; long and short flush quoins and tails to window margins; moulded band course defining each stage of tower.

NW (MARKET PLACE) ELEVATION: bay to centre slightly advanced. Rendered at ground with 2-leaf boarded door in round-arched doorway; commemorative bronze plaques flanking (see Notes); round-arched opening at 1st floor above with square-headed window inset with stained glass window utilising Selkirk Coat of Arms (see Notes). TOWER AND SPIRE: square-plan; 110ft to its weathercock. Rectangular plaque at 1st stage; round-faced clock to each face, at 2nd stage; octagonal-planned 3rd stage, bell-chamber, with round-arched openings to each face, blinded except louvred above each clock. Octagonal stone spire with

3 tiers of oval lucarnes (some open, some blinded) to each face. Weathervane surmounting 2 balls, without compass points. Flanking bays mirrored with projecting shop front at ground; 2-leaf panelled door (deep-set glazed inner door); fixed-pane window to outer; window at 1st floor above.

SE ELEVATION: tall window to centre. 2-storey projection in bay to left with steps to modern panelled door to right of gabled SE elevation. Single storey addition in bay to right with door to SE.

12-pane timber sash and case windows. Slate piended roof.

INTERIOR: COURTROOM: (see Notes) principal room reached by steps from main (Market Place) entrance; timber glazed vestibule partition at top of steps; cove-edged ceiling with cast-iron vents; panelled clerks compound and boarded raised sheriff?s precinct; panelled dado.

BOUNDARY WALLS: coped whinstone rubble to SE.

Statement of Interest

It was written in 1817, that over the last 11-12 years, Selkirk had been improved greatly and that a new Town House had been built, "containing apartments for Town and Sheriff Court and a library adorned with a handsome spire 100ft high..." (Gilbert P121). The building work commenced in 1803 and was completed in 1804. There was a refurbishment in 1835 costing ?227. The Sheriff Court moved out in the 1870s. Improvements were made to the access of the building in 1891, when the stained glass was included in the window above the main entrance. The building has in recent years been converted into a museum and much of the interior of the courtroom has been re-presented with replica furnishings. The plaque to the left of the door to centre is to commemorate the Charter by King James V to the burgers and community of the Royal burgh of Selkirk on 4th March 1535, renewing earlier charters. It was unveiled by the Earl of Home on 14th June 1935. The plaque to the right of the door is to commemorate Sir Walter Scott?s position as sheriff of Selkirk between 1803 and 1832. He had in fact been serving thus since 1799. It is due to this historical link with Sir Walter Scott and also the building?s importance in the Market Place, with its imposing and fine steeple, that it has been listed at category A.

External Links

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