Description

Early 19th century, former town hall with prominent bell tower located in the centre of Whithorn, on the west side of George Street. The building is an irregular T-shape in plan, with a two-storey, three-bay main block fronting the street and a square bell tower and two-storeyed wing to the rear. It is rubble with ashlar dressings, with the street elevation harled with painted ashlar margins, quoins, cornice and blocking course.

EAST (FRONT) ELEVATION: Tall round-arched doorway at centre with geometric patterned fanlight and 2-leaf doors, leading to internal stair to 1st floor courtroom. Nineteenth century shop fronts flanking; tripartite to left with door to centre; single window to right with door flanking toward centre. Window to each bay at 1st floor. The date '1814' is inscribed on the blocking-course.

Lower 2-storey property adjoined to left, gable line of former 2-storey property on right return, now adjoined by tall single storey building. 4-pane glazing pattern in sash and case windows to courtroom. Grey slates. Ashlar coped skews. Broad end stacks. Re-used date stone '1709' built into lower rear of building.

TOWER AND SPIRE: 4-stage tower, set at the centre of the rear wall of the main block with top stage slightly intaken above ashlar band. Round-arched openings to 3 faces of 3rd stage and circular clock faces to 4th (top) stage. Balustraded parapet. Ashlar conical spire with louvred ventilator panel.

Former bell, now in Whithorn Museum (information courtesy of a member of the public 2022). Dated 1708 and inscribed PETER VANDER GHEIN HEEFT MY GHEGOTEN INT IAER / 1708 ('Peter Vander Ghein cast me in the year 1708') .

Statement of Interest

The old town hall at Whithorn is of special interest as a visibly prominent early 19th century tolbooth that retains its landmark, staged bell tower, and which contributes to our understanding of Whithorn's social history. The tower may contain fabric from the 17th century.

While a tolbooth is known to have existed in Whithorn from at least the mid 17th century, documentary evidence suggests it was rebuilt first in 1708-9, and then was demolished and removed from a site in the middle of the street to be rebuilt in its present location in around 1809 (Canmore ID 63288). The predecessor building may be that depicted in the centre of the street on the Roy Military survey map of 1747-55. The present tower and spire may incorporate some re-used, earlier fabric, and a re-used stone inscribed '1709' is built into the rear of the building.

Tolbooths functioned as centres of local administration and justice in Scottish burghs from the medieval period to the 19th century. Surviving examples are often architecturally detailed and prominent buildings with steeples or bell towers, and those that retain their historic character and setting are likely to be listed. The earliest surviving examples date from the late 16th century and include Musselburgh tolbooth (listed category A, LB38308) and Canongate tolbooth (listed category A, LB27582). In Dumfries and Galloway, architecturally outstanding examples include the 18th century tolbooths at Sanquhar by William Adam (listed category A, LB40540) and at Lochmaben (listed category A, LB37541).

The town hall was replaced in 1885 by a new building at 53 St John Street (listed separately as LB42261).

Listed building record revised in 2022.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17796069

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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  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]
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  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
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