Description

Basil Spence, 1957. 4 4-storey, 6-bay tenement blocks (grouped 1-4-1; advanced at centre) forming S side of cul-de-sac overlooking harbour. Painted harl to advanced bays; granite setts (salvaged from roads) to flanking walls, base course and forestairs. Iron railings to setted forestairs at front Nos 16, 18, 20.

N (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION NOS 14-20: central 4 bays advanced. Single door with flanking side-lights to ground in central bay; 3 small square windows to right and left; single windows to 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors in all bays. Single windows to all floors in recessed wings to outer left and right.

Variety of replacement uPVC, metal and original timber picture and casement windows. Grey slate roofs, rendered ridge stacks comprising precast concrete coping; circular cans.

Statement of Interest

B Group with Nos 1-19 and 2-16 New Lane, 2 and 4-12 Great Michael Rise, Nos 29, 30 and 33 Annfield (see separate list entries). Just as he did at Dunbar, here Spence made a deliberate attempt to combine modern and vernacular. Thus, thin iron railings, picture windows and exposed floor slabs. Inspired by traditional Scottish fishing villages such as St Moran?s, Fife or Cross Wynd, Falkland, here Spence set coloured harls against natural materials including stone and slate. The whole was then surrounded by expanses of grass. Using setts salvaged from the road, he repeated a practice developed at Dunbar where whitewashed walls were combined with red sandstone bases - a physical and intentionally visible combination of old and new. Completed in 1954, Spence?s Dunbar project won a Saltire Award and has subsequently been labelled "...an exemplar of urban conservation" (Edwards p39). 1957 saw the presentation of the same award for his work at Newhaven. Both respectful of their surroundings and both promoting the importance of the past whilst meeting contemporary needs and looking to the future, Dunbar and Newhaven established Spence as a key figure in post war urban architecture.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17809298

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

• 
  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hampshire: South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cornwall (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)