Victoria Halls, Scotts Place, Selkirk, Selkirk, Scottish Borders

Description

Hippolyte J Blanc, 1895 with later additions (including in 1975, kitchen at ground of NE; addition at ground of NW, 1991) and alterations. 2-storey with attic 3-bay classical public halls; used and designed as theatre/ hall. Red sandstone- squared and snecked with polished ashlar dressings to SE and also to SE end of side elevations; harled with red sandstone polished ashlar dressings to NW end of side elevations; modern addition to NW. Base course; moulded string course between ground and 1st floor; entablature at wallhead above 1st floor with dentilled cornice and Baroque balustrading to parapet; pilaster quoins to SE.

SE (HIGH STREET) ELEVATION: pedimented bay to centre slightly advanced with full-height Ionic pilasters. Open-pedimented portico at ground with Ionic columns on pedestals; 2-leaf panelled and pilaster- ornamented deep-set door with semicircular radial fanlight above; keystone to round-arched doorway; Selkirk Coat-of-Arms carved to pediment, above doorway; Venetian window at 1st floor above; oculus tympanum. Window at ground of each flanking bay; paired windows at 1st floor above with dividing Ionic engaged column and flanking pilasters supporting entablature.

SW ELEVATION: 9-bay grouped 3-4-2. 3-bay and 4-bay groups each harled with red sandstone dressings. 4-bay group to centre slightly set back from outer bay groups with segmental-arched tall window to each bay, with keystone, except round keystoned window to outer left with single storey addition at ground with deep-set 2-leaf panelled door. Platformed 3-bay group to outer left, continuation of advanced addition at ground of outer left bay of 4-bay group; window to each bay near wallhead. Red sandstone squared and snecked ashlar with polished ashlar dressings to 2-bay group to outer right with flush long and short quoins and tails to openings. Advanced pedimented bay to left with 2-leaf panelled door at ground to right with corniced doorpiece; small window to left; paired window at 1st floor above, as to SE elevation. 2 windows at ground of bay to right; Venetian window at 1st floor above, as to centre of SE elevation with polished ashlar to entablature. Full-height tower in re-entrant angle with window to SE and SW at ground; small window to 2nd stage; polished ashlar to 3rd stage, above entablature with small window to SE, SW and S.

12-pane timber sash and case windows at ground of SE elevation and to 3-bay group to SW. 10-pane windows to paired windows at 1st floor of SE and to flanking lights of Venetian windows. 8-pane timber sash and case windows at ground of bay to outer right and to ground of tower of SW. 24-pane timber sash and case windows to 4-bay group to SW. U-plan steep-pitched slate piended roof to SE; slate roof with raised ashlar coped skews to hall (4-bay group to SW); slightly ogeed slate roof to tower to SW with cast-iron weathervane. Ashlar coped shouldered wallhead stack about outer bay to right of SW and outer bay to left of NE elevations.

INTERIOR: good classical decorative scheme surviving. 2-leaf vestibule door with panelled lower and glazed upper with semicircular radial fanlight above. Panelled hall with dentilled cornice; egg and dart plasterwork; mosaic bordered floor; ornamental cast-iron radiators; plaque commemorating the opening of the building by the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry on 6th May 1897; glazed and panelled partition between hall and principal hall. PRINCIPAL HALL: parquet floor; boarded dado; cornice at spring-point of coving; further cornice and broad entablature to central broad panelled and ribbed coved ceiling. Ribs of ceiling supported by pilasters, corbelled at dado rail. Balcony to SW with panelled front, bust of Queen Victoria to centre; supported on composite-capitalled plaster columns; raked original seating. Later proscenium arch and raked stage to NW (paid for by the Association of Selkirk Clubs and Societies, soon after building of building). Stone steps to NE and SW with wrought-iron balustrade and timber handrail to banister. SECOND HALL: boarded dado. compartmentalised ceiling with dentilled, egg and dart plasterwork. Boarded floor. ATTIC: used and designed as caretaker?s flat.

BOUNDARY WALL, GATEPIERS AND RAILINGS: bull-faced sandstone with moulded coping. Wrought-iron railings. Square-plan rendered piers with ball finials.

FOUNTAIN: (see Notes). Val d'Osne Foundry, France. Sculptor, Hubert Lavigne. Curvilinear ashlar coped pond to SW of hall; painted cast-iron fountain and bowls surmounted by draped figure with grape-laden casket-cum-spout.

Statement of Interest

The site used by this building was formerly part of Viewfield's garden and also was partly owned by a Mr Maben (see separate listing of Viewfield). The name was chosen to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. The building was constructed by a local building firm called Linton, with money raised by local subscription. The fountain was formerly part of the Philiphaugh estate and was donated to the halls garden soon after its construction. The single storey addition, comprising kitchen, bar and lavatories to NE was added in 1975. The addition to the rear (NW) was added in 1991 and make up the dressing rooms for performers. Blanc designed a similar but more boldly Renaissance building in 1892, originally a church but which converted well to public halls/theatre, namely the Churchill Theatre, Edinburgh.

Reference and information about fountain updated December 2011.

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