Description

Late 18th to early 19th century with later alterations. 2-storey, 3-bay, rectangular-plan, near-symmetrical cottages sited to centre of small terrace, built on ground rising to S. Harled. 1st floor windows set close under eaves. Concrete cills.

W (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: modern, part-glazed door at ground in bay to centre. Bipartite window at ground in bay to left; window at 1st floor above. Window at each floor in bay to right.

N AND S (SIDE) ELEVATIONS: adjoining Numbers 6 and 10 respectively (listed separately).

2-pane timber sash and case windows. Grey tiled roof; stone ridge; mutual stone skews; mutual harled, corinced stacks; uPVC rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: not seen, 1998.

Statement of Interest

B-Group with 6, 10 and 12 School Place. This row of cottages stands on the site of Kirkwall's Grammar School which probably began as the Cathedral Sang School attended by choristers. The site seems to compete with Number 36 Broad Street (listed separately) for the accolade of Kirkwall's original Grammar School, both seeing service as such at one time or another. The first recorded schoolmaster was Thomas Houston who was appointed by Bishop Reid to hold office from 1544 to 1595. Another school (dated around 1820) has been described, designed by a Mr Gillespie and comprising a low pavilion and an arched doorway. It was finally replaced by the present T S Peace building (listed separately) which has been since converted to Orkney Islands Council offices (1980). The value of this row of cottages to the streetscape of School Place is enhanced by its juxtaposition with the T S Peace building to the north and the massive East Church to the south.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q77773682

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

• 
  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)
• 
  Derbyshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)