Description

Dated 1900. Symmetrical 2-storey Queen Anne gabled pavilion flanked by piend-roofed single storey wings; in middle of recreation ground. Red brick with terracotta decoration. Cast-iron balcony supported on cast-iron pillars to S; bracketed overhanging eaves. Stop-chamfered window surrounds. Decorative carvings to keystones including terracotta shell motif to openings in flanking wings.

S (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: projecting gabled 2-storey bay to centre with diagonal returns; cast-iron balcony to 1st floor supported on slender cast-iron columns with foliate capitals. Entrance in projecting and angled glazed timber porch; 2-leaf glazed and timber panelled doors flanked by margin-paned windows over timber panels; 2-leaf glazed and timber doors to balcony at 1st floor, flanked by margin-paned windows over timber panels, with 3 glazed panels above, all in segmental-arched moulded opening; date (1900) in roundel to gable. Pointed-arched windows to ground and 1st floors in diagonal returns. Flanking single storey wings with bipartite windows including stone stop-chamfered mullions to outer bays and margin-paned glazed and timber doors with rectangular fanlights to inner bays; tile-hung dormers to attics.

N ELEVATION: 3-bay central projecting section with timber panelled door with rectangular fanlight set in brick moulded, keystone and pedimented surround with garlanded terracotta entablature; entrance flanked by segmental-arched windows with terracotta daisies to keystones; 1st floor with small rectangular and keystoned window flanked by segmental-arched windows; date (1900) in roundel in gable;. Flanking single storey wings with single windows to outer bays and bipartite windows with stone stop-chamfered mullions to inner bays.

E AND W ELEVATIONS: small window to centre of each.

Predominantly 4-pane glazing in timber sash and case windows. Red tiles with decorative terracotta ridge. Stone coped brick wallhead stacks, curvilinear to central block.

INTERIOR: (seen 2013). Characterised by vertically boarded timber to dado, moulded timber window surrounds and some margin-paned and timber doors. Central half-turn timber stair with landings, turned balustrades. Changing rooms to flanking wings remodelled circa 2001 but retaining some timber boarding.

Statement of Interest

Rare example of brick cricket pavilion. The pavilion is well-detailed with carved brick keystones and details of various natural motifs and a timber balcony with elegant timber columns. These details echo slightly earlier work south of the border in the Queen Anne style. The building has been remodelled internally but largely retains the original timber fixtures and fittings to the principal rooms.

George Heriots School's Recreation Ground moved to its present location in Goldenacre in 1901. It had previously been located at a site to the south adjacent to the Water of Leith but a move was required for more space. The Cricket pavilion was constructed to provide facilities for the various sports played at the ground, including rugby and football as well as cricket. The pavilion also contained accommodation for the groundsman until 1986. The growth of the school and the popularity of rugby resulted in a need for improved facilities, and although extensions to the pavilion were considered, a new grandstand was constructed to the west of the recreation ground completed in 1926.

George Heriot, the benefactor of the Heriot's Trust, was a goldsmith and jeweller for King James VI and Queen Anne. He died in 1624 leaving his wealth for the building and endowing of a hospital in Edinburgh for the upbringing and education of "puire fatherless bairnes, friemenes sones of that Toune of Edinburgh". The Hospital, on Lauriston Place, was constructed from 1628-93, with subsequent extensions and alterations, and it is still used by the school as its main building.

Cricket has been played in Scotland since the early 19th century and it is thought to have arrived in England around the same time. It was a significant sport in Scotland in terms of popularity at the time. The team arrangement and constitution of cricket generally provided an early formal structure that was easily adopted by other developing sports in the United Kingdom, resulting in turn in their rapid advancement. Many cricket grounds were the first playing grounds available to organised sport and they were also used for early football and rugby matches.

List description updated as part of the sporting buildings thematic study (2012-13).

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q77776575

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.

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