St Margaret's Works, Foundry Street, Dunfermline, Dunfermline, Fife

Description

H and D Barclay, dated 1900; extended (in same style) to E along Foundry Street, 1913; 1st floor bridge linking to Pilmuir Works to S added by Ashton and Beveridge, 1926. Linen damask factory comprising 2-storey, L-plan warehouse, counting house and finishing department to S along Foundry St with low balustraded tower at SW corner and single storey shed for lapping, calendering, sewing and embroidery to N. Warehouse of free Baroque design with eyebrow pediments and attached columns to central opening of tripartite 1st floor window groupings along Foundry St; splayed keystones to those to ground floor. Warehouse of coursed rockfaced sandstone with ashlar dressings to ground floor; ashlar above; 2-storey W wing and factory shed of coursed rubble; 1st floor bridge of reinforced concrete. Ground floor cill course to main 2-storey warehouse; band course above ground floor windows; frieze and moulded cornice to eaves (continued across base of tower, which also has separate frieze and eaves cornice). Raised long and short surrounds to window jambs to ground floor of main warehouse block; stepped splayed keystone to each window/light; raised quoins at arrises.

S (FOUNDRY ST/WAREHOUSE) ELEVATION: 13-bay. Entrance to penultimate bay to left; flanking panelled pilasters with moulded capitals support corniced frieze inscribed 'ST MARGARET'S WORKS' in raised letters; 2-leaf multi-panelled timber door. Window above. 2 windows to ground floor to each bay to right. Tripartite window arrangement to 2nd floor to each bay to right (apart from to outer right bay where bridge adjoins); central window to each bay framed by aedicule (comprising pair of attached Doric columns on bracket bases supporting corniced frieze surmounted by eyebrow pediment); recessed cill/apron to each opening. Roundel carved with cartouche in between each tripartite grouping; carved from left to right: boar's head with shuttle (sign of Dunfermline weavers), 'H & R' (Hay and Robertson), lion rampant and 'WR', 'RHR' and 'JWR' (the initials of 3 partners of firm, all Robertsons). Outer left bay raised as tower; bipartite window with column mullion to each floor; that to ground floor incorporating scrolls at outer upper corners; that to 1st floor with bracket base and carved capital to column; each light recessed slightly, incorporating aprons beneath cills. Lunette above (at base of tower) carved with cherub holding date '1900'.

BRIDGE: shallow-arched corbelled 'bridge of sighs' design. 5 pilastered bays; window to each.

W ELEVATION: 4-bay section of main warehouse to right; closely-grouped 3-bay section to left; window to each bay to each floor; those to ground floor incorporating scrolls at upper corners. Outer right bay raised as tower; bipartite window with pilastered mullion (and incorporating scrolls at outer upper corners) to ground floor; bracketed tripartite oriel above; surmounted by lunette at base of tower; mosaic covering to domed roof and lunette; thistle carving at centre. Plain 12-bay section adjoins set back to outer left; blocked segmental-headed windows to ground floor.

E ELEVATION (OF WAREHOUSE): single storey modern shopfront to Pilmuir St.

N ELEVATION (FACTORY SHED): 6-bay shed. Square brick chimney (either for gas engine or laundry) with recessed panels and cornice at NW angle.

Mainly 2-pane timber sash and case windows to main warehouse (some 3-pane upper sashes). Grey slate roofs; platform design to that to main warehouse; sawtooth profile (glazed along N pitches) to that to factory shed. Original cast-iron downpipes (with moulded hoppers) to main warehouse block.

INTERIOR: main entrance to warehouse opens into vestibule with inner doorway (with flanking Ionic attached columns and eyebrow pediment) set in glazed screen. Main entrance hall incorporates lavish staircase (with carved timber balusters and Art Nouveau newels) and arch-braced cupola. Some good fireplaces, fixed cabinets and window architraves in partners' offices to 1st floor. Majolica-tiled washrooms. Eclectic/Art Nouveau capitals to columns to warehouse; corniced plasterwork over steel beams; complex double scissor-braced timber roof trusses with longitudinal arch braces. Arched-braced roofs (e.g. in former colonial department). Timber trusses and steel beams to factory shed.

Statement of Interest

Built for Hay and Robertson ltd, established 1862, to eventually become the largest of Dunfermline's damask linen manufacturers. The first part of St Margaret's Works was completed in 1870, enlarged in 1882 and 1893. Weaving stopped in 1979. The main factory was demolished in 1984 and housing built on the site in 1995. The new warehouse, on the site of Dunfermline Foundry, comprised at ground floor a counting house, saleroom, sample room and to the rear lapping and packing rooms. The first floor was a show, stock and designer's room, and had three private rooms for members of the firm. Machine stitching was powered by a gas engine, lifts were hydraulic and electric lighting was fitted from the start. H and D Barclay are primarily known as architects to the Glasgow School Board but also secured commissions for several public buildings in Dunfermline. Their work "will catch the eye of all who delight to see artistic taste brought to bear on that which has much to do with the commercial side of life" (Dunfermline Journal).

External Links

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