Description

James Miller, 1924. Symmetrical, T-plan, Arts and Crafts community hall situated in main street with distinctive tall, tapered, entrance bay; hall behind with steeply pitched, low sweeping roof with overhanging eaves. Stugged, coursed rubble. Large, piend-roofed windows to hall, breaking wallhead; other bi- and tripartite windows with timber transoms and mullions. Gabled single storey wings to rear forming T-plan.

E (STREET) ELEVATION: symmetrical. Central, tall, shouldered-gabled entrance bay with flanking, slightly advanced, flat-roofed single storey bays. Low steps lead to central, round-arched moulded doorway with 2-leaf boarded timber entrance door; later canopy. Carved ashlar name plaque above (see Notes); clock above. Flanking, slightly advanced, flat-roofed single storey bays with small bipartite window openings. Later wheelchair ramp with metal railing to right.

S ELEVATION: asymmetrical. 4-bay hall to centre with large, rectangular piend-roofed windows breaking wallhead. Advanced single storey gabled wing to far left. Flat-roofed single-storey bay to far righ;t with tall entrance bay to rear with small bipartite windows to upper level.

N ELEVATION: similar to S.

Predominantly multi-pane timber casement windows. Steeply pitched roofs; grey slates. Tall roof stack to rear wing.

INTERIOR: (seen, 2012). Large single hall with timber floorboards, panelling and timber stage. Distinctive, steeply pitched open timber roof with tie beams, and arch braces resting on stone corbels. Part-glazed internal doors.

GATEPIERS: pair of low, conical-capped rubble gatepiers to S.

Statement of Interest

This distinctive Arts and Crafts memorial hall has a particularly striking tall tapered entrance bay and large, piend-roofed hall windows. Designed by James Miller, one of Scotland's most prominent architects of the early 20th century, it is of high quality. The steeply pitched, overhanging roofs and small windows add to its interest and character. Situated on the main street in the village it adds significantly to the streetscape and contrasts with the lower buildings which surround it.

The plaque above the entrance door reads 'THE RICHMOND HALL, ERECTED 1924.' The hall was gifted to the Community by a local benefactor John Richmond, for whom the architect had designed his house, Blanefield (see separate listing).

Richmond Hall is similar in style to the 1925 Forteviot Hall, although the latter is slightly more detailed (see separate listing).

James Miller (1860-1947) was born in Perthshire although most of his work was completed from his practice in Glasgow. He was one of Scotland's most accomplished and innovative early 20th century architects and his work was extensive. He was the architect for the Caledonian Railway Company and designed a number of railway stations throughout Scotland, including the one at Wemyss Bay (see separate listing). He also designed for a number of large Scottish companies and industries, as well as private, country house work and smaller projects, such as this.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17842840

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

• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of History Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
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  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Sheffield and the South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)