31, 33 Waverley Bridge, Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Edinburgh

Description

Robert Moreham, erected between 1877 to 1890: possible rebuilding of 1868 station building by James Bell to form railway agents office; early 20th century glazed corner shopfront; later internal alterations. Corner of Waverley Bridge and Market Street.

To north elevation (towards railway) at street level, 3-bay ashlar, with round-headed windows, set-back margins and moulded heads and string course. Georgian glazing with narrow astragals. Modillioned cornice with guilloche frieze. Single bay extension with blind window in echo of stone windows as part of timber extension comprising west and south elevations. 2 basement levels, squared rubble and round-headed windows.

West and south elevations have a wooden and glazed shopfront façade. All windows basket-arched, with plain separating pilasters on west elevation, part fluted, part panelled pilasters on S elevation. Frieze with dentil cornice.

Stanchion and tube railing at edge of original masonry roof.

Interior extensively altered in 2013-14.

Statement of Interest

The former station building and later railway agents' office is an important survival of the wider grouping of station buildings servicing Waverley Station. The building retains its 19th and early 20th century character to its principal elevations and has a good early 20th glazed shopfront. This building is in part a unique remnant of Edinburgh's first railway station. The exterior of the building is moderately altered in the 20th and 21st century but its architectural character is still in keeping with its 19th and early 20th century date.

This building defines the southern boundary of Waverley Station and is an important component of the station site. Its early 20th century design to its street elevations is in keeping in scale and form with the former parcel office (17 Waverley Bridge – listed as part of the station – and also in a classical style) and is prominently situated at the corner of Waverley Bridge and Market Street.

The building at 31 and 33 Waverley Bridge was erected following the first rebuilding of Waverley Bridge (1873) and is thought to be the part-reconstructed passenger (circa 1868) terminus building attributed to James Bell, who was the engineer for the new bridge. Waverley Bridge was placed under the control of the city of Edinburgh after its reconstruction, and this the likely reason why its rebuilding is attributed to Robert Moreham, the city's chief superintendent of works.

This corner building does not appear on the 1877 Ordnance Survey map (Large Scale Scottish town map of Edinburgh) but is found on the 1894 town map. The 1894 map shows other adjacent buildings lining Market Street to the east probably erected 1890-94. 19th century photographs make it unclear if the building was re-erected or if it was built from scratch. The precise date of the station building therefore has been difficult to establish and whether it was definitively the reconstructed station building. The stonework and arcaded arrangement of the windows to the north elevation suggest a mid 19th century date stylistically.

The mid-19th century Italian Renaissance detailing to the north elevation is of high quality and is typical of institutional architecture of this date. The quality of the elevation also reflects the building's probable first use as a station building. The circa early 20th century continuous glazed shopfront is a good survival and its configuration around a corner is unusual.

The Post Office Directories for Edinburgh, dating from the 1880s to the 1920s note 'railway agents, carriers and contractors', Mutter, Howey and Company as resident in the street and it is likely that they occupied this building.

This corner building's west and south elevations were extended, likely in the early 20th century, to create an arcaded shopfront with glazed shopfront along its west and south elevations. This building has been occupied for many years as the travel shop for Lothian Regional Transport, now Lothian Buses. There have been recent alterations to the interior and refurbishment of the fully glazed corner shopfront in 2013-14.

James Bell (junior) (1844-1935) was the son of James Bell (senior), formerly engineer in chief of the North British Railway. He entered the service of the North British as a junior in his father's department in 1860 and at the end of his training as a civil engineer was appointed district engineer of that company's central and eastern sections. In 1871 he was appointed assistant engineer and later in the same year he succeeded his father as engineer-in-chief.

Robert Moreham (1839-1912). About 1854 Moreham was articled to David Rhind and remained with him for five years before transferring to the office of David Bryce where he spent three years. About 1862 he moved to London to widen his experience and spent four years with William Eden Nesfield, although there is little sign of his influence in his architecture. In 1866 he returned to Edinburgh as principal assistant to David Cousin and was briefly his partner until Cousin's retirement in 1873. He then succeeded him as City Superintendent of Works of Edinburgh.

Previously listed at category A as part of LB30270 'Waverley Station, 4, 17, 31 and 33 Waverley Bridge and 31, 32, 36-39 (Inclusive Nos) Market Street Including Waverley Bridge and 45 Market Street (Sub-structure only)' and separately listed at category B in 2015.

External Links

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.