Description

1723-7, with alterations by Sydney Mitchell and Wilson, 1901. 7-storey and attic 4-bay office building with central crowstepped 2-window nepus gable and tall finialled conical-roofed angle turrets with arrowslit windows; 5 storeys, attic and basement to rear. Rubble with polished dressings (harled to rear). Corniced architraves to windows. Regularly fenestrated (small windows to 6th and attic storeys). 2-leaf timber panelled door (2-leaf glazed inner door with decorative fanlight) in key-blocked round-arched surround in pilastered and corniced doorpiece with decorative carving and strapwork over (see Notes).

REAR (JAMES COURT) ELEVATION: taller 2-window crowstep-gabled block to centre with apex stack; 3 bays to right, 4 bays to left; timber boarded door with small-pane glazed fanlight in roll-moulded surround to outer right. Cast-iron railings to basement area.

INTERIOR: corniced timber panelling, decorative plaster frieze and compartmented ceiling to vestibule. Corniced timber panelling to College Dining Room (see Notes); bolection-moulded timber chimneypiece framed by pilastered and pedimented aedicule; geometrically compartmented plasterwork to ceiling. Senate Hall: compartmented plaster ceiling (probably concealing fireprooof construction); 2 decorative timber chimneypieces with cast-iron inserts; glazed timber book-cases.

2-pane upper, plate glass lower sashes in timber sash and case windows; small-pane glazing to attic windows. Rendered stacks.

Statement of Interest

The A group comprises Nos 11-13 North Bank Street and 8 James Court, Nos 15 and 16 North Bank Street and the Balustraded Terrace in front of Nos 15 and 16 North Bank Street (all separately listed). Nos 11-15 North Bank Street and 8 James Court are the remaining NE section of James Court, built for James Brownhill in 1723. A drawing by James Skene shows the block in its original form. A fire in 1857 destroyed much of the NW section; an etching by DO Hill appears to show that the fire was concentrated in the W block (No 16 North Bank Street), which was largely rebuilt by David Cousin in 1857-60 as the National Security Savings Bank and offices for the Free Church. The BUILDER describes this building as abutting 'the gable of the remaining old tenement to the E.' No 15 was remodelled by Sydney Mitchell and Wilson in 1901, after the union of the Free Church and the United Presbyterians to form the United Free Church in 1900; alterations included the alteration of floor levels, the construction of a new roof and angle turrets, lift, slapping new doorways through to connect No 15 with No 16; the rear elevation remains largely unaltered. The principal door was moved from the outer left bay of No 16 at this time; the drawings show that Sydney Mitchell intended strapwork pediments to the windows to mirror those at No 16. Carving over the door reads 'Free Church of Scotland Offices,' and the date 1860, and in the strapwork pediment is the symbol, the burning bush, the motto NEC TAMEN CONSUMEBATUR, of the Free Church. The College Dining Room contains panelling, doors and plasterwork, probably of early 18th century date; it was used from the early 19th century until 1887 as a meeting hall by the Guild of Bakers. In this room hang portraits of Dr John Bruce (Minister of St Andrew's Church, George Street at the time of the Disruption) and Dr Samuel Miller (minister of St Mathew's Free Church, Glasgow) by Noman MacBeth RSA. The Senate Hall houses an important collection of books, portraits by Norman MacBeth RSA and Henry Wright Kerr RSA, and some fine mid 19th century furniture; according to BUILDING NEWS walnut furnishings were supplied by Taylor and son, Princes Street, Edinburgh.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17572044

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

• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Nottinghamshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)