History in Structure

Pearl Assurance Building, 35 Castle Street, Edinburgh

A Category B Listed Building in Edinburgh, Edinburgh

More Photos »
Approximate Location Map
Large Map »

Coordinates

Latitude: 55.9523 / 55°57'8"N

Longitude: -3.2031 / 3°12'11"W

OS Eastings: 324968

OS Northings: 673906

OS Grid: NT249739

Mapcode National: GBR 8LF.NR

Mapcode Global: WH6SL.RNW7

Plus Code: 9C7RXQ2W+WP

Entry Name: Pearl Assurance Building, 35 Castle Street, Edinburgh

Listing Name: 100-104 (Even Nos) George Street and 35 Castle Street, Pearl Assurance Building

Listing Date: 15 November 1991

Category: B

Source: Historic Scotland

Source ID: 371085

Historic Scotland Designation Reference: LB30272

Building Class: Cultural

Also known as: Edinburgh, 35 Castle Street, Pearl Assurance Building

ID on this website: 200371085

Location: Edinburgh

County: Edinburgh

Town: Edinburgh

Electoral Ward: City Centre

Traditional County: Midlothian

Tagged with: Building

Find accommodation in
Edinburgh

Description

Alfred George Lochhead, 1924-5; alterations and additions by Basil Spence, 1937-8; and at ground by James Davidson & Son of Coatbridge, 1956. Restrained early Modern Movement steel-framed commercial building on corner site. 4-storey and attic. Cream polished ashlar, black (base course) and red granite at ground. Splayed entrance bay at corner (altered 1937); doorcase of red and black polished ashlar with raised Egyptian detail; 1st floor window with rusticated architrave; 2nd floor window architraved and consoled with Lorimerian scrolled pediment; at 3rd floor cill course and square window; multi-pane sash and case glazing.

GEORGE STREET ELEVATION: symmetrical 9-bay; 5 E bays by Spence. Recessed bay to left. At ground, canopied entrance at centre flanked by polished black granite pilasters; large square windows. 1st floor cill course. 1st and 2nd floors united by ashlar mullions; metal cladding between floors; bronze lettering (1956). 3rd floor with short paired windows with chamfered mullions (altered 1937). Cornice and blocking course. Recessed glazed attic with chamfered piers (1937).

CASTLE STREET ELEVATION: 4-bay. 3 N bays detailed as above; S bay recessed, single window to each floor (altered 1937).

Modern metal windows to 1st and 2nd floors on main elevations; narrow horizontal upper pane divided into 8 smaller vertical panes; altered multi-pane casements at attic (originally 6-pane).

INTERIOR: not seen 1995.

Statement of Interest

Formerly Cleghorn?s Department Store. Lochhead?s early designs of 1902 were not approved. Lochhead was apprenticed to Ross & McMillan in Canada, and their influence can be detected, as well as that of J J Burnet, and Robert Lorimer. Originally plate glass shopfronts at ground.

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.

Recommended Books

Other nearby listed buildings

BritishListedBuildings.co.uk is an independent online resource and is not associated with any government department. All government data published here is used under licence. Please do not contact BritishListedBuildings.co.uk for any queries related to any individual listed building, planning permission related to listed buildings or the listing process itself.

British Listed Buildings is a Good Stuff website.