Wiremill Men's Social Club, 4 Balcarres Road, Musselburgh, Musselburgh, East Lothian

Description

Hippolyte J Blanc, 1885; Richardson and McKay, 1937 and further mid to later 20th century additions to rear. Single storey and part attic, irregular-plan Free Early Renaissance former golf club house with tall steeply pitched stone gable pediments sited opposite the Musselburgh links golf course. Tripartite transomed and mullioned windows to principal gables with segmental arched tympanum with inscribed panel (BLGC) to E and squared triangular pedimented panel with curved details and golfing crest to S gable. Semi- dodecagonal bay window under semi-prismatic roof to loft. Ornate open and glazed carved timber entrance porch with Jacobean pilasters flanking segmental arch with decorative half-timber fretwork to apex. Squared red sandstone with round chamfered dressings. Large flat-roofed extension to rear.

Timber panelled bi-fold entrance door, fixed timber casements with 6-pane lights over. Slate roof with clay tile ridges. Shouldered wallhead and gable apex stacks with cornice and moulded cappings. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

BOUNDARY WALLS: low, coursed sandstone, chamfer-capped walls with remnants of decorative railings to pedestrian gateway.

INTERIOR: a fire circa 2000 resulted in the loss of some of the original interior detailing although some window joinery and the internal plan layout survives intact. Main club room with arch to bay window with margined timber panelling and very deep plain cornice. Timber tongue and groove panelling and plain corniced coffered ceiling to billiard room. Plain detailing to later 20th century hall to rear.

Statement of Interest

A finely detailed former golf club house by a prominent Edinburgh architect making a strong contribution to the streetscape in an area of great historical importance in the development of the sport of golf in the later 19th century. Purpose built for the Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society adjacent to the Musselburgh Links Golf Course which they used, the building has some fine stone detailing and survives in original condition externally with a later 20th century extension to the rear.

The Former Bruntsfield Links Golfing society used the Musselburgh Links from 1839, whilst their club house remained in Edinburgh at Bruntsfield Links and then subsequently a church in that area. The club commissioned the building on Balcarres Road in 1885 to be their club house adjacent to the Musselburgh Links, but they used it only until 1898 when they again returned to Davidson's Mains in Edinburgh. J D Brunton of Brunton's Wireworks in Musselburgh set up the Wiremill Social Club and in some point in the later 19th century the building was acquired to be used as their Social Club in which it is still in use today (2013).

Hippolyte Blanc (1844-1917) was a prominent Scottish architect based in Edinburgh. He worked under David Rhind at the start of his career from 1859 before securing a position with the Office of Works from 1864-1878 following which he set up his own practice in 1880. He had a strong academic interest in mediaeval church architecture and much of his work was involvement in church restoration and new church construction. He also established a body of well to do clients for whom he created individual projects in a particular style.

The curved bay window may be original as is not evident on the first map although it does appear to be evident by 1912. 1937 alterations by Richardson and McKay noted on the Dictionary of Scottish Architects may refer to the coffered roofed billiard room to the rear which has a different roof section to the original, now enclosed by further substantial mid to later 20th century extensions to form large club room to rear.

The 'Articles and Laws in Playing Golf', a set of rules whose principles still underpin the game's current regulations, were penned in 1744 by the Company of Gentlemen Golfers (now The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers). Improved transport links and increased leisure time as well as a rise in the middle classes from the mid 19th century onwards increased the popularity of the sport with another peak taking place in the early 1900s. Musselburgh has a particularly strong link with golf as the Musselburgh Links 9-hole course on which the club first played was the first recognised course.

The sociable aspect of the game encouraged the building of distinctive clubhouses with bar and restaurant facilities. Purpose-built clubhouses date from the mid-nineteenth century onwards, previously clubs had used villas or rooms in an inn near to the course. Earlier clubhouses were typically enlarged in stages as the popularity of the game increased throughout the 19th and 20th century. The sport has grown further in popularity in recent years, especially overseas in places such as USA and Canada.

At the time of writing (2013), the governing body for amateur golf in Scotland, the Scottish Golf Union (SGU), reported around 550 golf courses in Scotland, representing a total membership of approximately 236,000 golf club members. Interestingly, 7 of the 14 venues where the Open Championship is held are in Scotland. Scotland has produced a number of famous golf sporting personalities ' historically, Old Tom Morris (1821-1908) and James Braid (1870-1950) were the pioneers of their time.

Listing description updated as part of the sporting buildings thematic study (2012-13).

External Links

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