Description

Dunn and Findlay, 1894-99: internal alteration 1973 and 1994. 2-storey with basement and attic, 13-bay (grouped 3-3-1-3-3), piend- and pyramidal-roofed Baroque hall with semicircular Ionic portico, arcaded belvederes and lead dome. Dressed ashlar with some raised margins; stugged squared rubble. Base, string courses, 1st floor cill course and eaves cornice with blocking course. Segmental and round-headed openings, and bull's eye windows; Gibbsian surrounds to ground floor

W and S, corniced and architraved windows to 1st floor W and S. Keystones, chamfered arrises and stone mullions.

W (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: symmetrical. 3 steps up to slightly advanced centre bay with keystoned, segmental-headed doorway in moulded surround, 2-leaf panelled timber door, small-pane fanlight and flanking lamps; balustraded parapet above with keystoned Venetian window, shaped cornice, flanking engaged Ionic columns and semicircular pediment breaking eaves. Polygonal, lead belvedere to roofridge behind with decorative aprons, balustrade, cornice and finialled dome. 3 bays to right of centre with round-headed windows at ground, corniced windows above with Ionic pilasters between bays; Pyramidal-roofed, advanced bays to outer right with broad segmental-headed, 3-part window at ground and 3 corniced windows above. Bays to left of centre mirror those to right, except advanced outer left bays with keystoned, segmental-headed, banded doorway, 2-leaf panelled timber door and small-pane fanlight at ground.

S (ST BRYCEDALE AVENUE) ELEVATION: 10-bay (grouped 3-1-5-1). 5 set- back bays to right of centre with slightly advanced piers dividing bays; ground floor with steps up to Ionic columned semicircular portico with corniced frieze and balustrade at centre, 2 windows to flanking bays and 5 bull's eye windows to 1st floor; parapet above with balustrades over windows and joined to set-back attic by heavy scrolls dividing bays with round-headed, banded and keystoned windows: belvedere (detailed as above) to centre of roofridge. Advanced, flanking stair towers, that to W with lead dome (see Notes), each with pedimented, banded doorcase, 2 close-set small windows above and

2 close-set windows at 1st floor, cornice and plain parapet above.

3 further advanced bays to outer left with segmental-headed windows at ground, keystoned Venetian window to centre at 1st floor, and corniced windows in flanking bays; 2 wallhead stacks above flanking centre bay. Flat-roofed, dry-dash extension to outer right.

N ELEVATION: 3 ashlar bays to outer right with segmental-headed windows at ground and 3 windows at 1st floor, that to centre tripartite. Recessed, rubble bays to left interspersed with modern dry-dash extensions, but retaining Venetian windows to right and left at 1st floor in narrow gables. Further recessed centre bays with 2 bull's eye windows visible at 1st floor and set-back attic with 3 semicircular windows.

E ELEVATION: asymmetrical fenestration to centre bays with flanking dry-dash extensions.

Small-pane glazing in timber sash and case windows. Coped ashlar stacks with cans, ashlar-coped skews with moulded skewputts and cast-iron downpipes with decorative rainwater hoppers and fixings.

INTERIOR: modern, but retaining winding stair with cast-iron balusters and timber handrail. Raked floor to auditorium. Bust of Adam Smith in Foyer.

BOUNDARY WALL AND OUTBUILDING: low saddleback-coped boundary wall to S and W; semicircular-coped rubble walls to N and E. Piend-roofed, squared and snecked rubble outbuilding with door to W and sliding timber garage door with flanking windows to S.

Statement of Interest

The Adam Smith Memorial and Beveridge Halls (the main auditorium, the smaller Beveridge Hall and Beveridge Library) were built at a cost of 23,500 to the prize winning design of Dunn and Findlay of Edinburgh. The Halls were opened on 11th October, 1899 by Andrew Carnegie who had donated a pipe organ. Provost Michael Beveridge left 50,000 pounds in trust for the town of Kirkcaldy, the money being spent on the Beveridge Park and Library. Providing accommodation for troops during both world wars, Polish troops helped repair the roof during WWII. The building was renamed on the 250th Anniversary of Adam Smith's death when a lecture was presented by economists from around the world; this has become an annual lecture. Now (1996) used as a theatre with function suites and studios. Stair tower to SE originally had lead dome detailed as that to SW.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Adam Smith Theatre official website
• Wikidata Q17807244

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.

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