Description

A Stewart Tod, 1924 with later additions. 2-storey, 5-bay, piend-roofed pavilion with pedimented loggia and bellcote. String and eaves courses. Cement render with raised margins. Segmental-headed, keystoned doorcase; circular openings; round-headed, keystoned arch.

SE (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: slightly advanced centre bays with paired and single Doric columns below bipartite window and further wide flanking windows breaking eaves in broad pediment; broad recessed doorcase with 2-leaf, part-glazed timber door at centre and windows in flanking bays; each outer bay with window at ground and roundel above (that to left blocked). Dog-leg stone staircase with keystoned pedestrian gateway and blocked window set back to outer right, modern flat-roofed extension to outer left.

NW ELEVATION: full-height pilastered and pedimented bay with stone plaque worded 'MINERS WELFARE INSTITUTE' to centre, blocked window to left and modern door below canopy to right; blinded roundels over outer bays. Slightly advanced lower piended bay to outer left with 3 windows and small catslide-roofed dormer breaking eaves at centre, similar bay to outer right with projecting flat-roofed extension.

NE ELEVATION: asymmetrical elevation with door off-centre left and window immediately to right, bipartite window to left and slightly projecting bay with stone forestair (see above) to outer left; lower pavilion projecting to outer right.

SW ELEVATION: 3 windows to original pavilion at centre, 2-storey extension to right and single storey extension to left.

12-pane, multi-pane and plate glass glazing patterns in timber sash and case windows. Swept roofs with orange pantiles. Rendered stacks with some cans; cast-iron downpipes with decorative rainwater hoppers.

INTERIOR: modern.

BOUNDARY WALLS, GATEPIERS, GATES AND RAILINGS: harled boundary walls raised in brick with square-section corniced gatepiers, decorative cast-iron gates and railings to outside stair.

Statement of Interest

The 'Happy Mine' at Denbeath was operating by the middle of the nineteenth century, but the mining community expanded dramatically from 1900-1910 with the opening of new mines which led to the erection of the so-called 'Garden City'. The Third Statistical Account comments that "the three Institutes built in Methil, Denbeath and Buckhaven, have proved most valuable in a town where any other kind of community centre is lacking"; and continues "the tennis-courts attached to the Denbeath Institute are the only ones in the burgh". In spite of unsympathetic extensions, this building retains its integrity and historic interest, now as a bowling pavilion with green.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q77773941

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

• 
  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)