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Summary

Description

Earlier 17th century; modified and enlarged 1765 tenement and former townhouse, now museum and flatted accommodation. Original 2-storey and attic; rectangular-plan; main block with adjoining 2-storey 3 bay section; parallel to the Cross (probably all originally 2 storey and of same date); later 2-storey; 6-bay; rectangular-plan block (dated 1765 on window lintel) at right angles to E fronting onto Kirk Street (modern rear wing to E section). Tenement block, incorporating former town house and separate dwellings, now housing museum and flats. Occupies prominent site at corner of Cross and Kirk Street, 2 forestairs to Cross elevation; 2 barrel-vaulted ground floor rooms to ground floor and smaller attic windows to main block. Harled with painted stone dressings. Openings largely architraved to principal (N and W) elevations. Coped gables to main block.

W (THE CROSS) ELEVATION: 5-bay, 3-storey, main block to left; rubble forestair to near centre (later 20th century railings, blocked doorway to left return) 1st floor entrance; replacement boarded timber door with rectangular fanlight. 2 pairs of regularly disposed flanking windows to 1st floor (piano nobile) and attic. Entrance with chamfered surround set back to outer left bay of main block; window immediately to left and to bay to right (formerly entrance). Entrance with boarded timber door to outer right bay; flanking windows; heraldic panel (incorporating heart pierced by 2 swords and flanking initials I(or J) P) to 1st floor above that to right. Rubble forestair (later 20th century railings, opening at ground) to left bay of 2-storey section to right; replacement boarded timber door with rectangular fanlight; window to right. Segmental-headed vennel entrance to outer right bay.

N (KIRK ST) ELEVATION: 2-storey, 6-bay section divided 2-bay/4-bay. Entrance with chamfered architrave to left of 2-bay section to left; replacement boarded timber door. Window to right. 2 windows (with chamfered architraves) to 1st floor. Regularly-disposed windows (all with later projecting cills), grouped 2-2 to 4-bay section to right; lintel of that to outer right at ground inscribed '1765' with cross and initials (possibly 'J P'). Gable end of original main block projects slightly to right. Window to left to 1st floor and attic (that to 1st floor altered, possibly formerly entrance)

S AND E (REAR) ELEVATIONS: irregularly disposed windows to 2-storey and attic main block, including 4 inserted breaking-eaves dormers with catslide roofs. Former smaller architraved window visible at junction with later block to Kirk St. 2 small architraved windows to adjoining section to S (1 to each floor); larger window over vennel. E section of Kirk St block largely obliterated by modern wing. Small window to each floor to W section (that at ground architraved); window and small stair window to left.

9- and 12-pane timber sash and case windows. Grey slate roofs. Stacks retained to main block only; coped gablehead stacks at either end (N and S) and 1 near central coped ridge stack; round cans.

INTERIOR: 2 barrel-vaulted ground floor rooms to N of main block; doorway inserted into that to N giving access to Kirk Street block. Original beamed ceiling to part of ground floor to Kirk Street block; 2 fireplaces with plain surrounds. Some early panelled timber doors to upper floors in Kirk Street block.

WELL: to yard at rear. Coped circular-plan rubble walls above ground.

Statement of Special Interest

A significant earlier 17th century tenement block incorporating an important townhouse and retaining two of its original barrel-vaulted ground floor chambers. The whole is largely unaltered since the later 18th century, when the Kirk Street section was constructed and the attic storey probably added to the main block. The two sets of forestairs to the Cross elevation are a rare survival of an arrangement that was formerly common in Scottish burghs in the 17th and 18th centuries. The original sections fronting onto the Cross are thought to have been constructed by James Pearson, who was Dean of the Cathedral in 1624. The initials and the coat-of-arms on the carved plaque are his. The 1st floor of the main block was probably his town house. The Kirk Street section is most likely to have been originally constructed as separate cottages. It is not known when the two structures were knocked into one.

References

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