Listed Building

The only legal part of the listing under the Planning (Listing Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 is the address/name of site. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing – see 'About Listed Buildings' below for more information. The further details below the 'Address/Name of Site' are provided for information purposes only.

Address/Name of Site

University of Edinburgh, St Cecilia’s Hall, Niddry Street and Cowgate, EdinburghLB27760

Status: Designated

Documents

There are no additional online documents for this record.

Summary

Category
A
Date Added
14/12/1970
Last Date Amended
17/07/2015
Local Authority
Edinburgh
Planning Authority
Edinburgh
Burgh
Edinburgh
NGR
NT 26002 73508
Coordinates
326002, 673508

Description

Robert Mylne, 1763, with later extensions John Thin, 1812 and predominantly Ian Lindsay, 1960s (see Notes). 2-storey Classical concert hall on promontory site with 5-bays to S (Cowgate). Ashlar to W (Niddry Street) with some raised margins, droved, coursed rubble with ashlar margins to S. Glass and metal curtain walling and stone base to E. Base course, band course, blocking course to S with central wallhead panel with carved inscription FREEMASONS HALL 1812.

W (former entrance) elevation: off-centre advanced, dentilled pedimented 3-bay section with central 2-leaf timber entrance door with 5-light fanlight above and consoled cornice. Flanking asymmetrical harled bays.

6-over 9-pane timber sash and case windows to upper storey to S. Some blank windows to W. Grey slates.

INTERIOR: (seen 2007). 1960s reconstruction of early elliptical concert hall, with moulded plaster cornice, concave ceiling and central raised elliptical cupola. Pedimented, consoled timber doorpiece with 2-leaf timber panelled door. Flagstones to entrance hall with Roman Doric screen and double curved stair with fluted metal balusters and timber handrail. Lower room with stone segmental arches. Other rooms with simple cornicing and 2-leaf timber doors.

Statement of Special Interest

St Cecilia's was the first purpose built concert hall in Scotland, built for the Musical Society of Edinburgh by the celebrated architect Robert Mylne, although the majority of the fabric today dates from Ian Lindsay's 1960s reconstruction.

The interior of the concert hall contains a reconstruction of the original innovative elliptical room. The shape was likely to have been chosen for acoustic properties. The 1763 original entrance elevation by Mylne to the W retains its simple Classical detailing, redolent of the fashion for the Classical style in Edinburgh at this time.

Begun in 1728, the Edinburgh Musical Society was a group of amateur musicians who met regularly to perform music in Mary's Chapel (demolished 1768). By 1750, the group had grown in numbers and wanted to commission their own concert venue and they appointed Robert Mylne to carry out the work.

The original building as constructed in 1763 consisted of a lobby, a 2-roomed lower floor and the concert room and was entered from a courtyard off Niddry Wynd (which was also demolished in 1768 to make way for the South Bridge (see separate listing

. The West elevation to Niddry Wynd retains this original entrance doorway.

By 1798, the Musical Society had to close for financial reasons. The hall was subsequently converted to a Masonic Lodge in 1809 and they added a 2-storey extension to the Cowgate in 1812. They also converted the concert hall to a rectangular room by removing the inner curved walls. From 1844-1859, the premises were sold to Edinburgh Town Council and it became a school, based on the system of the Scottish Educationalist Dr Andrew Bell. During this period, large windows were inserted into the East wall of the concert hall. The school closed at the end of the 19th century and the building housed a succession of small businesses. It became the Excelsior Ballroom in the mid 20th century and returned to a concert hall in 1959.

In 1966 Ian Lindsay was appointed by the University of Edinburgh to reconstruct the interior of the concert hall and he also built the Eastern elevation which incorporates the current entrance door. It is currently a concert hall and museum (2007).

Robert Mylne (1734-1811) was born in Edinburgh to a celebrated and established architectural family and trained as an architect and engineer. His work includes Blackfriars Bridge in London and the Castle and village of Inveraray. Ian Lindsay (1906-66) was an Edinburgh architect who was one of the foremost authorities in Scotland on conservation and restoration from 1950-1970. He worked on numerous projects throughout the country, restoring both small dwellings and castles, including the historic town of Inveraray and Iona Abbey.

References from previous list description: Inv 45. Old Edinburgh (Lindsay). St Cecilia's Hall (B Frazer Morris). Robert Mylne (Richardson). Country Life Aug 15 1968. OEC v 19.

List description revised as part of the Edinburgh Holyrood Ward resurvey 2007-08.

Formerly a Scheduled Ancient Monument. Descheduled in 2002.

Statutory address updated (2015). Previously listed as 'Niddry Street and Cowgate, St Cecilia's Hall'.

References

Bibliography

Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland: http://www.rcahms.gov.uk/canmore.html CANMORE ID 52251

William Edgar, City & Castle of Edinburgh, 1765.

1st Edition Ordnance Survey Map, (1849-53).

University of Edinburgh website www.music.ed.ac.uk (accessed 30-07-07).

John Gifford, Colin McWilliam and David Walker, The Buildings of Scotland, Edinburgh, 1984, p187.

Jane Blackie, A New Musick Room, 2002.

About Listed Buildings

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Listing is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for buildings of special architectural or historic interest as set out in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997.

We list buildings which are found to be of special architectural or historic interest using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Listed building records provide an indication of the special architectural or historic interest of the listed building which has been identified by its statutory address. The description and additional information provided are supplementary and have no legal weight.

These records are not definitive historical accounts or a complete description of the building(s). If part of a building is not described it does not mean it is not listed. The format of the listed building record has changed over time. Earlier records may be brief and some information will not have been recorded.

The legal part of the listing is the address/name of site which is known as the statutory address. Other than the name or address of a listed building, further details are provided for information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland does not accept any liability for any loss or damage suffered as a consequence of inaccuracies in the information provided. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing. Even if a number or name is missing from a listing address it will still be listed. Listing covers both the exterior and the interior and any object or structure fixed to the building. Listing also applies to buildings or structures not physically attached but which are part of the curtilage (or land) of the listed building as long as they were erected before 1 July 1948.

While Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating listed buildings, the planning authority is responsible for determining what is covered by the listing, including what is listed through curtilage. However, for listed buildings designated or for listings amended from 1 October 2015, legal exclusions to the listing may apply.

If part of a building is not listed, it will say that it is excluded in the statutory address and in the statement of special interest in the listed building record. The statement will use the word 'excluding' and quote the relevant section of the 1997 Act. Some earlier listed building records may use the word 'excluding', but if the Act is not quoted, the record has not been revised to reflect subsequent legislation.

Listed building consent is required for changes to a listed building which affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest. The relevant planning authority is the point of contact for applications for listed building consent.

Find out more about listing and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.

Images

South elevation, University of Edinburgh, St Cecilia’s Hall, Niddry Street and Cowgate, Edinburgh

Printed: 29/03/2024 07:35