Documents

There are no additional online documents for this record.

Summary

Description

Mid-19th century possibly incorporating earlier fabric. 3-storey and attic single bay rectangular-plan, crowstepped gabled house, converted to restaurant at ground with gable end to street; segmental arch to pend to right. Painted cement rendered and lined at ground; harled above. Corniced shop fascia over ground floor with gableted bracket terminals; block cills to window above. Enlarged segmental-arched windows at 1st and 2nd floors to east (street) elevation and to some openings to north and south elevations. East (Principal) Elevation: deep-set, part-glazed door at ground in bay to centre; enlarged window in each bay flanking. Bipartite window at each floor above; smaller attic window to gablehead; gablehead stack above. South (Side) Elevation: 2-bay, with slightly advanced, full-height crowstepped gabled bay to centre. Segmental-arched doorway with modern door at ground; window at each floor above; small attic window to gablehead; gablehead stack above. Blocked window at ground in bay to left; window at each floor above. North (Side) Elevation: irregularly fenestrated. West (Rear) Elevation: Window at each floor in bay to left; small attic window set to left of gable; gablehead stack above. 4-pane timber sash and case bipartite windows; predominantly 2-pane timber sash and case windows elsewhere. Graded traditional grey stone tiled roof; red clay ridge; rubble and harled corniced stack to west; harled coped stack (not used) to east; uPVC and cast-iron rainwater goods. Interior: converted as modern restaurant at ground; not seen above, 1998.

Statement of Special Interest

Situated relatively near the original shore of the Oyce at the north end of Bridge Street, the buildings in this area remain some of the oldest in Kirkwall. Bridge Street provided initial access to the town from the harbour, the east pier at the end of the street having been completed in 1811. This building became The Ship Inn in the 19th century and Sir Walter Scott dined here on 12th August, 1814. Hossack suggests that it was the lack of a formal welcome by the inhabitants, such as he received in Shetland, that caused him to write a derogatory poem about Kirkwall, calling it 'a base little burgh'. Features to note here include the stone tiled roof and the intact crowstepped gables. The arched openings suggest a warehouse use at some stage.

5 Bridge Street is a separate lower, two-storey house abutting the rear elevation of 7 Bridge Street. 5 Bridge Street is not part of the listing.

Listed building record updated in 1999 as part of the resurvey of Kirkwall Burgh. Listed building record updated in 2021.

References

Bibliography

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.