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

HOSPITAL STREET, KING STREET AND ALBERT PLACE, FORMER KING JAMES VI HOSPITAL INCLUDING BOUNDARY WALLSLB39319

Status: Designated

Documents

There are no additional online documents for this record.

Summary

Category
A
Date Added
20/05/1965
Local Authority
Perth And Kinross
Planning Authority
Perth And Kinross
Burgh
Perth
NGR
NO 11510 23427
Coordinates
311510, 723427

Description

Dated 1750, under superintendence of Baille Robertson and Deacon Gardiner. Exceptional, 4-storey and attic, H-plan former infirmary and school with 5-bay pedimented central block and 2-bay gabled wings with 7-bay E and W flanks. Greywash harled rubble with raised ashlar margins and quoins at angles. Open pediments break eaves to centre of main block and wings. Regular fenestration. Attic lit by small paired windows in gable ends. Above main block centre: prominent timber and lead octagonal cupola with splayed base; round-arched arcading with Gothic-astragalled windows to cardinal faces with clock dials above; ogee-dome with copper weathervane. Single-storey piend-roofed outshots to N gable ends of wings.

S (GARDEN) ELEVATION: aedicular pedimented Roman Doric doorpiece (now window) to centre with columns and triglyphed entablature; inscribed date panel (1750) above between 4th floor and attic.

N (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: 19th century pedimented and pilastered doorpiece to centre; moulded and lugged architrave to window above with carved human head cartouche; plaque inscribed 'Founded by King James VI 1587' between 3rd and 4th floor. Former turnpike stair bowed outshot to NW re-entrant angle.

12-pane glazing to timber sash and case windows. 9-pane glazing at 4th storey. Grey slate roof. Coped end and ridge stacks with clay cans. Shouldered skews. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: refurbished for conversion to flats, 1974-5.

BOUNDARY WALLS: low coped boundary wall surrounding building with cast-iron railings and gates. Screen wall extends to N from W gable outshot with segmental-arched opening to centre. To NE corner of grounds, monument with royal crown cap commemorating the Carthusian Monastery founded by King James I on this site in 1429.

Statement of Special Interest

Part of a B-Group comprising: '2 and 4 County Place and 1 Hospital Street'; '6 and 8 County Place and 3 and 5 Hospital Street'; 'Hospital Street, King Street and Albert Place, Former King James VI Hospital including Boundary Walls'; '3 King Street and 32 Canal Street'; '220 South Street and 17 Canal Street'; 'South Street, 189 (N. Side) and 70 Methven Street' and 'Methven Street, (South) 73-79 (Odd Numbers) & 1 County Place' (see separate listings).

Built 1748-52, possibly to designs by James Cree who laid the foundation stone, the King James VI Hospital is one of the finest 18th century H-plan examples of its type in Scotland. Characterised by its mix of Scots vernacular with Classical detailing and its strong vertical emphasis, it rises dramatically through four storeys and is surmounted by a landmark timber and lead cupola. The well-detailed Classical Roman-Doric doorpiece to the S elevation is also of particular note, adding much to the exterior interest of the building.

Funded by Royal endowment and public subscription, the hospital was built to serve a number of purposes including an almshouse, industrial school and infirmary as well as a reformatory for vagrants. The use of the H-plan was practical, allowing maximum supervision of occupants from key positions using the minimal number of staff. A separate Perth Infirmary (now the A K Bell Library - see separate listing) was opened in 1814 around which time the building was put to a number of other uses including a charity school and various benevolent institutions. Other sections of the building were let as dwellings. It is reported that the cupola, with internal bell, was gifted by the Duke of Atholl in 1764 following the demolition of the Mansion of Nairn in Strathord. A drawing of around 1768 is held in the Blair Castle archives of Nairne does show a cupola matching that on the present building.

In 1974-5 the building was competely refurbished with the creation of twenty-one flats within the main body of the building. The flats are managed by the Minister and Kirk Session of St John's Kirk and Letham St Mark's Church, as per the original foundation.

List description updated at resurvey (2009).

References

Bibliography

evident on Macfarlane's Map (1792) - Perth City Archives. Nick Haynes, Perth & Kinross - An Illustrated Architectural Guide (2000), p20. John Gifford, The Buildings of Scotland - Perth & Kinross (2007), pp 101-102, 603, 622. Further information courtesy of Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust.

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

There are no images available for this record, you may want to check Canmore for images relating to HOSPITAL STREET, KING STREET AND ALBERT PLACE, FORMER KING JAMES VI HOSPITAL INCLUDING BOUNDARY WALLS

There are no images available for this record.

Search Canmore

Printed: 29/03/2024 09:53