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Summary

Description

Harry Livingstone, master mason and John Christie Wright, from draft design by Sir William Bruce of Kinross, 1703-5. Gideon Gray, N front extension eastwards by 3 bays, 1785 (See Notes). Richard Crichton, courthouse and jail added to S, 1806-1811. Richard Murphy Architects, 1999-2001, converted to music focused art venue with courtroom as theatre, robing room as bar and old council chamber as restaurant. Shallow U-plan, classical tolbooth with tower, sandstone ashlar. Graded grey slates.

N (BROAD STREET) ELEVATION: 3-storey, 6-bay, ashlar, base course, cill band at 1st and 2nd, eaves band, lugged and moulded architraves to windows. Entrance to right at ground with 6-pane fanlight, windows in each bay to left, regular fenestration above.

Timber sash and case with 12-pane glazing, grey slates, gablehead stack and ridge stack.

NW (TOWER) ELEVATION: 6-stage tower, ashlar with projecting quoins, rubble to W at ground. String course at 1st and 2nd stage (extended from cill band in bays to left). Round-headed arch with decorative surround to N at ground gives access to wide stair leading to 1st floor, empty round-headed niche immediately above set within moulded rectangular surround. Window above with moulded surround, windows in 2 stages above. Timber clock-face in square moulded stone frame in each face of tower below parapet. At final stage moulded cornice with an iron railed parapet enclosing timber belfry with crested swept leaded ogival roof. Louvered opening in each side of belfry, 4 lucarnes to roof, weathercock finial.

W (JAIL WYND) ELEVATION: 8-bay (grouped 3-3-2), 3-storey, ashlar with rubble in 3 bays to left. 3 Windows at ground to left with regular fenestration above. 3 bays to right raised, cill band at 1st, new (2001) entrance in vault and small openings at ground, large windows in each bay above with semicircular windows at 2nd all set in recessed round-arched panels. 2 bays to right raised again forming gable of St John Street elevation. Recessed entrance to left at ground in arched doorpiece, window in each floor above, window to centre at top floor.

Timber sash and case with 12-pane glazing in outer sections, 24-pane glazing to centre.

S (ST JOHN STREET) ELEVATION: 3-storey, 4-bay (5 at ground). Ashlar. Base course, cill band at 1st, string course below eaves, eaves band, projecting cills. 2-leaf door to centre at ground set in recessed round-arched opening, multi-pane semicircular fanlight. Windows in outer bays set in recessed round-arched panels. Regular fenestration above.

Timber sash and case with 12-pane glazing.

INTERIOR: substantial 18th and 19th century interior decoration retained, including following. Ground floor with narrow, vaulted strong room, with cupboards closed with iron doors; small vaulted cell. Tower stair with quadripartite plaster vault and boarded inner door in round-arched, roll-moulded surround. Westmost main room with early 18th century interior scheme, panelled with roll-moulded stone chimneypiece, painted landscape overmantel, framed by fluted Ionic pilasters. E room with panelled dado, chimneypiece and late 18th century scheme. Early 19th century stair to 2nd floor. Small room in tower with roll-moulded chimneypiece. 1st floor courtrom in early 19th century addition lit by 3 tall windows in round-arched recesses; Gibbsian door surround, circa 1865. Ground floor of court house with vaulted rooms (guard house and cells). High coved ceiling to 1st floor justiciary court room. 2 further cells in attic.

Statement of Special Interest

An exceptionally good example of the burgh tolbooth type, rich with detail and historic interest, as described further in TOLBOOTHS AND TOWN-HOUSES. Now converted to Arts Venue.

List description updated as part of the Theatres Thematic Study, 2010.

References

Bibliography

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