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

ESPLANADE, LEASK'SLB43605

Status: Designated

Documents

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Summary

Category
C
Date Added
12/08/1996
Local Authority
Shetland Islands
Planning Authority
Shetland Islands
Burgh
Lerwick
NGR
HU 47672 41365
Coordinates
447672, 1141365

Description

John M Aitken, circa 1900. 2-storey and attic 5 x 1-bay asymmetrical Scots Baronial tenement with chamfered corner bay at SE corner and single storey shop wing along N elevation; gable to harbour with closes flanking to N and S. Stugged sandstone walls with polished and droved ashlar dressings and details, stugged rubble N elevation. Chamfered arrises and sloping cills at windows.

E (ESPLANADE) ELEVATION: asymmetrical, single bay crowstepped gable with chamfered corner bay to left and single storey shop with crowstepped and ball-finialled gable projecting to right. Plate glass fixed-lights to shop windows at ground. Tripartite windows at 1st and 2nd floors of gable; latter with round-headed lights, circular crenellated bartizan (with flagpole attached) corbelled out at right (NE) corner. Segmental turret corbelled out at 1st floor of corner bay, corbelled out to semi-octagonal 3-light corner tower breaking eaves.

S ELEVATION: asymmetrical, 5 bays, irregularly fenestrated at ground, entrance door at ground in bay to outer right; armorial panel above, roll-moulded frame, carved ship and date 1836. Dormers with crowstepped and ball-finialled stone dormerheads breaking eaves in

3 bays to right, metal-clad box dormers breaking eaves in bay to left.

N ELEVATION: single storey shop wing projecting at ground. Irregular fenestration at 1st and 2nd floors; concrete 4-light canted oriel projecting at centre, dormers with crowstepped and ball-finialled dormerheads in 3 bays to left with shouldered and crowstepped wallhead stack between bay to outer left, matching wallhead stack to right of centre and metal-clad dormers in bays to right.

Some plate glass timber sash and case windows surviving at 1st floor, modern glazing elsewhere. Grey slate roof with cast-iron gutters and downpipes, bell-cast pyramidal roof with wrought-iron weathervane to tower. Stugged ashlar stacks, coped with tall circular cans; crowstepped principal gable with thistle finial.

Statement of Special Interest

Formerly the offices of the North of Scotland & Orkney & Shetland Steam Navigation Company. In his book, Manson refers to the offices as "large, roomy, and excellently fitted up; and the whole building, which provides an agent's house, is a striking addition to the architecture of the town". The bold detailing of the E gable continues to make a strong contribution to the skyline of the town, particularly when viewed from the harbour and sea with the backdrop of the Grand Hotel and Town Hall.

References

Bibliography

Mike Finnie SHETLAND (1990) p21. Norman Hudson SOUVENIR POSTCARDS FROM SHETLAND (1992) p14. Thomas Manson LERWICK DURING THE LAST HALF CENTURY (1991) p41.

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.

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Printed: 29/03/2024 11:14