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Summary

Description

David Bryce, 1862-1868 with later alterations. 3-storey, 5-bay Franco-Flemish building, now subdivided but formerly in use as town hall. Polished ashlar. Base course, cornice above fascia of Nos 183-189; cill course, stop-chamfered arrises to lugged and tabbed openings, cornice and coped blocking course.

NE (PORTOBELLO HIGH STREET) ELEVATION: windows to each floor and bay. Doorways to centre, in bay to right of centre, to outer right and between outer and penultimate bay to left. Panelled door to centre with architraved doorpiece and deep fanlight above, (now with painted board). 1st and 2nd floors of bay to centre advanced and corbelled. Tripartite windows to each floor with carved plaque above (see Notes); cast-iron brackets to projecting gabled clock above. Small-paned shopfront to right of centre with fascia above. Plate glass shop front to left of centre.

SW (REAR) ELEVATION: not seen, 1994.

12-pane timber sash and case windows to upper storeys, 8-pane timber sash and case windows to tripartites. Grey slate roof; gabled louvered lucarnes with cast-iron finials.. Gargoyles at eaves level flanking bay to centre and to outer left and right. Rendered and coped stack to NW and ashlar coped stack to SE; cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: not seen, 1994.

Statement of Special Interest

The plaque says that the building was erected in 1868 under the direction of A C Home M D Provost. However Baird (p 395) says that the hall was erected by a private company with Mr Home as chairman, commencing in 1862. The site chosen was that "upon which Portobello House had stood since 1753", when it was owned by the entrepreneurial, George Hamilton. The feu was at that time in the hands of Baxter's heirs, and having bought it the old building was demolished and the town hall was erected. "The plan included premises for Council Chambers, Town Clerk's office, police cells and dwellings, and several shops on the ground floor, from which it was calculated there would be a sufficient revenue to pay shareholders a reasonable dividend...In May 1862 the ground plans of the building were submitted and, with a slight modification, approved. On this footing, building operations were begun- the foundation stone being laid on 4th August 1862 amid general manifestations of rejoicing. The building was completed in the following spring, and the Council removed from Adelphi Place in May, having entered into 15 years' lease of the new premises. Before they had been many months in occupation, however, it began to be felt the accommodation was not altogether satisfactory, and it was even hinted by some outspoken individuals that it was not altogether as it ought to be, or as it had been originally stipulated..." Subsequently there was an investigation into the accommodation provided by the Town Hall and that which had been intended before construction. The issue became strongly contended and the cause of division amongst the people of Portobello- those for and those against the Town Hall. The situation was not resolved until 1867.

References

Bibliography

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