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Summary

Description

Cousin Ormiston and Taylor, 1913. 2-storey, wide 4-bay rectangular plan Scots Baronial former squash court, converted to offices and workshop (circa 1980), set on ground falling to E at foot of Dean Bridge. Scottish Baronial; 3 stage octagonal tower to NW corner with conical roof. Coursed random rubble with some ashlar dressings.

W (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: 2 storeys, 2 wide bays. Moulded corniced eaves course with castellated parapet over. Architraved and corniced door with bipartite window to right (S) and further window to far right. 3 corniced 1st floor windows with elaborate strapwork pediments.

N ELEVATION: 2 storeys, 4 wide bays. Moulded string course at ground floor with arcade of 4 large blind round arches above. Mock gunloops to centre of arches and 2 rectangular windows inserted (1957) to left (E). Corniced eaves course above with castellated parapet above. Corbelled bartizan to left (W) at 1st floor with later ashlar corbelling.

TOWER: 3-stage tower with octagonal 1st and 2nd stages, circular 3rd stage and conical roof with ball finial. Moulded string course between stages; plain eaves course on moulded corbels. Single window at 2nd stage with cill forming part of string course.

INTERIOR: former open plan squash court now converted to offices and light manufacturing workshops (2008). Small entrance area behind main doorway with later stair to left in tower. Mezzanine floor supported on steel beams spanning complete interior to create 1st floor.

8-pane in timber sash and case windows, with some plate glass to later windows at N elevation. Flat roof behind parapet; conical roof to tower; grey slates. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

Statement of Special Interest

This building is an early example of a purpose built squash court with Scottish Baronial detailing which was common to earlier racquets courts, such as that at Fyvie in Aberdeenshire (see separate listing). When this court was built squash was a rare pursuit in Scotland, and was mostly conducted in private courts built by wealthy gentlemen. The first formalised league of any kind was formed by the Watsonian's Squash Club in 1934, which organised a small league using courts in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Brechin. It was not until 28th February 1937 that a formal association was formed (Scottish Squash and Racquets Association). The first recorded court was built in 1883 by Vernon Harcourt at his home in Cherwell, Oxfordshire and several other private courts developed after this date. The preliminary set of rules for the game was issued in 1912 by a sub committee of the Tennis, Rackets and Fives Association in London. The issue of these rules precedes the court at Miller Row by only one year, thus Miller Row can be identified as an early example of a court built soon after the formal development of the game began.

Cousin Ormiston and Taylor were an Edinburgh based architectural who worked mainly on country house and estate work, which included work on Hamilton Palace. It is possible that they were responsible for some work to racquets courts as part of their involvement with country houses. The practice was also responsible for the design of Nicolson Square Methodist Chapel (see separate listing).

The building is no longer in use as a squash court, and now houses a light manufacturing. Prior to its conversion the interior was painted green and had lines to the rear and side walls, indicating its former use as a squash court. (2009)

References

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