Basic Site Details

Name: Leith Corn Exchange
Town, district or village: Leith
City or county: Edinburgh
Country: Scotland
Parish:  
Status: A listed
Grid ref:
Notes: LEITH.- The New Com Exchange. - Some time ago, competitive plans were obtained for a new Corn Exchange for Leith; and the competition resulted in thie adoption of designs by Messrs Peddie and Kinnear Edinburgh. Contracts have now been entered into for the work, and the erection of the building will be proceeded with immediately. The building is in the Roman style, and includes a Corn-hall or exchange, 110 feet in length, and 70 feet in breadth. This spacious apartment has a roof of one span, supported on semicircular ribs of laminated timber. Light will be admitted entirely from the roof, and the hall will be so finished as to afford accommodation for public meetings, etc. This hall occupies the rear of the building. That portion of the structure fronting Baltic Street includes offices in connexion with the Exchange, and five or six suites of chambers for merchants, from which a considerable revenue will be derived. Externally, the building is composed of a large octagonal tower, placed at the conjunction of the two streets. This tower rises one story above the other elevations of the Exchange, and is finished by a dome surmounted by a small octagonal lantern—the rest of the building is of two storeyed, each arcaded. The whole will be executed in polished ashlar, Kenmure stone being used. The contracts, which amount to £4,000, are several hundreds below the architect's estimate. The contractors are - Mr G Lorimer for the mason work and Messrs Henderson and Wilson for the carpenters' work. Though plain and unpretending, the building promises to have a pleasing and appropriate business character externally; while internally, the great hall - the principle feature in the work- will be an imposing apartment. [Building News 28 September 1860 p760]

Building Type Classification

The building is classified under the following categories:
 ClassificationOriginal classification?Notes
Item 1 of 1Corn exchange  

Street Addresses

The following street addresses are associated with this building:
 AddressMain entrance?Notes
Item 1 of 29, Baltic StreetYes 
Item 2 of 229-31 and 35, Constitution StreetYes 

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:
 FromToEvent typeNotes
Item 1 of 41860  Competition
Item 2 of 4April 1860  Peddie & Kinnear's drawings
Item 3 of 424 August 1860  Peddie & Kinnear's revised drawings
Item 4 of 41861  Bell design exhibited

People

Design and Construction

The following individuals or organisations have carried out design/construction work. Where architects or practices worked together, matching letters appear beside their names in the Partnership Group column.
 NameRolePartnership GroupFromToNotes
Item 1 of 4Charles George Hood Kinnear A1860 Won in competition
Item 2 of 4John Dick Peddie A1860 Won in competition
Item 3 of 4Peddie & Kinnear A1860 Won in competition
Item 4 of 4Jonathan Anderson Bell  1861 Competition design; Peddie and Kinnear were appointed

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this building:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1RSA1861   665

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this building:
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 3Builder8 November 1862XX  
Item 2 of 3Building News28 September 1860  p760
Item 3 of 3Scotsman17 October 1860   

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this building:
 SourceArchive nameSource catalogue no.Notes
Item 1 of 2Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register27140 
Item 2 of 2National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMSDick Peddie and McKay Collection DPM/1860/81/1