Basic Site Details

Name: Free High Church and Free Church College
City or county: Edinburgh
Country: Scotland
Parish:  
Status: A Listed
Grid ref:
Notes: Some information re. Lorne Campbell and Gordon & Dey unclear.

Alternative Names

The following alternative names are associated with this building/design:
 NameCurrent name?Notes
Item 1 of 2New College and Assembly Hall  
Item 2 of 2Rainy HallYes 

Building Type Classification

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

Street Addresses

The following street addresses are associated with this building:
 AddressMain entrance?Notes
Item 1 of 2CastlehillYes 
Item 2 of 2Mound PlaceYes 

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:
 FromToEvent typeNotes
Item 1 of 111844  Competition held for Free Church College
Item 2 of 1118451850 Free High Church and Free Church College built
Item 3 of 1118581859 Assembly Hall added
Item 4 of 1113 March 1858  Purchase of site for Assembly Hall
Item 5 of 111883  Alterations
Item 6 of 111899  Rainy Hall and other additions
Item 7 of 111901  Further alterations
Item 8 of 111903  Reconstruction of UF Church Assembly Hall
Item 9 of 1119341935 Woodwork provided in old Free High Church on its conversion to library
Item 10 of 11c. 1936c. 1957 Alterations including sub-division of students' common room and alterations in examination rooms
Item 11 of 11After 1954 RestorationPerhaps also additions and alterations?

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 29Jonathan Anderson Bell  18431844Unsuccessful competition design (exhibited at RA)
Item 2 of 29John Thomas Rochead  1844 Two competition designs: 'early decorative' and 'collegiate'
Item 3 of 29James Matthews B1844 Won competition (although Playfair's design actually used)
Item 4 of 29Mackenzie & Matthews B1844 Won competition (although Playfair's design actually used)
Item 5 of 29Thomas Mackenzie B1844 Won competition (although Playfair's design actually used)
Item 6 of 29James Raeburn Cc. 1844 Competition design (exhibited in James's name)
Item 7 of 29Robert Reid Raeburn Cc. 1844 Competition design (exhibited in James's name)
Item 8 of 29William Henry Playfair F18451850Did not win compeition but was awarded the job for Free High Church and Free Church College - date of construction.
Item 9 of 29David Cousin  1846 Unsuccessful competition design exhibited
Item 10 of 29David Bryce  18581859Assembly Hall added
Item 11 of 29Charles George Hood Kinnear D1883 Alterations
Item 12 of 29John More Dick Peddie D1883 Alterations
Item 13 of 29Kinnear & Peddie D1883 Alterations
Item 14 of 29Arthur George Sydney Mitchell E1899 Rainy Hall and other additions
Item 15 of 29George Wilson E1899 Rainy Hall and other additions
Item 16 of 29John Galt Mitchell E1899 Rainy Hall - as assistant to Sydney Mitchell & Wilson
Item 17 of 29Sydney Mitchell & Wilson E1899 Rainy Hall and other additions
Item 18 of 29John More Dick Peddie F1901 Further alterations
Item 19 of 29Peddie & Washington Browne F1901 Further alterations
Item 20 of 29Arthur George Sydney Mitchell G1907 Heraldic shields in Rainy Hall
Item 21 of 29George Wilson G1907 Heraldic shields in Rainy Hall
Item 22 of 29Sydney Mitchell & Wilson G1907 Heraldic shields in Rainy Hall
Item 23 of 29Alexander Lorne Campbell  19341935Woodwork provided in old Free High Church on its conversion to the library. May also be responsible for alterations including sub-division of students' common room and alterations in examination rooms a year later
Item 24 of 29Alexander Esmé Gordon (or Esmé Gordon) H1946c. 1957Alterations. Perhaps involved in alterations including sub-division of students' common room and alterations in examination rooms
Item 25 of 29Gordon & Dey H1946c. 1957Alterations. Perhaps involved in alterations including sub-division of students' common room and alterations in examination rooms
Item 26 of 29William Gordon Dey H1946c. 1957Alterations. Perhaps involved in alterations including sub-division of students' common room and alterations in examination rooms
Item 27 of 29Ian G Lindsay & Partners AAfter 1952 Restoration? Alterations?
Item 28 of 29Ian Gordon Lindsay AAfter 1954 Restoration.
Item 29 of 29John Herdman Reid AAfter 1954 Restoration. Acted as Consultant. Nomination Paper records that Reid was responsible for this job.

Clients

The following individuals or organisations have commissioned work on this building/design:
 NameNotes
Item 1 of 1University of Edinburgh 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this building:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 6Gifford, John, McWilliam, Colin and Walker, David M1984Edinburgh (The Buildings of Scotland) Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltdp184-5
Item 2 of 6Grant, James1883 Old and New Edinburgh 1885, pp97-8
Item 3 of 6RIBA1981Directory of Practices 1981   
Item 4 of 6Royal Academy exhibitors    Jonathan Anderson Bell design exhibited. 1845, no 1206
Item 5 of 6RSA1846   459 (David Cousin); 484 (Robert Reid Raeburn under James Raeburn)
Item 6 of 6RSA1847   527 and 528 (Rochead's designs)

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this building:
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 6Builder15 March 1858XVI  
Item 2 of 6Builder23 May 1903LXXXIV  
Item 3 of 6Building News14 September 1900   
Item 4 of 6Building News28 December 1900   
Item 5 of 6Building News1 November 1901   
Item 6 of 6Journal of Decorative ArtDecember 1901XXI p344

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this building:
 SourceArchive nameSource catalogue no.Notes
Item 1 of 8Edinburgh City ArchivesEdinburgh Dean of Guild 28 October 1846, 17 July 1858 and 10 November 1899
Item 2 of 8Edinburgh University LibraryPlansSupplementary 
Item 3 of 8Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register27689 
Item 4 of 8National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMSDick Peddie and McKay Collection DPM/1880/42/14
Item 5 of 8National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMSIan G Lindsay Collection IGL W533/49
Item 6 of 8National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMSSydney Mitchell & Wilson Collection SMW1890/5/1
Item 7 of 8RIAS, Rutland SquareRecords of membership John Herdman Reid's RIAS papers
Item 8 of 8RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers John Galt Mitchell: L v1 no91 (microfilm reel 29); John Herdman Reid F no6267 (Combined Box 129)