Basic Site Details | Name: | Wesleyan Methodist Mission Halls | | City or county: | Edinburgh | | Country: | Scotland | | Parish: | | | Status: | | | Grid ref: | | | Notes: | EDINBURGH. - Building operations will shortly be commenced with the new halls and other premises for the Wesleyan Mission at the comer of Earl Grey-street and Wellington-place, a site at present occupied by St. John's School and two blocks of new tenements of shops and dwelling-houses. A sum of nearly £20,000 has been paid for the existing buildings and ground. The street and basement floors have been planned as business premises. The main entrance to the hall will be by a corridor leading into a crush room on an entresole floor. A staircase leads to large hall on first floor, and this hall is planned to accommodate, with gallery, 1,600 to 1,700 persons. At one end is provided a large recess for platform and future organ-chamber, with retiring-rooms adjoining. Staircases at each side lead to the street as special exits. On the first floor there is also arranged a small hall accommodating 280 persons, with platform at one end, and class-rooms and lavatories at the other. The upper floors are arranged for classrooms, stores, and caretaker's house. The heating will be by hot-water pipes and radiation. The building will be practically fireproof, concrete floors and steel roofs entering largely into the construction. Externally the buildings have been designed in a free treatment of the French Renaissance. The whole scheme has been designed by Messrs. Dunn and Findlay, architects, Edinburgh. The total cost of the scheme will be over £40,000. [Building News 6 January 1899 Page 46]
WESLEYAN METHODIST MISSION HALL, EARL GREY STREET, EDINBURGH. Building operations will shortly be commenced with the new halls and other premises for the Edinburgh Mission. A site was recently acquired at the comer of Early Grey-street and Wellington place, the site being at present occupied by St. John's School and two blocks of comparatively new tenements of shops and dwelling-houses. The whole of this property will be demolished to make room for the new buildings now illustrated. A sum of nearly £20,000 having been paid for the existing buildings and ground, it was imperative that an income should be got to reduce the cost of the scheme, and with this object the street and basement floors were planned as business premises. Ten commodious shops with extensive cellarage occupy these floor. The main entrance to the hall will be from Wellington-place by a wide corridor leading into a crush room on the mezzanine floor. A wide staircase leads to the large hall on first floor. This hall is planned to accommodate fully 1,700 persons. At one end is provided a large recess for platform and future organ-chamber, with retiring-rooms adjoining. Wide staircases at each side lead to the street as special exits. On the first floor there is also arranged a small hall seated to accommodate over 300 persons, with platform at one end, and classroom and lavatory accommodation at the other. The whole of the upper floors are arranged for classrooms, stores, and caretaker's house, and special regard has been paid to the entrances and exits from these, as well as from all other parts of the building. The shape of the ceiling of the large hall will be semi-elliptical, a form of roof which materially assists the acoustics. Externally the building has been designed in a free treatment of the French Renaissance, and when completed will add considerably to the architectural amenities of the district. The whole scheme has been designed by, and will be carried out under the supervision of Messrs. Dunn and Findlay. architects, Edinburgh. The total cost of the scheme will be £40,000. [Building News 21 April 1899 Page 539]
'The new buildings of the Wesleyan Methodist Mission which have been erected in Earl Grey Street and West Tollcross Edinburgh were opened on Friday by Dr Robertson Nicholl. Formerly the site was occupied by shops and dwelling houses. These were demolished and in their place a block of buildings has een erected. The ground floor consists of shops, the rents from which are expected to pay about half of the purchase price, amounting in all to £50,000. The principal entrance to the mission premises is from West Tollcross, a side street. A wide staircase leads to a vestibule, the roof of which is supported by pillars, the floor of which is laid with mosaics. From this vestibule entrance is obtained to the principal hall -a hall capable of holding about 2,000 persons. The rostrum is at the north end of the building, and behind it is a semi-circular domed recess, which will be occupied by the choir meanwhile, although by-and-by it will be filled by an organ, for which space has been, provided in the plans: Galleries run round the other three sides of the hall. It is lit by lofty windows at the sides, and is fitted up with electric light. In place of the ordinary pews tip-up seats are provided, and on the underside of seats there is an arrangement by which felt hats may be affixed without any risk of being destroyed. Besides the large hall, there is a smaller one for lectures, and for use as a Sunday_school, There are about a dozen classrooms arranged on two floors, and also a vestry for the minister. On this upper floor are the caretaker's house, and also a couple of rooms for the Sister. The architects are Messrs. Dunn and Findlay, Frederick-street, Edinburgh. [Building News 25 October 1901 Page 550]
Cost: £33,000. | Alternative Names| The following alternative names are associated with this building/design: | | | Name | Current name? | Notes |  | Wesleyan Halls | Yes | |
Building Type Classification| The building is classified under the following categories: | | | Classification | Original classification? | Notes | | Hall | | |
Street Addresses| The following street addresses are associated with this building: | | | Address | Main entrance? | Notes | | 2-20, Earl Grey Street | Yes | |
Events| The following date-based events are associated with this building: | | | From | To | Event type | Notes | | December 1898 | | | Plans dated | | October 1901 | | Opened | |
PeopleDesign 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. | | | Name | Role | Partnership Group | From | To | Notes | | Dunn & Findlay | | A | 1898 | | | | James Alexander Arnott | | A | 1898 | | As principal assistant to Dunn & Findlay | | James Bow Dunn | | A | 1898 | | | | James Leslie Findlay | | A | 1898 | | | | John Dall | | A | 1898 | | As assistant to Dunn & Findlay |
ReferencesPeriodical References| The following periodicals contain references to this building: | | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 24 December 1898 | LXXV | | | | Building News | 6 January 1899 | | | p46 | | Building News | 21 April 1899 | | | p539 With perpsective and plans by Dunn & Findlay - simplified in execution | | Building News | 25 October 1901 | | | p550 |
Archive References| The following archives hold material relating to this building: | | | Source | Archive name | Source catalogue no. | Notes | | National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMS | Dunn and Findlay Collection | | DC 9707-20 | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | James Alexander Arnott: L v3 no172 (microfilm reel 30); John Dall: L v14 no973; James Bow Dunn: F v15 p131 no1006 (microfilm reel 11) |
|