Basic Site Details Name: | Signet Library | City or county: | Edinburgh | Country: | Scotland | Parish: | | Status: | A listed | Grid ref: | | Notes: | May be some William Notman input ? See NMRS Notman drawings.
N.B. The Corinthian columns at the top are by Playfair and the Ionic columns below and the stairs themselves are by Burn. | Alternative NamesThe following alternative names are associated with this building/design: | | Name | Current name? | Notes |  | Advocates Library | | Original name - now changed |
Building Type ClassificationThe building is classified under the following categories: | | Classification | Original classification? | Notes |  | Hall | | |  | Library | | |
EventsThe following date-based events are associated with this building: | | From | To | Event type | Notes |  | 1778 | 1779 | Plans drawn up | Unexecuted design for library and new hall for Writers to the Signet |  | 1778 | | | Salisbury consulted baout new library by the Writers to the Signet. |  | 1812 | 1816 | Build/construction | Lower Signet Library and Advocates Library (the latter now the Upper Signet Library) |  | 1815 | | Plans drawn up | Measuring of work at library |  | 1818 | 1819 | Build/construction | Staircase for the Faculty of Advocates |  | After 1828 | Before 1845 | | Survey plans - perhaps alterations - Upper Hall |  | 1833 | | Alterations and additions | Remodelled W H Playfair's staircase in order to open communication between Lower and Upper Libraries. Ionic columns, stairs and ironwork are by Burn. |  | 1899 | | Design exhibited | Design exhibited - Upper ahll? |  | c. 1900 | c. 1901 | Alterations and additions | Upper Hall? |  | 1950s | | Restoration | Refurbishment over a number of years |
PeopleDesign and ConstructionThe 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 |  | James Salisbury | Architect, Builder | K | 1778 | | Consulted by the Writers to the Signet about new library. |  | James Craig | Architect | T | 1778 | 1779 | Unexecuted design for library and new hall for the Writers to the Signet |  | Robert Reid | Architect | C | 1812 | 1816 | External shell of the Sigent and Advocates' Library (now the Upper and lower Signet Library).
Reid originally designed interiors for these libraries whoich form two storeys of the same building, but both the Writers to the Sigent and the Faculty of Advocates commissioned William Stark to design the interiors. Reid as the government architect supervised the execution of Stark's designs.
Staircase design? |  | William Stark | Architect | G | 1812 | 1815 | Designs drawn up and work begun. Interior of Signet Library. |  | William Stark | Architect | J | 1812 | 1816 | Interior of the Advocates Library (now the Upper Signet Library). |  | John Henry | Architect | J | 1813 | 1816 | Executed Stark's plans and drew up further designs for example altering Robert Reid staircase and for ante-room to the new library. |  | Robert Brown | Architect | C | 1815 | | Acted as assistant to Robert Reid |  | George Cairncross | Architect, Builder | H | 1815 | | 'Mr Cairncross, an Ordained measurer' undertook measured work at library |  | William Henry Playfair | Architect | F | 1819 | 1820 | Staircase for the Faculty of Advocates (to upper floor) |  | Grainger & Miller | Architectural practice, Engineers | B | After 1828 | Before 1845 | Survey plans - perhaps alterations - Upper Hall |  | Thomas Grainger | Engineer | B | After 1828 | Before 1845 | Survey plans - perhaps alterations - Upper Hall |  | William Burn | Architect | C | 1833 | | Remodelled W H Playfair's staircase in order to open communication between Lower and Upper Libraries. Ionic columns, stairs and ironwork are by Burn. This was for the Writers to the Signet after they had acquired the upper library from the Advocates in 1826. |  | George Kay Green | | | 1899 | | Design exhibited - Upper Hall |  | Arthur George Sydney Mitchell | Architect | A | c. 1899 | c. 1910 | Alterations and additions - Upper Hall |  | George Wilson | Architect | A | c. 1899 | c. 1910 | Alterations and additions- Upper Hall |  | Sydney Mitchell & Wilson | Architectural practice | A | c. 1899 | c. 1910 | Alterations and additions - Upper Hall |  | John Denoon Carnegie | Architect | G | 1950s | (?) | Refurbishment over a number of years |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this building: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes |  | Academy Architecture | 1899 | | part 1 | | p98 |  | Brown, Iain Gordon | 1989 | Building for Books: The Architectural Evolution of the Advocates' Library, 1689-1925 | | Aberdeen: Aberdeen University Press | p95. Also Chapter 6 as a whole. |  | Colvin, Howard | 2008 | A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840 | | London: YUP. 4th edition | |  | Cruft, K and Fraser, A (ed) | 1995 | James Craig 1744-1795 | | | p112 |  | Writers to the Signet | 1890 | History of Writers to the Signet | | | pp409-11, 431, 439 |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this building: | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes |  | RIAS Chartered Architect | 1990 | December | | Obituary of John Denoon Carnegie |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this building: | | Source | Archive name | Source catalogue no. | Notes |  | Edinburgh University Library | Plans | 1 and Portfolio 6 | Also letter book no 4 (covering years 1830-33) |  | Historic Environment Scotland | Listed Buildings Register | 27709 | |  | National Archives of Scotland | Category E | E 343/2 | p197 (Minutes of the Trustees for Public Buildings) |  | National Archives of Scotland | Category E | E 343/3 | p24 |  | National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMS | Sydney Mitchell & Wilson Collection | | SMW 1900/8/1-3 (for Grainger & Miller and Sydney Mitchell work) |
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