View of Lady Mary Mansions, 26-29 East Princes Street, Rothesay, Bute, (adjoining Duncan's Halls) from N

Description View of Lady Mary Mansions, 26-29 East Princes Street, Rothesay, Bute, (adjoining Duncan's Halls) from N

Date 27/4/2011

Collection Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu

Catalogue Number DP 098958

Category On-line Digital Images

Scope and Content Rothesay grew up around the 13th-century circular Castle, becoming a royal burgh in 1400/1. The town expanded north along the High Street until two major phases of land reclamation in the 18th and 19th century. This shifted the main axis of the town along the shoreline, with the creation of Montague Street (mid- to late 18th century) and Victoria Street (1839-40). Subsequent development of the town took place along the shoreline, particularly as the town’s popularity as a tourist destination grew during the 19th century. The town centre has developed in a fairly ad hoc manner, as with so many historic towns. This has continued into the 21st century with redevelopment of historic buildings such as the Court House and other smaller infill. One of the main venues where visitors and residents were entertained in Rothesay was at Duncan's Halls, 19-25 East Princes Street. Located to the east of the ferry terminal, overlooking the bay, this four-storeyed-plus-attic, seven-bayed, French Baroque style tenement dates from 1879. Originally containing two halls plus a range of meeting rooms, it was built to designs by James Hamilton & Son, for ex-Provost James Duncan. Its grand facade has a variety of pediments, columns and pilasters surrounding the large windows on the front elevation. The mansard roof contains the attic floor, with 'French-pavilion'-style roofs in the outer bays and a round-arched roof in the centre containing an ornately corniced 'blind' window. The building operated as the Palace Cinema from 1913 to 1963, with a range of alterations being carried out internally c.1935. The large hall which was added to accommodate the cinema has been demolished. The building is currently occupied by flats (some empty) with shops on the ground floor. The main entrance still retains its cream, burgundy, black and green tiling. Adjacent to the Halls is a five-storeyed red sandstone, 'Glasgow-style' tenement, known as Lady Mary's Mansions. The tenement, comprising flats in the upper floors and shops on the ground floor, has a plain frontage, with large full-height bay windows in its outer bays, topped by carved rounded pediments.

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/1235278

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