Desk Based Assessment

Date April 2007 - June 2007

Event ID 557739

Category Recording

Type Desk Based Assessment

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/557739

NT 0909 8734 A conservation plan was completed between April and June 2007 as part of a planned new museum and art gallery. Original architects' drawings for both the library and bank buildings were analysed, and drawings were made to reconstruct lost features. A detailed description of the development of the sites was compiled. The library was the first to be funded by Andrew Carnegie and is of outstanding historical significance. It was built in 1883 and extended between 1914 and 1923 by the architect James Shearer, in a striking design that fused elements of clean, forward-looking design with Lorimeresque detailing and fine examples of craftsmanship. The adjacent villa, St Margaret's House, was a former manse, latterly used by a

Roman Catholic order of nuns, and then by the local authority. The bank building was found to be one of the earliest branches of the Commercial Bank of Scotland, designed by the architect John Rhind, and altered by Wardrop and Reid. Previous archaeological investigation of the site has revealed a midden containing medieval pottery, and the site was assessed as having archaeological potential.

Archive deposited with RCAHMS.

Funder: Fife Council.