Edinburgh, 192 High Street, Police Chambers
Police Station (19th Century)
Site Name Edinburgh, 192 High Street, Police Chambers
Classification Police Station (19th Century)
Alternative Name(s) 1 Parliament Square
Canmore ID 113059
Site Number NT27SE 725
NGR NT 25801 73586
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/113059
- Council Edinburgh, City Of
- Parish Edinburgh (Edinburgh, City Of)
- Former Region Lothian
- Former District City Of Edinburgh
- Former County Midlothian
NT27SE 725 25801 73586
ARCHITECT: William Nixon, 1845.
Standing Building Recording (21 October 2018)
NT 25802 73574 A historic building survey was undertaken, 20 – 21 October 2018, of the early 19th-century former Police Chambers building at 1a Parliament Square in advance of its renovation.
The building was constructed, 1845 – 49, to a design by the architect William Nixon as a Police Chambers, including a police court and court cells. Prior to this, there were tenement buildings on the site in the later medieval period. However, by at least the mid-late 18th century the Royal Bank stood on the site, together with another building facing the High Street. These were removed in the 1840s to make way for the Police Chambers building and the formalisation of Parliament Square.
This development forms the southern portion of the Police Chambers (the northern portion was developed in 2002) and is a six-storey building with a similar floor plan throughout, with the exception of the basement level and the second floor (mezzanine) level, which mostly contained a number of prisoner holding cells. The building has undergone a certain amount of refurbishment over the years, with two new modern open well stairs to the NE and SW corner respectively. The public court to the first floor also remained in situ with tall sash windows, timber panelling, fixtures and fittings and a moulded cornice and ceiling.
Archive: NRHE (intended)
Funder: Axiom
Diana Sproat – AOC Archaeology Group
(Source: DES Vol 19)
OASIS ID: aocarcha1-329797
Watching Brief (8 April 2019)
NT 25802 73574 A historic building survey was carried out on the former police chambers building at No 1a Parliament Square. The works were undertaken, between 20 October 2018 and 8 April 2019, in advance of renovation of the former early 19th century building.
A structural watching brief was undertaken on the police court room after its initial strip out, although much of the internal character and panelling of this room is being retained. An archaeological watching brief was also maintained on all ground-breaking works within the building, which was restricted to a few trial holes in the basement of the building and exposed only made ground and service trenches.
Archive: NRHE (intended)
Funder: Axiom
Diana Sproat - AOC Archaeology Group
(Source: DES Vol 20)
