Penicuik, West Street, South Church Hall

Mid 19th century, with later additions. Single storey, 5-bay flat-roofed, gothic church hall, on original plan. Tooled, squared and snecked sandstone rubble, with droved ashlar dressings. Pointed-arch openings with hoodmoulds, to principal elevation. Chamfered reveals to openings. Strip quoins to outer left and right of principal elevation. Wallhead stepped up at centre to principal elevation. Coped.

B Group formed with former South Church Manse, 32 West Street (see separate listing) for their juxtaposition and inter-relationship on a strategic site, and for their historical interest. West Street Hall's unusual plan comes from the triangular-shaped piece of land that was given by Charles Cowan MP to the Free Church to build upon. West Street Hall was the first church of Penicuik's Free Church congregation, formed in 1843. When the growing congregation deemed the site too small, Sir George Clerk of Penicuik gave land to the south of the River North Esk on the Peebles Road for a new church designed by F T Pilkington (Penicuik South Church, see separate listing). Sir George Clerk also gave land adjacent to the church in West Street for the building of a manse, and 32 West Street was used as such until the building of a larger manse on Bog Road in 1896. (Historic Environment Scotland)