Perth, Bridgend, Murray Royal Hospital Gilgal House

NO 12879 24062–NO 13113 24009 A historic building survey was carried out from 22 February–1 March 2021, of a number of late 19th- and early 20th-century hospital buildings comprising the former Murray Royal Hospital complex in Perth, prior to the part-demolition and renovation of the buildings. The work was required as a condition of the listed building consent on the development, and included both a basic and enhanced level of historic building survey on the buildings, which included the main Murray Royal Hospital, the Birnam and Elcho Villas, Chapel and Gilgal Building.

The Murray Royal Hospital was constructed in the early 1820s to designs by architect William Burn and was later extended to the NW side in 1833. It was constructed as a lunatic asylum for the people of Perth and the surrounding districts under the will of James Murray of Tarsappie. After the 1830s extensions, it comprised a typical H-Plan hospital with a central administration wing with wards for female and male inpatients to the SW and SE sides, with additional wards to the NW added in 1889. In 1903–1904, two identical detached villas were constructed to the NW of the hospital – the Elcho and Birnam Wings – together with a small chapel between them. At the same time, a sub-basement walkway was also created between the Chapel and the main hospital building. In the early 1930s, another larger detached building known as the Gilgal Building was constructed further to the SE of the hospital for voluntary inpatients.

The layout of the main hospital building is defined by its

large circulation area to the SE side of its central wing, which is located below an octagonal tower rising above the roof with a glazed cupola added in the 1850s. Decorative wrought iron railings adorn the upper second and attic floor levels creating a walkway. There are some late 19th-/early 20th-century detailing in the building, such as the timber panelled doors, cornices and decorative ceilings, together with some survival of cast- iron fireplaces. However, the more elaborately decorated rooms in the building are located at the second floor level in the NW side, consisting of a library with fine joinery and timber detail, and a ballroom. Both rooms have been subject to severe damp and mould in recent years, although much of their original character has been retained.

The Elcho and Birnam Wings are virtually identical and

in opposite symmetry built in an Arts and Craft style with a half-timbered first floor. The Chapel, located between these buildings, has a Nave and Sacristy to the NW side with a small basement area. The Chapel was designed by A R Urquhart in a Scots Gothic style with a plain pitched slate roof and tower at the SE font. This, and the adjacent villas, were all built on a large elevated piece of land with an uninterrupted view of the landscape.

The Gilgal building was constructed in 1930 and designed by architects Smart, Stewart and Mitchell as a detached hospital to the SE of the main hospital building for voluntary inpatients. From the 1990s, a new hospital complex was erected to the NW of the older hospital which eventually became derelict.

In the last few years, the main building has been subject to roof material theft which has led to a severe damp problem in many areas of the building. A fire also gutted the Gilgal building in 2011, which meant that the interior of that building was inaccessible at the time of survey due to health and safety concerns.

Archive: NRHE (intended) Funder: Riverside Residential

Diana Sproat – AOC Archaeology Group

(Source: DES Vol 22)

OASIS ID: aocarcha1-419260

The Gilgal Ward or House, a detached building in the grounds of the Murray Royal Hospital, was recorded as part of the Threatened Buildings Survey on 26th May 2021 prior to its proposed demolition.

Gilgal was designed by Smart Stewart & Mitchell 1929-31 to provide accommodation for voluntary patients whose needs were of a lesser severity than those in the main building. A similar plan was adopted with a central administration building with flanking wings one for male patients and one for female patients. A much more modest domestic style and scale was adopted. The combination of harled walls and large sweeping roofs shows the influence of the vernacular inspired architecture of Sir Robert Lorimer. Each wing had a large projecting covered veranda and the mostly single storey building was set in landscaped gardens.

Gilgal has been empty and boarded up for sometime and the east wing has almost been completely destroyed by fire. It is proposed to completely demolish the building as part of the proposed redevelopment of the Murray Royal Hospital site in 2021.

The James Murray bequest that originally funded the Murray Royal Hospital came from the proceeds of wealth created overseas through Scotland’s Colonial enterprise.