Basic Site Details

Name: Smith Institute
Town, district or village: Stirling
City or county: Stirlingshire
Country: Scotland
Parish:  
Status: B listed
Grid ref:
Notes: STIRLING - The Smith Institute, Stirling, N.B., has been opened. The building is in the Italian style of architecture, from designs by Mr Lessells, architect, Edinburgh. The building, which is somewhat similar in appearance to the National Gallery, Edinburgh, has in front a portico with Doric pillars. The accommodation it affords includes a grand picture gallery, 105 feet by 43 feet; a smaller gallery 43 feet by 27 feet; two museums, the larger 148 feet by 30 feet, and the smaller 44 feet by 24 feet; a library and reading room 50 feet by 28 feet; and a council-room and other necessary offices. The library is handsomely decorated, the ceiling being panelled and filled in with plaster of Paris casts of famous Stirling heads, alternated with appropriate shields and coats of arms. [Building News 7 August 1874 p182]


Records on display at Smith Art Gallery & Museum. Lamp standards by McDowell Steven & Co Ltd, Milton Foundry

Alternative Names

The following alternative names are associated with this building/design:
 NameCurrent name?Notes
Item 1 of 1Smith Art Gallery and MuseumYes 

Building Type Classification

The building is classified under the following categories:
 ClassificationOriginal classification?Notes
Item 1 of 3Institute  
Item 2 of 3Art gallery  
Item 3 of 3Museum  

Street Addresses

The following street addresses are associated with this building:
 AddressMain entrance?Notes
Item 1 of 140, Albert Place  

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:
 FromToEvent typeNotes
Item 1 of 41874   
Item 2 of 41974 Won award or awardsSaltire commendation - for work by Bracewell Harrison & Coton - with 'F C Stirling Partnership' but this has yet to be identified
Item 3 of 4Before 1974 Alteration/conversion 
Item 4 of 4After 1975Before 1995RefurbishmentFitting out

People

Design and Construction

The following individuals or organisations have carried out design/construction work. Where architects or practices worked together, matching letters appear beside their names in the Partnership Group column.
 NameRolePartnership GroupFromToNotes
Item 1 of 5John Lessels A1874  
Item 2 of 5Arthur Geoffrey Bracewell DBefore 1974 Alterations?
Item 3 of 5Bracewell Harrison & Coton DBefore 1974 Alterations?
Item 4 of 5Central Regional Council Department of Architectural Services BAfter 1975Before 1995Fitting out
Item 5 of 5Ian Watson BAfter 1975Before 1995Fitting out - as Group Leader at Central Regional Council

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this building:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 3Gifford, John and Walker, Frank Arneil2002Stirling and Central Scotland (The Buildings of Scotland) New Haven and London: Yale University Pressp714
Item 2 of 3http://www.saltiresociety.org.uk http://www.saltiresociety.org.uk   
Item 3 of 3www.scottishironwork.org www.scottishironwork.org  Lamp standards by McDowell Steven & Co Ltd, Milton Foundry

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this building:
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Building News7 August 1874  p182 - opening
Item 2 of 2RIAS Quarterly2010SpringRoyal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS)p.112: obituary of Ian Watson

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this building:
 SourceArchive nameSource catalogue no.Notes
Item 1 of 1Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register41109