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Buildings

Basic Site Details

Peebles Hydropathic
Peebles
Peeblesshire
B listed
Scotland
Cost of original building (by John Starforth) £70,000. This building was burnt down and replaced by James Miller\'s hotel building.

PEEBLES. - The new Hotel - Hydropathic at Peebles, erected to replace the building destroyed by fire in July, 1905, was opened on Friday night. It occupies the old site east of the town, set high on the north bank of the Tweed. Designed by Mr J. Miller ARSA, Glasgow, it is in the Georgian style, and in that respect presents a marked contrast to the building it has replaced, which was Scots Baronial. The chief elevation shows an H-planned main block with two projecting wings, the total frontage being 210 feet. The accommodation includes a basement and four floors, two of which are placed in the high-pitched roof. In the centre of the main block a bay has been thrown out and balconies formed on first and second floors. It is crowned by a pedimented roof. The main entrance is protected by a domed porte-cochere. On each side of the doorway at the terrace level is a loggia of five arches. The piers of the arcade carry at the first-floor level of the main block a balcony, its sloping glass roof supported by light Doric columns with entablature and dentil blocks. The two wings have oriel windows, with mullions and transoms. Their roofs are of pavilion pattern. The whole of the walls are roughcast, harled, the woodwork is in pure white, and the roof-tiles are of orange red. At the east end, separated by a passage 12 feet in width, bridged over at the first-floor level, is an annexe which contains the dining-hall with kitchen accommodation, and at the back are other annexes for bedrooms and administrative purposes. Marble has been used for the entrance stair and floor of the main corridor, and the woodwork is of Australian Kauri pine stained. A corridor, 2l0 feet long and 13ft. wide, runs the length of the building, communicating at the west end with the conservatory, and at the east end with the dining-hall. The recreation-hall is 100 feet long by 40 ft., with stage at one end. The dining-room is pillared, 80 feet. by 40ft., and 18 feet high, with panelled ceiling. The bedrooms, numbering 200, are on the second and two upper floors. The cost of the building and furnishings has been £70.000. [Building News 29 March 1907 page 452]

Alternative Names

The following alternative names are associated with this building/design:

Alt classic

NameCurrent NameNotes
Peebles Hydropathic HotelYesRebuilt as hotel after original building burnt down
Peebles Hotel HydroYes

Building Type Classification

The building is classified under the following categories:

Class classic

ClassificationOriginal ClassificationNotes
HotelNot Known

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:

event classic

Event TypeFromToNotes
Build/construction18781881Original building
Reconstruction19051907New building after fire - rebuilt as hotel by James Miller
1935Extensions
Rehabilitation1945a1955bReinstatement after occupation by War Office

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.

design classic

PersonPartnership GroupRoleFromToNotes
John Starforth18781881Original building - some rubble survives at rear
James MillerA19051907New building after fire - rebuilt as hotel
James MillerB1935Extensions
Carver, Symon & Ross (or Ross & Partners)DArchitectural practice1946Reinstatement after occupation by War Office
Donald (F?) RossDArchitect1946Reinstatement after occupation by WO
James Watson RitchieDArchitect1946Reinstatement after occupation by WO
William GlashanDArchitect1946As senior assistant with Carver Symon & Ross - reinstatement after occupation by WO

Related Buildings, Structures and Designs

Child Structures

This structure or site has the following component or child structures (click on an item to view details):

Child classic

NotesName
Dates vary in sources (1881: HS List; 1888: Buildings of Scotland).Peebles Hydropathic, lodge

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this building:

bio ref classic

AuthorYearTitlePartPublisherNotes
Cruft, Kitty, Dunbar, John and Fawcett, Richard2006Borders (The Buildings of Scotland)New Haven and London: Yale University Presspp 77 & 620
Strang, Charles Alexander1994Borders and Berwick: An Illustrated Architectural Guidepp229-30

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this building:

period ref classic

Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Peterhead Sentinel**
Building News1907/03/29p452
Dundee Advertiser1893/03/27*Starforth work

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this building:

arc ref classic

SourceNameCat NumberItem NameNotes
DMW ArchiveJames Miller Typed List of Works by Audrey Sloan
Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register39220
RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination PapersJames Watson Ritchie: F no5191 (Combined Box 62)