Listed Building

The only legal part of the listing under the Planning (Listing Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 is the address/name of site. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing – see 'About Listed Buildings' below for more information. The further details below the 'Address/Name of Site' are provided for information purposes only.

Address/Name of Site

30B HOWDENHALL ROAD, MORTONHALL CREMATORIUM WITH REMEMBRANCE CHAPEL, WAITING ROOM, LODGE HOUSES AND SCREEN WALLSLB43242

Status: Designated

Documents

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Summary

Category
A
Date Added
15/04/1996
Local Authority
Edinburgh
Planning Authority
Edinburgh
Burgh
Edinburgh
NGR
NT 26922 68318
Coordinates
326922, 668318

Description

Sir Basil Spence, Glover and Ferguson, project architect A Dewar, 1967 for Corporation of the City of Edinburgh. Multi-denominational crematorium and service block flanked by large chapel to SE and small chapel to W. Expressionist style, dramatic geometric angular shapes of white calcined flint aggregate concrete blocks, coursed in varying heights and clustering with vertical emphasis. Narrow, full-height windows of natural weathered red cedar, zinc roofs. Bronze metalwork.

CREMATORIUM: long, low flat-roofed block with office and service access at rear, chimney on roof.

MAIN CHAPEL: symmetrical, angular composition of slab walls with narrow windows in angles. Central timber flat-roofed porch, timber doors with vertical, glazed panels, window above with timber fin-like mullions projecting. Triangular zinc spire, glazed to S. INTERIOR: white painted walls, central aisle flanked by simple natural pine pews set at an angle. Tall S windows glazed in yellow, amber, green, blue and purple glass, walls plain white. Catafalque in altar position with cross and curtain on wall behind. Organ located above doorway on cantilevered platform accessed by metal spiral stair. Domed bronzed light fittings suspended low over pews.

SMALL CHAPEL: of simpler composition; 2 angular slab blocks placed at

45 degree angles either side of central doorway, detailed as main chapel. Circular zinc tower rising from roof with skylight at top lighting catafalque. INTERIOR: white-painted walls, simple natural pine pews set at angle to aisle, altar arrangement as above with frieze of religious symbols in glass panels above cross. Organ in recess to left of altar. Yellow coloured glass to windows over door, lights set into ceiling.

REMEMBRANCE CHAPEL: small chapel to W of main block, built of 2 slab blocks with timber screen between of door and windows, overlooking grassed area to W. 2 screening slabs on driveway approach serve as gatepiers.

WAITING ROOM: to SW of Crematorium, long low structure of aggregate concrete block piers, flat roof with boarded timber eaves above, glass and timber screen walls set at angles to create 3 separate bays of outside seating, also an enclosed glazed area with concrete block seating. Adjoining screen walls to service vehicle depot.

SCREEN WALLS AND LODGE HOUSES: aggregate concrete screen walls to main road with lettering and armorial in bronze, large timber gates. 2 flat-roofed, single storey lodge houses, built on brick basement, harled with natural boarded timber eaves, plate glass windows with top-hoppers.

Statement of Special Interest

Ecclesiastical building in use as such. Edwards refers to the spirit of Le Corbusier in this work by Spence, and suggests a stylistic debt to Ronchamp in the theatrical use of wall-planes and shafted light. The use of deflected light and colour is comparable with Coventry Cathedral. Memorial garden and a large stone cross on rise to W. Extensive landscaped grounds around crematorium maintained as public garden.

References

Bibliography

P Willis NEW ARCHITECTURE IN SCOTLAND (1977), p938-41. B Edwards - BASIL SPENCE 1907-76 (1995), pp78-79.

About Listed Buildings

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Listing is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for buildings of special architectural or historic interest as set out in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997.

We list buildings which are found to be of special architectural or historic interest using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Listed building records provide an indication of the special architectural or historic interest of the listed building which has been identified by its statutory address. The description and additional information provided are supplementary and have no legal weight.

These records are not definitive historical accounts or a complete description of the building(s). If part of a building is not described it does not mean it is not listed. The format of the listed building record has changed over time. Earlier records may be brief and some information will not have been recorded.

The legal part of the listing is the address/name of site which is known as the statutory address. Other than the name or address of a listed building, further details are provided for information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland does not accept any liability for any loss or damage suffered as a consequence of inaccuracies in the information provided. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing. Even if a number or name is missing from a listing address it will still be listed. Listing covers both the exterior and the interior and any object or structure fixed to the building. Listing also applies to buildings or structures not physically attached but which are part of the curtilage (or land) of the listed building as long as they were erected before 1 July 1948.

While Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating listed buildings, the planning authority is responsible for determining what is covered by the listing, including what is listed through curtilage. However, for listed buildings designated or for listings amended from 1 October 2015, legal exclusions to the listing may apply.

If part of a building is not listed, it will say that it is excluded in the statutory address and in the statement of special interest in the listed building record. The statement will use the word 'excluding' and quote the relevant section of the 1997 Act. Some earlier listed building records may use the word 'excluding', but if the Act is not quoted, the record has not been revised to reflect subsequent legislation.

Listed building consent is required for changes to a listed building which affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest. The relevant planning authority is the point of contact for applications for listed building consent.

Find out more about listing and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.

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