Mission Hall, 63-67 High Street, Edinburgh

Mission Hall, 63-67 High Street, Edinburgh

A four-storey, five-bay L-plan Palladian mission building designed by John Armstrong in 1883, with a two-storey mission hall to the rear. The ground floor contains shops, above which an entablature forms the base for a giant engaged Corinthian order spanning the first and second floors. The third floor is treated as an attic storey above the main dentilled entablature. The facade is finished in polished yellow ashlar with bull-faced stonework in the pend. The rear elevation is constructed in red brick laid in common bond.

The High Street elevation features a central round-arched two-leaf timber panelled door with plate glass fanlight, set within a pilastered round-arched surround. The shop fronts occupy advanced flanking bays, with carved festoons adorning the flanking pilasters. First-floor windows are set in moulded round-arched surrounds with flanking pilasters. Second-floor windows are aediculed with fluted Corinthian pilasters and alternating segmental and triangular pediments, with balustraded aprons. The attic storey is divided by panelled pilasters, with round-arched windows linked by hoodmoulds. A central segmental pediment crowns the composition, containing a circular panel.

The Chalmers Close elevation (west) comprises a four-bay, two-storey red brick range to the north of the pend on the sloping site. An off-centre two-leaf timber panelled entrance door and a similar single-leaf side door are present. Segmental-arched windows are positioned at doorhead level, with first-floor round-arched windows featuring red ashlar cills and flanking brick pilasters; a dentilled eaves course completes this elevation.

The rear (north) elevation meets a coped rubble curtilage wall belonging to the separately-listed Trinity College Church Apse, rising two storeys above. A central pedimented bay contains a large oculus between brick pilasters, with a further two-bay, two-storey wing extending westward.

The Trunk's Close elevation (east) is two storeys of red brick on a rubble base course, with irregular fenestration and red ashlar cills.

Windows to the front first and second floors are plate glass timber casements with fixed upper panes, while upper rear windows are timber sash and case. The mission hall cupolas are secondary glazed internally with frosted glass or plastic and feature geometric astragals. Plain leaded glass three-pane arched casement windows display geometric patterns with narrow yellow and green borders. A large modern stained glass oculus depicting a crucifix and other religious symbols occupies the north elevation, with all decorative glazing to the rear protected externally by wire mesh.

Roofing comprises a flat felt roof over the mission hall, a central pitched roof in grey slate, and a pyramidal slate roof to the east with cupola. A coped brick stack with clay cans and cast-iron rainwater goods complete the exterior.

The interior includes an entrance vestibule with modern inner glazed doors and a central staircase, both featuring dentilled and modillioned cornicing, moulded arched doorheads, dado rails, and heavily corniced picture rails. The symmetrical mission hall is divided horizontally and contains a modern floor and staging. The ceiling is centrally raised and curved, incorporating six rectangular cupolas, with four further cupolas to each aisle. Four arched leaded windows occupy each aisle. Structural Corinthian columns with plain shafts and modillions support the ceiling, with an oculus at the north end.

The first-floor south-facing drawing room spans the full five bays. The ceiling is divided into sections by consoled corniced beams, accommodating three ceiling roses decorated with masks, birds, and foliage. Three later cut-glass electroliers have been installed. A dado rail continues throughout, with timber panelled doors on the upper floors.