Museum, Dunblane Cathedral, Kirk Street, Dunblane

Museum, Dunblane Cathedral, Kirk Street, Dunblane

This building is an early 17th-century tenement and former townhouse, now serving as a museum with flatted accommodation. It occupies a prominent corner site at the junction of the Cross and Kirk Street.

The structure comprises several elements: an original 2-storey and attic rectangular-plan main block with an adjoining 2-storey 3-bay section running parallel to the Cross (both likely originally 2-storey and dating to the same period), and a later 2-storey 6-bay rectangular-plan block erected at right angles to the east, fronting Kirk Street, dated 1765 on a window lintel. A modern rear wing extends eastward from the Kirk Street section. The building is harled with painted stone dressings. Two barrel-vaulted ground floor rooms occupy the ground floor of the main block, and smaller attic windows light the upper storey. The principal elevations to the north and west feature largely architraved openings, while the main block displays coped gables.

The west elevation facing the Cross shows a 5-bay, 3-storey frontage. The main block to the left contains an entrance with chamfered surround set back to the outer left bay, with a window immediately to the left and another in the adjacent bay to the right (the latter formerly an entrance). A rubble forestair with later 20th-century railings rises near the centre, leading to a 1st floor entrance with a replacement boarded timber door and rectangular fanlight; flanking windows to this floor and attic are regularly disposed. To the right of centre stands a 2-storey section with a second rubble forestair (also with later railings and ground-level opening) serving its left bay, where a replacement boarded timber door with fanlight and an adjacent window are located. Above the entrance in the outer right bay sits a heraldic panel incorporating a heart pierced by two swords and flanking initials I (or J) P. A segmental-headed vennel entrance opens from the outer right bay.

The north elevation fronting Kirk Street comprises a 2-storey 6-bay section, divided into a 2-bay western portion and a 4-bay eastern portion. The 2-bay section to the left has an entrance with chamfered architrave and replacement boarded timber door, with a window to its right. Two windows with chamfered architraves light the 1st floor. The 4-bay section to the right displays regularly disposed windows, all with later projecting cills, grouped in pairs; the lintel of the outermost right window at ground level bears the inscription '1765' with a cross and initials (possibly 'J P'). The gable end of the original main block projects slightly to the right; a window to its left lights the 1st floor, altered possibly from a former entrance, with an attic window above.

The south and east rear elevations of the main block show irregularly disposed windows to the 2-storey and attic portions, including four inserted breaking-eaves dormers with catslide roofs. A smaller former architraved window is visible at the junction with the later Kirk Street block. An adjoining section to the south has two small architraved windows, one at each floor, with a larger window positioned above a vennel. The east section of the Kirk Street block is largely obscured by a modern wing. The west section retains a small window at each floor, the ground-floor example being architraved, plus a window and small stair window to the left.

Windows throughout are 9- and 12-pane timber sash and case. Grey slate roofs cover the building. Chimney stacks are retained only to the main block, comprising coped gablehead stacks at the north and south ends and one coped ridge stack near the centre, all with round cans.

The interior contains two barrel-vaulted ground floor rooms to the north of the main block, accessed by a doorway inserted into the northern room to provide passage to the Kirk Street block. The ground floor of the Kirk Street block retains an original beamed ceiling in part, with two plain surrounds to fireplaces. Early panelled timber doors survive on the upper floors of the Kirk Street block.

A well with coped circular-plan rubble walls above ground stands in the yard to the rear.