County Buildings, Peebles

{{short description|County building in Peebles, Scotland}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Use British English|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox historic site | name = County Hall, Peebles | native_name = | image = Tweeddale District Council Offices - geograph.org.uk - 598870.jpg | caption= County Hall, Peebles | locmapin =Scotland Scottish Borders | map_caption =Shown in the Scottish Borders | coordinates ={{coord| 55.6571 |N| 3.1966 |W|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}} | location = Rosetta Road, Peebles | area = | built =1935 | architect = Peddie and Todd | architecture =Baroque style | designation1 =Category B Listed Building | designation1_offname = Rosetta Road, Tweeddale District Council Offices, with Gatepiers, Boundary Walls and Lamp Standards | designation1_date = 5 August 1993 | designation1_number = LB39256 | website= }} '''County Hall''' is a municipal structure in Rosetta Road in Peebles, Scotland. The building, which was the meeting place of Peeblesshire County Council, is a Category B listed building.<ref name=listed>{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=LB39256|desc= Rosetta Road, Tweeddale District Council Offices, with Gatepiers, Boundary Walls and Lamp Standards |access-date=11 December 2021}}</ref>

==History== The building has its origins in the Peebles Combination Poorhouse which was designed by William Lambie Moffat and completed in 1856.<ref name=workhouse>{{cite web|url=http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Peebles/ |title= Peebles Combination Workhouse, Pebblesshire|publisher=Workhouses| access-date=11 December 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scottisharchitects.org.uk/building_full.php?id=215051 |title=Peebles Union Workhouse|publisher=Dictionary of Scottish Architects| access-date=11 December 2021}}</ref> It was described at the time as a square ornamental building.<ref>{{cite news|title=Peebles Union Poorhouse|newspaper=Peebles County Newspaper and General Adverstiser|date=20 October 1858}}</ref> The poorhouse served as military hospital for service personnel who had been wounded on the Western Front during the First World War<ref>{{Historic Environment Scotland|cat=PLA |desc= Peebles, Rosetta Road, Tweedale District Council Offices|num=98244|num2=NT24SW 117| access-date=22 June 2025}}</ref> and was then acquired by the Peeblesshire County Education Authority in 1921.<ref name=workhouse/>

thumb|left|Old courthouse, High Street Following the implementation of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889, which established county councils in every county, the new county leaders needed to identify offices for Peeblesshire County Council.<ref>{{cite book |last=Shennan |first=Hay |title=Boundaries of Counties and Parishes in Scotland: as settled by the Boundary Commissioners under the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1889 |year=1892 |publisher=William Green & Sons |location=Edinburgh |url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_meygAAAAMAAJ/page/n5 |via=Internet Archive}}</ref> The county council initially met at the courthouse in the High Street, which had been built between 1844 and 1848.<ref>{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=LB39185|desc=The Court House, including former jail and boundary wall to rear, High Street, Peebles |access-date=11 December 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l9VUAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA287 |title=A History of Peeblesshire|page=287|first=William|last=Chambers|year=1864|publisher=William and Robert Chambers}}</ref>

As the responsibilities of the council increased, it became necessary to find dedicated facilities and so the council leaders decided to remodel the old poorhouse at Rosetta Road. The remodelled structure was designed by Peddie and Todd in the Baroque style, built in ashlar stone with a harled finish and was completed in 1935.<ref name=listed/><ref>{{cite book|last1=Cruft|first1=Kitty|last2=Dunbar|first2=John|last3=Fawcett|first3=Richard|title=Borders (Buildings of Scotland Series)|publisher=Yales University Press|year=2006|isbn=978-0300107029|page=619}}</ref>

The design involved a symmetrical main frontage with seven bays facing onto Rosetta Road with the end bays projected forward as single story pavilions; the central section of five bays featured a central doorway with an architrave flanked by brackets supporting a large cornice. The central section was fenestrated with single sash windows with architraves while the end pavilions were fenestrated by three-light sash windows. At roof level, there was a large octagonal cupola on a balustraded base with an ogee-shaped dome.<ref name=listed/> Internally, the principal room was a wooden panelled council chamber.<ref name=listed/>

Following the implementation of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, the county council was abolished and the building became the offices and meeting place of Tweeddale District Council.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1973/65/contents|title=Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973|publisher=Legislation.gov.uk|access-date=9 July 2021}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=19985|page=1570|date=23 November 1976|city=e}}</ref> In 1996, Scottish Borders Council became the unitary authority for the area and the building became the local area office for the enlarged council as well as the local police headquarters.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.scotland.police.uk/police-stations/lothians-and-scottish-borders-police-stations/peebles-police-station/ |title=Peebles Police Station|publisher=Police Scotland| access-date=11 December 2021}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

Category:Government buildings completed in 1935 Category:Category B listed buildings in the Scottish Borders Peebles Category:Peebles Category:Listed government buildings in Scotland Category:1935 establishments in Scotland Category:1856 establishments in Scotland Category:Government buildings completed in 1856 Category:Baroque Revival architecture in the United Kingdom Category:Defunct hospitals in Scotland