Fair Maid's House
House in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, UK / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Fair Maid's House is an historic building in the centre of Perth, Perth and Kinross, Scotland. Located in North Port, it is a Category B listed building, partly dating from 1475[1] but mostly from 1629.[2] It is two storeys, built of rubble, with a stair tower and slated roof. The building is most noted for providing part of the inspiration for Sir Walter Scott's novel The Fair Maid of Perth (1828).
Fair Maid's House | |
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Location | 21–23 North Port Perth Perth and Kinross Scotland |
Coordinates | 56.39824010°N 3.4300659°W / 56.39824010; -3.4300659 |
Built | 1629 (395 years ago) (1629) |
Listed Building – Category B | |
Designated | 20 May 1965 |
Reference no. | LB39410 |
The Glover Incorporation of Perth bought the premises, and used it for their meeting hall for over 150 years. Their motto, "Grace and Peace", is carved above entrance door.[2]
The building still incorporates medieval parts, but most of its masonry has been renewed, and the interior was re-done between 1893 and 1894 by J. & G. Young architects for its then-owner, solicitor William Japp, of Alyth.[1] (An error in an inscription in the exterior wall of the stair tower resulted in its reading 1393, instead of 1893.) A niche on an outside wall reputedly originally contained a curfew bell.[2] A prayer niche and a fireplace on the first floor most likely date from the 15th century.[1]
The north wall of the building was part of the former Blackfriars Monastery (hence the street was formerly known as Blackfriars Wynd),[3] where King James I of Scotland was murdered in 1437. The wall shows the location of two ancient fireplaces and the original level of the floor.[4]
Between 1965 and 1966, antique dealer Thomas Love & Sons used the premises.[5]
The building was restored and extended, at a cost of £750,000, by Page\Park Architects for the Royal Scottish Geographical Society in 2010–11, a project that won a commendation in the Scottish Civic Trust Awards 2012.[1]