A tall harled H-plan building and delicate cupola preserve the institutional presence of Perth’s royal hospital within a residential reuse.
Quick facts
- Date
- Built 1748–1752; converted to flats 1974–1975
- Architect / designer
- Possibly James Cree; work supervised by Baillie Robertson and Deacon Gardiner
- Type
- Four-storey H-plan former almshouse, school and infirmary with cupola
- Designation
- Listed building, Category A (LB39319)
- OS grid reference
- NO 11510 23427
Architecture and continuing use
Four storeys and an attic rise around projecting wings and pedimented centres. Raised ashlar margins, a Roman Doric doorpiece and the timber-and-lead octagonal cupola give the otherwise vernacular mass unusual formality.
Its story
Royal endowment and public subscription funded an almshouse, school, infirmary and reformatory on the former Charterhouse site. The building later held varied charitable uses and was converted to twenty-one flats in the 1970s.
Why it is included
It is among Scotland’s finest eighteenth-century H-plan institutions and maintains a charitable residential purpose after major adaptation.
What to notice
- Strong H-plan and projecting gabled wings.
- Roman Doric south doorpiece, now a window.
- Octagonal cupola with clocks, ogee dome and weathervane.
Reading the surroundings
This is residential property. View from public streets, protect residents’ privacy and enter the grounds or common areas only with permission.
Timeline
- Built 1748–1752 Royal endowment and public subscription funded an almshouse, school, infirmary and reformatory on the former Charterhouse site. The building later held varied charitable uses and was converted to twenty-one flats in the 1970s.
- Present Twenty-one residential flats administered under the historic hospital trust.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
The possible attribution to James Cree is not proven. Management details are drawn from HES and Perth Civic Trust and may evolve.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: King James VI Hospital, LB39319 — Designation status, mapped location, construction phases, fabric, authorship and architectural or historical interest.
- Perth Civic Trust: King James VI Hospital — Current residential use, trust administration, historic purpose and occasional Doors Open Day access.
Location
OS grid reference NO 11510 23427 · Location confidence: High: the statutory designation supplies an official mapped National Grid Reference and the current source confirms the Place relationship or present identity. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
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