A broad five-bay townhouse recalls Annan’s first burgh academy and the schooldays of Edward Irving and Thomas Carlyle.
Quick facts
- Date
- Mid-18th century; altered in the 19th century
- Architect / designer
- Builder unrecorded
- Type
- Large classical townhouse later used as a burgh academy
- Designation
- Listed building, Category A (LB21086)
- OS grid reference
- NY 19148 66535
Architecture, archaeology and continuing use
Three storeys rise above a basement behind a symmetrical rubble-and-ashlar front. Rusticated quoins, a pedimented doorway, sash windows and a cornice give the former house a disciplined civic presence, while a lower wing records later enlargement.
Its story
The burgh purchased the house in the 1790s and used it as its academy. After education moved elsewhere, solicitor and provost James Little adapted the building as a residence; the group now contains several distinct modern uses.
Why it is included
Category A status, association with nationally important pupils and a prominent surviving Georgian frontage make the Old Academy essential to Annan’s educational story.
What to notice
- Five-bay symmetry above the river approach.
- Pedimented central doorway reached by external steps.
- Lower wing showing that the designated group is not a single construction phase.
Reading the surroundings
The addresses contain working and private premises. View from public space and enter only a business or booked accommodation area to which you have been invited.
Timeline
- Mid-18th century The principal townhouse was erected.
- 1790s Annan burgh acquired the building for its academy.
- 19th century Alterations enlarged openings and adapted parts of the group.
- 2026 Several current occupancies share the former academy complex.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
Current sources identify uses at individual addresses but do not justify assigning one use to the whole statutory group.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: The Old Academy, Annan, LB21086 — Designation status, mapped location, date, fabric and architectural or archaeological interest.
- Absolute Classics: 2023–24 filed accounts — Recent dated evidence for an organisational address within Bridge House, 9 High Street.
- Walking in and around Annan — Local identification of the Old Academy and its relationship to Annan history.
Location
OS grid reference NY 19148 66535 · Location confidence: High: the national designation supplies an official mapped National Grid Reference; the independent source confirms the Place relationship, history or current 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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