Edinburgh, Wesleyan Mission, Earl Grey Street

The building illustrated was designed by Dunn and Findlay in 1899 as Edinburgh Central Hall. The style was described as a free treatment of French Renaissance.

The seriousness of the Wesleyan purpose in Edinburgh is surely illustrated by the fact that £20,000 was paid to buy the ground and the school and two blocks of new tenements which had been built on it.

As was normal with central halls, the street and basement floors were planned as business premises, the rent from which would finance the work of the Mission, which occupied the upper floors. The hall on the first floor was designed to accommodate 1,600 to 1,700 people. Another hall on the same floor could accommodate a further 280. On the upper floors were classrooms, stores and a caretaker’s house.

The whole scheme cost £40,000.

Further information about the Mission or Central Hall would be appreciated.

Reference: The Building News 1899, pp 46 and 539