Drill Hall (Edinburgh)
Encyclopedia
The Drill Hall in Dalmeny Street, Edinburgh
, was built as a military drill hall
in 1901, and between 2003 and 2010 was redeveloped as community arts and education centre under the name Out of the Blue. The Drill Hall is protected as a category B listed building.
, who also designed the Scottish National Portrait Gallery
on Queen Street and the McEwan Hall
at Edinburgh University. The building was used for many years as a barracks, training centre and later as a garage for military vehicles.
The Drill Hall is a B-listed building because of this architectural heritage, but also its historical significance in the local area. In 1915 the Gretna disaster, the worst crash in the history of British rail travel, killed 227 people and injured 246 others. 102 of those killed were young men from the 7th (Leith) Battalion of the Royal Scots, on their way to Liverpool, where they were to leave for Gallipoli. The bodies of the victims were laid out in the Drill Hall prior to burial in Rosebank Cemetery
, across Leith Walk in Pilrig. The Drill Hall is therefore connected to one of the greatest tragedies to affect the community of Leith.
until 2003, when it was purchased by arts charity Out of the Blue. The group, with the aid of City Architecture Office, transformed the Drill Hall into an arts and education centre. The centre, which was fully completed in 2010, incorporates a café, gallery, rehearsal rooms and performance spaces.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, was built as a military drill hall
Drill hall
A drill hall is a place such as a building or a hangar where soldiers practice and perform military drill. In the United Kingdom and Commonwealth, the term was also used for the whole headquarters building of a military reserve unit, which usually incorporated such a hall...
in 1901, and between 2003 and 2010 was redeveloped as community arts and education centre under the name Out of the Blue. The Drill Hall is protected as a category B listed building.
History
The Drill Hall was built in 1901 for The Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment). It was designed by the architect Sir Robert Rowand AndersonRobert Rowand Anderson
Sir Robert Rowand Anderson RSA was a Scottish Victorian architect. Anderson trained in the office of George Gilbert Scott in London before setting up his own practice in Edinburgh in 1860. During the 1860s his main work was small churches in the 'First Pointed' style that is characteristic of...
, who also designed the Scottish National Portrait Gallery
Scottish National Portrait Gallery
The Scottish National Portrait Gallery is an art gallery on Queen Street, Edinburgh, Scotland. It holds the national collections of portraits, all of which are of, but not necessarily by, Scots. In addition it also holds the Scottish National Photography Collection...
on Queen Street and the McEwan Hall
McEwan Hall
The McEwan Hall is the graduating hall of the University of Edinburgh, in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. It was presented to the University in 1897 by William McEwan, brewer and politician, at a cost of £115,000. Sir Robert Rowand Anderson was the architect.The exterior of the D-shaped hall...
at Edinburgh University. The building was used for many years as a barracks, training centre and later as a garage for military vehicles.
The Drill Hall is a B-listed building because of this architectural heritage, but also its historical significance in the local area. In 1915 the Gretna disaster, the worst crash in the history of British rail travel, killed 227 people and injured 246 others. 102 of those killed were young men from the 7th (Leith) Battalion of the Royal Scots, on their way to Liverpool, where they were to leave for Gallipoli. The bodies of the victims were laid out in the Drill Hall prior to burial in Rosebank Cemetery
Rosebank Cemetery
Rosebank Cemetery is a 19th-century burial ground in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located at the junction of Pilrig Street and Broughton Road in the Pilrig area, close to the historical boundary of Leith...
, across Leith Walk in Pilrig. The Drill Hall is therefore connected to one of the greatest tragedies to affect the community of Leith.
Out of the Blue
The Drill Hall was used by the Territorial ArmyTerritorial Army
The Territorial Army is the part time volunteer force of the British Army. With around 35,500 members, the TA forms about a quarter of the overall manpower strength of the British Army. TA members regularly volunteer to serve overseas on operations, either with TA units, or as individuals...
until 2003, when it was purchased by arts charity Out of the Blue. The group, with the aid of City Architecture Office, transformed the Drill Hall into an arts and education centre. The centre, which was fully completed in 2010, incorporates a café, gallery, rehearsal rooms and performance spaces.