The Queen's Hall
Encyclopedia
The Queen's Hall is a 900-capacity music venue, situated on Clerk Street in Edinburgh
, Scotland
. Originally built in 1823 as Hope Park Chapel, it was converted to its current role in 1979 and was formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II
on 6 July 1979.
It now plays host to all types of live music, and presents approximately 200 performances every year. It is the year-round Edinburgh performance home of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra
and also plays an important role for the Edinburgh International Festival
, Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival.
Parish Church. The Forster and Andrews organ was installed in 1873 and was only the second organ introduced into an established church in Edinburgh.
s were replaced with more comfortable seating, and the overall number of seats were reduced. During this time, Newington Parish Church became a fashionable kirk for owners of the new villas in the southside of Edinburgh.
and the United Free Church meant that there were now 13 congregations between the Meadows
and the Queen's Park
, south of the old city wall. In 1932 the General Assembly
reunited the parishes of Newington and St Leonard's. The original St Leonard's was sold to the Church of Christ for £3,000 (it is now St. Margaret's and St. Leonard's Catholic Church) and the money used to create a new development which is now the bar area. It was designed by J. Jeffrey Wardell and opened on 8 December 1934. A declining congregation lead to the closure of Newington and St Leonard's Church on 31 July 1976.
), Scottish Philharmonic Singers and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra for performance and rehearsal premises. An appeal was launched in 1977. The architect was Larry Rolland of Robert Hurd and Partners, and the main contractor was Melville, Dundas and Whitson. The total costs amounted to £850,000 and The Queen's Hall was officially opened on 6 July 1979.
Further development of the backstage areas took place in 1982 with the opening of the Canada Room (now named the Tunnell Room, in honour of John Tunnell, the former leader of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra
). In 1991, a new mezzanine level - called the Hope Scott Room - was created above the bar area. The Hall was further improved in 1996 with the installation of the piano lift, refurbishment of the pews, lighting and carpeting at a cost of £700,000. In 2001, £215,000 was raised from trusts and private donors to purchase and convert the adjacent shop at 2 South Clerk Street for office accommodation. During 2011, a further £100,000 was invested in new boilers, toilets, emergency lighting and carpeting; this money was raised from trusts, foundations and individual donors.
The two 14 feet (4.3 m) high plaques located in the stairways to the balconies ('The Creed' and '10 Commandments') were not part of the original fabric of the building. They were gifted by the Kirk Session in June 1949 from Buccleuch Parish Church.
The 1873 Forster and Andrews organ was relocated to Nicholson Square Methodist Church. The William Gray chamber organ was built in 1810 for the Jerningham family in Norfolk. It was purchased for £6000 from Christopher Dickens (Organ Builder) and relocated to The Queen's Hall. Its inaugural concert was 13 July 1979. It was sold at Phillips Auction in November 1991.
The pulpit was removed and placed in storage by the Church of Scotland
until it was gifted and installed in St Giles Church, Elgin in 1981.
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...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Originally built in 1823 as Hope Park Chapel, it was converted to its current role in 1979 and was formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
on 6 July 1979.
It now plays host to all types of live music, and presents approximately 200 performances every year. It is the year-round Edinburgh performance home of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Scottish Chamber Orchestra
The Scottish Chamber Orchestra is Scotland's national chamber orchestra, based in Edinburgh. One of Scotland’s five National Performing Arts Companies, the SCO performs throughout Scotland, including annual tours of the Scottish Highlands and Islands and South of Scotland. The SCO appears...
and also plays an important role for the Edinburgh International Festival
Edinburgh International Festival
The Edinburgh International Festival is a festival of performing arts that takes place in the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, over three weeks from around the middle of August. By invitation from the Festival Director, the International Festival brings top class performers of music , theatre, opera...
, Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival.
History
1822–1873
The Kirk Session of St Cuthbert investigated the southern districts of the parish and found that for a population of 20,250 people, there were only 6,274 seats at places of worship. An appeal was launched, the site was located and the Edinburgh architect Robert Brown (d.1832) was appointed to design the new church. He was responsible for laying out some of Edinburgh's urban extension and designing buildings such as the Easter Coates development, including Melville Street, Coates Crescent and Manor Place. The original cost of the building was £6,111, and in 1834 it was renamed the NewingtonNewington
Newington is the name of several places, districts, a school, and a house.* England:**Greater London*** Newington, London *** Stoke Newington, a district in London*** Newington Green, a district in London**Kent*** Newington, Swale, Kent...
Parish Church. The Forster and Andrews organ was installed in 1873 and was only the second organ introduced into an established church in Edinburgh.
1874–1928
Towards the end of the century, Victorian modifications were made to the interior of the building. Tinted glass was put in the windows, the pulpit was lowered, the high box pewBox pew
Box pew is a type of church pew that is encased in panelling and was prevalent in England and other Protestant countries from the 16th to early 19th century.-History in England:...
s were replaced with more comfortable seating, and the overall number of seats were reduced. During this time, Newington Parish Church became a fashionable kirk for owners of the new villas in the southside of Edinburgh.
1929–1976
The reunification of the Church of ScotlandChurch of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
and the United Free Church meant that there were now 13 congregations between the Meadows
The Meadows (park)
The Meadows is a large public park in Edinburgh, Scotland, just to the south of the city centre. Largely consisting of wide open grassland crossed by tree-lined paths, the park also has a children's playground, a croquet club, tennis courts and cricket pitches...
and the Queen's Park
Holyrood Park
Holyrood Park is a royal park in central Edinburgh, Scotland about a mile to the east of Edinburgh Castle. It has an array of hills, lochs, glens, ridges, basalt cliffs, and patches of whin providing a remarkably wild piece of highland landscape within its area...
, south of the old city wall. In 1932 the General Assembly
General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the sovereign and highest court of the Church of Scotland, and is thus the Church's governing body[1] An Introduction to Practice and Procedure in the Church of Scotland, A Gordon McGillivray, 2nd Edition .-Church courts:As a Presbyterian church,...
reunited the parishes of Newington and St Leonard's. The original St Leonard's was sold to the Church of Christ for £3,000 (it is now St. Margaret's and St. Leonard's Catholic Church) and the money used to create a new development which is now the bar area. It was designed by J. Jeffrey Wardell and opened on 8 December 1934. A declining congregation lead to the closure of Newington and St Leonard's Church on 31 July 1976.
1977–present
The closure of the church coincided with a search by the Scottish Baroque Ensemble (now the Scottish EnsembleScottish Ensemble
The Scottish Ensemble is one of Scotland's finest string ensembles, formed from some of the most highly respected string players in Europe. Playing standing in a semicircle and without a conductor, it is led from the violin by Artistic Director, Jonathan Morton.Originally formed in 1969 as the...
), Scottish Philharmonic Singers and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra for performance and rehearsal premises. An appeal was launched in 1977. The architect was Larry Rolland of Robert Hurd and Partners, and the main contractor was Melville, Dundas and Whitson. The total costs amounted to £850,000 and The Queen's Hall was officially opened on 6 July 1979.
Further development of the backstage areas took place in 1982 with the opening of the Canada Room (now named the Tunnell Room, in honour of John Tunnell, the former leader of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Scottish Chamber Orchestra
The Scottish Chamber Orchestra is Scotland's national chamber orchestra, based in Edinburgh. One of Scotland’s five National Performing Arts Companies, the SCO performs throughout Scotland, including annual tours of the Scottish Highlands and Islands and South of Scotland. The SCO appears...
). In 1991, a new mezzanine level - called the Hope Scott Room - was created above the bar area. The Hall was further improved in 1996 with the installation of the piano lift, refurbishment of the pews, lighting and carpeting at a cost of £700,000. In 2001, £215,000 was raised from trusts and private donors to purchase and convert the adjacent shop at 2 South Clerk Street for office accommodation. During 2011, a further £100,000 was invested in new boilers, toilets, emergency lighting and carpeting; this money was raised from trusts, foundations and individual donors.
Fixtures and Fittings
The clock in the clock tower was provided by subscriptions in 1827 and its original workings were replaced in 1883. These workings were stolen - probably for scrap - during the refurbishment in the late 1970s.The two 14 feet (4.3 m) high plaques located in the stairways to the balconies ('The Creed' and '10 Commandments') were not part of the original fabric of the building. They were gifted by the Kirk Session in June 1949 from Buccleuch Parish Church.
The 1873 Forster and Andrews organ was relocated to Nicholson Square Methodist Church. The William Gray chamber organ was built in 1810 for the Jerningham family in Norfolk. It was purchased for £6000 from Christopher Dickens (Organ Builder) and relocated to The Queen's Hall. Its inaugural concert was 13 July 1979. It was sold at Phillips Auction in November 1991.
The pulpit was removed and placed in storage by the Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
until it was gifted and installed in St Giles Church, Elgin in 1981.