Pilkington Buildings in Penicuik awarded historic building grant

31st July 2020

As part of the Penicuik Heritage Regeneration Project, a historic building grant of has been awarded to properties in the town centre forming what is known as the Pilkington Buildings.

The properties included are 22, 26, 28 and 30 Bridge Street, along with numbers 1, 2, 3,6 and 7 Park End.

The Pilkington Buildings are Grade A listed for their historic and architectural importance but are in need of repair.  As such, they are a high priority for improvement as part of the Penicuik regeneration project. The roof, chimneys, dormer windows, guttering and downpipes all need repair and restoration, as well as the stonework and traditional timber windows and doors. 

Nine owners applied for funding to help with the total cost of the work, which is £440,105.  A grant of 75% has been awarded, amounting to £330,079.  This will be split between the property owners in proportion to the amount of work required for each property.

The Victorian architect FT Pilkington designed and built the distinctive properties in 1860, described by architectural historians as “rogue gothic” tenements with a distinctive corner oriel.  They are arranged in 4 blocks around a courtyard and were built for single female workers in the Penicuik paper mill owned by Charles Cowan. Due to the current Covid-19 crisis, the restoration work has been delayed but will now start on 17 August and will take around 6 months to complete.

Pilkington buildings early 20th century postcard






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