| Old Viewforth | |
|---|---|
 The earliest part of Old Viewforth | |
| Location | Stirling |
| Coordinates | 56°06′48″N3°56′13″W / 56.1134°N 3.9370°W |
| Built | 1855 |
| Architect | J W Hay and James Miller |
| Architectural style(s) | Scottish baronial style |
Listed Building – Category B | |
| Designated | 8 January 2002 |
| Reference no. | LB48323 |
  Shown in Stirling | |
Old Viewforth is a municipal facility on Pitt Terrace in Stirling, Scotland. The facility, which is the headquarters of Stirling Council, is a Category B listed building. [1]
The first house on the site, which was known as "Viewforth" was commissioned by the Rev John McMillan, Moderator of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland, in 1787. [2] The building was acquired by Peter Drummond, a seed merchant, who demolished the old house in 1853. [2] The earliest part of the current building, which was designed by John Hay in the Scottish baronial style, was built for Drummond and completed in 1855. [1] [3] The design involved an asymmetrical main frontage with four bays facing St Ninian's Road; it featured a stone porch, supported by polished columns, on the ground floor with coat of arms and finial above; there was a narrow oriel window on the first floor and a bartizan on the left corner. [1] The house was remodelled in 1871. It was requisitioned by the government during the First World War and subsequently used as offices for various government departments until 1931, when it was purchased by Stirlingshire County Council for £5,250. [4] [2] [lower-alpha 1]
A large extension, extending the building eastwards to a design by James Miller in an art deco style in order the create additional administrative facilities for the county council, was added in 1937. [1] The design for the extension involved an asymmetrical main frontage with eighteen bays facing south; the central section of three sections featured a doorway with an iron surround on the ground floor flanked by windows and full-height pilasters with a coat of arms above; there were windows on the first floor with a block pediment and frieze above. [1] Statues of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce were erected on either side of the doorway. [1] [7] The principal room was the council chamber which jutted out to the north of the extension. [2] The extension cost £33,000 and was officially opened on 5 May 1937. [8]
The complex became the headquarters for the wider Central Regional Council when it was created in May 1975. [9] Following the reorganisation under the Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994, which saw the abolition of the district councils in the area, the building became the headquarters of the new Stirling Council in 1996. [10]
A modern building known as "New Viewforth", designed in the Brutalist style, was constructed to the south of Old Viewforth and officially opened on 29 February 1972 but, after it became apparent that refurbishment would be uneconomic, it was demolished in 2014. [11] In February 2020 the council announced that, although the council's main building at Old Viewforth was being retained, a section of land on the east of the site would be marketed for sale as part of plans for the Viewforth Link Road. [12] [13]
Falkirk is one of 32 unitary authority council areas of Scotland. It was formed on 1 April 1996 by way of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 from the exact boundaries of Falkirk District, one of three parts of the Central region created in 1975, which was abolished at that time. Prior to the 1975 reorganisation, the majority of the council area was part of the historic county of Stirlingshire, and a small part, namely Bo'ness and Blackness, was part of the former county of West Lothian.
Stirlingshire or the County of Stirling is a historic county and registration county of Scotland. Its county town is Stirling.
The Stirling council area is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and has a population of about 93,470. It was created in 1975 as a lower-tier district within the Central region. The district covered parts of the historic counties of Stirlingshire and Perthshire, which were abolished for local government purposes. In 1996 the Central region was abolished and Stirling Council took over all local government functions within the area.
Stirling is a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.
The Pollokshields Burgh Hall is a municipal building at the edge of Maxwell Park, Glasgow, Scotland. The burgh hall, which was briefly the headquarters of Pollokshields Burgh Council, is a Category A listed building.
Central region was a local government region from 1975 to 1996, being one of twelve such regions across Scotland. The Regional Council's headquarters were at Viewforth in Stirling, which had been previously the headquarters of Stirlingshire County Council. Since 1996 the area has been divided into the council areas of Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and Stirling, which had previously been districts within Central region.
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The Municipal Buildings are based in Corn Exchange Road, Stirling, Scotland. The structure, which was the meeting place of Stirling Burgh Council, is a Category B listed building.
Stirling Tolbooth is a municipal building in Broad Street, Stirling, Scotland. The structure, which was the original meeting place of Stirling Burgh Council, is a Category A listed building.
Bo'ness Town Hall is a municipal building in Stewart Avenue, Bo'ness, Scotland. The structure, which was the meeting place of Bo'ness Burgh Council, is a Category B listed building.
Linlithgow Burgh Halls is a municipal structure at The Cross, Linlithgow, Scotland. The complex includes the Town House, the former headquarters of Linlithgow Burgh Council, which is a Category A listed building. and the Old County Hall, the former headquarters of West Lothian County Council, which is a Category B listed building.
Denny Town House is a municipal building in Glasgow Road, Denny, Falkirk, Scotland. The structure is used by Falkirk Council for the provision of local services.
Crieff Town Hall is a municipal building in the High Street, Crieff, Perth and Kinross, Scotland. The structure, which is currently used as a tourist information centre and museum, is a Category B listed building.
Stirling Sheriff Court is a judicial building in Viewfield Place, Barnton Street, Stirling, Scotland. The building, which remains in use as a courthouse, is a Category B listed building.