Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust

1774-1901 AD

Former Hospital Lodge in York Place

This B-listed building on York Place, originally the lodge for the 1836 Perth County and City Infirmary was built in 1840 to a design by William Donald Mackenzie, a Perth City Architect, who was responsible for a number of impressive public and domestic buildings within the city. The Infirmary is now the A K Bell Library. The Lodge was was built in a neo-classical style to harmonise with the main hospital building. It was moved and rebuilt on its present site on York Place in 1867. After being derelict for many years it was purchased and restored by the Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust work for which PKHT was given a Civic Trust Award in 2003, for an outstanding improvement to the built heritage of Perth. The lodge served as the offices of PKHT until 2019 when they moved to the City Mills. It now houses the Rejuvenate Clinic.

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28/11/2023

1603-1774 AD

Cunningham Graham Close, High Street

Bearing the date 1699 on the lintel, Cunningham Graham Close at 13-17 High Street is said to be the oldest continually inhabited building in Perth. The building is three storeys and an attic. A monogram with the carving "RG, EC" and its year of construction is located above the entrance to the close. These initials refer to Robert Graham and Elspeth Cunningham, for whom the building is named. It was restored in 2015-2016. The project was carried out by the Owners’ Association with the support and encouragement of both Perth and Kinross Council officers and Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust through the Perth City Heritage Fund. Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust recorded on this on their new plaque to the right more details on their web site Historic Tenement Repairs - Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust (pkht.org.uk). In 2016 this project won the biennial Perth Civic Trust Award.

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19/11/2023

Commerce

City Mills in West Mill Street

A modern information board on the east side of the City Mills near the Lade gives full details of the importance of the Lade and the City Mills. (This information board was sponsored by the Perth Civic Trust.) There were almost certainly mills on this site in the 12th century. Commercial activity continued until 1966. Until fairly recent times the importance of the Lade was confirmed by the annual inspection carried out by members of the Town Council. The buildings were restored by Perth and Kinross Council between 1982 and 1988 and became a working mill again for some years. There is a plaque inside the Mill commemorating this. Later it housed Perth Tourist Information Centre. The buildings are now used by Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust and are occasionally open on Doors Open Days. Plans to open up as a working mill and visitor attraction were sadly abandoned in 2023.

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19/11/2023

1000-1603 AD / City walls, gates and bridges / Commerce

West Port

At the junction of High Street and South Methven Street was the old West Port, one of the many entrances to the city in medieval times. Traders would enter her to go to the many markets held within the walls. A modern information board entitled Going to Market (Panel 9 of the Perth Medieval Trail) can be found beside the newly redeveloped St Paul’s Church open-air space.

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26/09/2023

1000-1603 AD / Commerce

Old Mercat Cross

A stone plaque in the roadway of the High Street near its junction with Skinnergate marks the site of the Old Mercat Cross. A modern information board close-by describes the various markets held over the centuries. This is Panel 6 of the Perth Medieval Trail which replaced an earlier board (also pictured below). Further details of markets and trades are recorded on Panel 8 at St John’s Kirk. The original cross was demolished by Cromwell’s engineers to provide stones for his citadel. It was re-instated in 1669 and this replacement demolished in 1765. It was here in 1746 that Charles Edward Stuart or Bonnie Prince Charlie declared his father James III of England. The design of the present Mercat Cross in King Edward Street is closely based on that of the original. (Duncan. J., Perth, A City Again, 2012, p299)

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25/09/2023

1000-1603 AD / Commerce

Skinnergate

In medieval times Skinnergate was the main thoroughfare into Perth from the North. Many of the crafts and trades associated with Perth were established there just inside the burgh walls, most notably those associated with leather like the Glovers Incorporation founded in 1210. An information board entitled Perth – A Craftis Toun can be found on Mill Street at the north end of Skinnergate. This is number 5 in the Perth Medieval Trail.

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25/09/2023