Built 1901 Designated 13 March 1995 | Architect Robert Rowand Anderson Reference no. 26729 | |
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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.
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History
The Drill Hall was built in 1901 for The Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment). It was designed by the architect Sir Robert Rowand Anderson, 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.
Out of the Blue
The Drill Hall was used by the Territorial Army 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.