St Cecilia's Hall facts for kids
Façade of St Cecilia's Hall on the Cowgate
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| Established | 1763 |
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| Location | Edinburgh, Scotland, UK |
| Type | Music museum, concert hall |
| Collections |
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| Architect | Robert Mylne |
| Owner | University of Edinburgh |
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Listed Building – Category A
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| Designated | 14 December 1970 |
| Reference no. | LB27760 |
St Cecilia's Hall is a special place in Edinburgh, Scotland. It's a small concert hall and a museum. You can find it near the Royal Mile, a famous street in the city.
This building was finished in 1763. It was the very first concert hall built just for music in Scotland! Today, it belongs to the University of Edinburgh. It holds many old musical instruments. These include the Russell Collection and other important collections. The hall is still used for classical music concerts. It also hosts events during the Edinburgh International Festival in summer.
Contents
History of St Cecilia's Hall
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St Cecilia's Hall was built for a group called the Edinburgh Musical Society (EMS). This group started in 1728. Before the hall was built, they met in a church. A Scottish architect named Robert Mylne designed the hall. He also designed Blackfriars Bridge in London.
The first concert in the new hall was in December 1763. It honored Saint Cecilia, who is known as the patron saint of musicians. St Cecilia's was one of the first concert halls in Europe. It was built just 15 years after the Holywell Music Room in Oxford, England.
Mylne designed the building with an oval concert hall upstairs. There was a rehearsal room on the ground floor. The main door used to open onto a small courtyard. Later, a fancy entrance with columns was added around 1787.
Changes to the Area
In 1785, Edinburgh started building a big bridge called South Bridge. This bridge went over the Cowgate area. It connected the Old Town to the university. When the bridge was finished in 1787, it changed the area a lot.
Many old narrow streets were lost. St Cecilia's Hall lost its original entrance courtyard. The new bridge and tall buildings made the Cowgate area dark. People who went to concerts started to prefer the new Assembly Rooms. These were in the more fashionable New Town.
Because of this, fewer people came to St Cecilia's Hall. The Edinburgh Musical Society stopped holding concerts. Their last concert was in 1798. By 1801, the society closed down. They sold the hall to a church group.
Later Uses of the Hall
On October 16, 1821, St Cecilia's Hall became a school. It was the site of the first chemistry lecture for the Edinburgh School of Arts. This school is now known as Heriot-Watt University. Classes were held there until 1837.
Over the years, the building was used for many different things. It was a Freemason lodge, a warehouse, and even a ballroom. In 1959, the University of Edinburgh bought the building.
Architecture and Design
The outside of St Cecilia's Hall looks simple and classic. It has smooth stone walls. Inside, on the upper floor, is the Sypert Concert Room. This room is shaped like an oval. It has a decorated ceiling with a dome in the middle.
In 1966, the university hired an architect named Ian Lindsay. He rebuilt the inside of the concert hall. He also created a new entrance for the building.
In 2016, St Cecilia's Hall had a big renovation. It cost £6.5 million to make the concert hall and museum even better. Part of the money came from the Heritage Lottery Fund. This fund helps protect important historical buildings. The hall reopened to visitors in 2017.
Music Museum and Collections
St Cecilia's Hall is not just a concert venue. It also has a wonderful museum of musical instruments. It's one of two places where the university keeps its collection of old musical instruments.
The museum shows instruments from the Rodger Mirrey and Russell Collections. These are mostly early keyboard instruments. There's also the Anne Macaulay Collection, which has plucked string instruments.
The museum has more than 400 instruments! They work hard to keep these instruments in good condition. The collections include many types of instruments, such as:
- Harpsichords
- Virginals
- Spinets
- Organs
- Fortepianos (early pianos)
- Harps
- Lutes
- Citterns
- Guitars
In 1967, a small chamber organ was bought for the hall. It was built around 1750 by John Snetzler. This organ was placed in the Sypert Concert Room. However, it was damaged by dry air and couldn't be played. It was finally repaired and restored in 2017.
Images for kids
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The Russell Collection
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Wind and string instruments
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Brass instruments
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