_459 The Webster Memorial Theatre, Arbroath "<p><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">The <\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">Webster<\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">Theatre<\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;"> in Arbroath was originally built as the Webster Memorial Theatre and was converted to an Arts Centre in 1970.<span> <\/span>It is now a multi-purpose performance venue.<span> <\/span>It is a category C listed building.<span> <\/span><\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">Historic <\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">Scotland<\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">\u2019s listing reference details the building as James Maclaren, 1865; renovated and extended 1951, 1967 and 2008. Well-detailed 2-storey, 5-bay Classical public hall and theatre in prominent High Street position, with modern extensions to rear. <\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">Ground floor with channelled detail and vermiculated quoins, polished ashlar Doric columns and pilasters, carved head keystone over centre door; 1st floor with vermiculated pilasters with later high relief carved thistle capitals supporting entablature with triglyphed frieze and cavetto cornice; centre pediment with blind oculus in tympanum is flanked by further set-back entablature with plain (altered?) frieze and carved detail at dies. <\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">Ashlar with dry dash to sides and rear. Roundheaded openings to centre door at ground and 1st floor. Keystoned hoodmoulds and voussoirs. <\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">FURTHER DETAIL: principal E elevation with modern semicircular canopy fronting 3 centre bays which comprise 2-leaf door and decoratively-astragalled semicircular fanlight to blind portico at centre flanked by deep-set 2-leaf doors with multi-pane fanlights; windows to outer bays. 1st floor with regular full-height fenestration. All bays with dividing pilasters.8- and 12-pane glazing patterns in timber sash and case windows at principal elevation. Grey slates.<\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">INTERIOR: largely reworked during 2008 modernisation, including foyer, staircase and theatre. 1st floor hall retains fine decorative plasterwork to cornices and ceiling.<\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">The principal elevation of the Webster Memorial Theatre, by local architect James Maclaren, has retained much of its original character and it makes a significant contribution to Arbroath\u2019s largely 19th century High Street. Formerly known as The Public Hall, the building was renovated in 1951, the stage and auditorium were enlarged in 1970 and further work was carried out in 2007 after which the building was re-opened by Provost Ruth Leslie Melville MBE on <\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">19th January 2008<\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">. The success of this work was recognised when Angus Council Property Division received the 2008 RIAS DIA award for Best Example of Environmental Improvement \/ Conservation. When opened in 1865, the building contained 'a museum and a large hall for concerts and public meetings' (Groome). It hosted touring plays and vaudeville, but was not successful until local flax manufacturers, the,Webster family gave their support and eventually gifted it to the town in memory of their son who was killed in the First World War. During the 1930s the Arbroath Follies became popular summer spectacles. The 1st floor hall retains portraits of Janet Webster (1819-1908) and Sir Francis Webster (her son). The latter, by Robert Gibb RSA, was presented by 'Arbroath Liberals and Other Friends, In Recognition of His Eminent Public Services, Arbroath 20 April 1912'. Architect James Maclaren was born in <\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">Dundee<\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;"> in 1829, he worked at David Bryce's <\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">Edinburgh<\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;"> office and won the Soane medallion in 1848. He returned to <\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">Dundee<\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;"> in 1850 and set up practice with his brother. Maclaren worked extensively in the Angus, <\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">Dundee<\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;"> and <\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">Perth<\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;"> area and during the 1860s his commissions included industrial work at Cox's Stack, <\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">Dundee<\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">, churches at Forfar and Hawkhill, tenements at Broughty Ferry and Blackness, hotels, private house and public buildings. Listed as part of the Theatres Thematic Study 2008-09. <\/span><\/p><p> <\/p>" Organization "<p><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">The <\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">Webster<\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">Theatre<\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;"> in Arbroath was originally built as the Webster Memorial Theatre and was converted to an Arts Centre in 1970.<span> <\/span>It is now a multi-purpose performance venue.<span> <\/span>It is a category C listed building.<span> <\/span><\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">Historic <\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">Scotland<\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">\u2019s listing reference details the building as James Maclaren, 1865; renovated and extended 1951, 1967 and 2008. Well-detailed 2-storey, 5-bay Classical public hall and theatre in prominent High Street position, with modern extensions to rear. <\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">Ground floor with channelled detail and vermiculated quoins, polished ashlar Doric columns and pilasters, carved head keystone over centre door; 1st floor with vermiculated pilasters with later high relief carved thistle capitals supporting entablature with triglyphed frieze and cavetto cornice; centre pediment with blind oculus in tympanum is flanked by further set-back entablature with plain (altered?) frieze and carved detail at dies. <\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">Ashlar with dry dash to sides and rear. Roundheaded openings to centre door at ground and 1st floor. Keystoned hoodmoulds and voussoirs. <\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">FURTHER DETAIL: principal E elevation with modern semicircular canopy fronting 3 centre bays which comprise 2-leaf door and decoratively-astragalled semicircular fanlight to blind portico at centre flanked by deep-set 2-leaf doors with multi-pane fanlights; windows to outer bays. 1st floor with regular full-height fenestration. All bays with dividing pilasters.8- and 12-pane glazing patterns in timber sash and case windows at principal elevation. Grey slates.<\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">INTERIOR: largely reworked during 2008 modernisation, including foyer, staircase and theatre. 1st floor hall retains fine decorative plasterwork to cornices and ceiling.<\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">The principal elevation of the Webster Memorial Theatre, by local architect James Maclaren, has retained much of its original character and it makes a significant contribution to Arbroath\u2019s largely 19th century High Street. Formerly known as The Public Hall, the building was renovated in 1951, the stage and auditorium were enlarged in 1970 and further work was carried out in 2007 after which the building was re-opened by Provost Ruth Leslie Melville MBE on <\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">19th January 2008<\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">. The success of this work was recognised when Angus Council Property Division received the 2008 RIAS DIA award for Best Example of Environmental Improvement \/ Conservation. When opened in 1865, the building contained 'a museum and a large hall for concerts and public meetings' (Groome). It hosted touring plays and vaudeville, but was not successful until local flax manufacturers, the,Webster family gave their support and eventually gifted it to the town in memory of their son who was killed in the First World War. During the 1930s the Arbroath Follies became popular summer spectacles. The 1st floor hall retains portraits of Janet Webster (1819-1908) and Sir Francis Webster (her son). The latter, by Robert Gibb RSA, was presented by 'Arbroath Liberals and Other Friends, In Recognition of His Eminent Public Services, Arbroath 20 April 1912'. Architect James Maclaren was born in <\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">Dundee<\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;"> in 1829, he worked at David Bryce's <\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">Edinburgh<\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;"> office and won the Soane medallion in 1848. He returned to <\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">Dundee<\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;"> in 1850 and set up practice with his brother. Maclaren worked extensively in the Angus, <\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">Dundee<\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;"> and <\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">Perth<\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;"> area and during the 1860s his commissions included industrial work at Cox's Stack, <\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">Dundee<\/span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">, churches at Forfar and Hawkhill, tenements at Broughty Ferry and Blackness, hotels, private house and public buildings. Listed as part of the Theatres Thematic Study 2008-09. <\/span><\/p><p> <\/p>" 364363 740828