4 , Meridian Street, Montrose

A long, 2-storey warehouse with curvilinear south gable end facing Montrose Harbour. The gable has simple classical detailing with a circular opening, a panel inscribed "1905", and a segmental hoodmould with coped skews and double skewputts. It is constructed of the grey/brown sandstone rubble with ashlar dressings, common to many traditional buildings in Montrose. There are blocked openings at ground and 1st floor, some with rolling door insets. The pitched roof structure is timber with a grey slate covering and is piended at the northeast end.

Dated 1905 (possibly incorporating earlier fabric) this building is a notable representative example of stone-built warehousing in Montrose, occupying a prominent harbour location, with an ornamental gable facing the quay.

A warehouse was first proposed for this site by engineer James Leslie in his 1836 plan for Montrose Harbour (adjacent to the proposed wet dock, completed by 1843). The rectangular-plan footprint of a lime store warehouse is shown on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map (surveyed, 1861) and the present building may incorporate some fabric from this building. The present warehouse, dated 1905, has largely remained in use in some capacity since then for storage. Two vehicular openings were enlarged during the later 20th century. The wet dock was infilled in 1981, creating space for additional warehousing and storage facilities.

Despite some later alteration and some loss of fabric, the warehouse remains a good surviving example of an industrial building that relates to the development and historic function of Montrose Harbour. The prosperity of the town during the 19th century was in no small part built on its well-situated harbour for international trading and cargo.

The quayside setting is important, relating directly to the building's function. It is one of a small group of nearby industrial buildings of historic significance in this area of Montrose including the Old Custom House and Grain Store (LB38222) and the former fish curing works at 1-5 America Street (LB46164). Together these buildings contribute to an understanding of the commercial history and development of Montrose Harbour.

While harbour warehouses are not a rare building type in Scotland this example, with its segmental gable facing the harbour, is now among the best surviving 19th – early 20th century warehouses in Montrose. (Historic Environment Scotland)

19 August 2021: Nominated by HES Planning Consents and Advice Team, advising the building is subject to a demolition application (21/00178/LBC). Supporting information submitted as part of the application note the building has remained in use as a storage facility but is now only partly in use for storage.

15 December 2021: Limited external inspection possible. From what could be viewed from street vantage the building appears to be overall in Poor condition. Whilst the roof appears to be generally fair - intact ridge, some missing slates and vegetation growths - but the remainder of the building is poorer condition. Rainwater goods are intact but blocked with vegetation in sections. There are diagonal cracks and possible bulge/ misaligned gutter towards the gable's wallhead. Dampness is a significant issue to the north-east elevation - beneath defective rainwater goods and towards the base of walls - with associated stone decay and mortar loss evident and lean/bulge towards the southern end. The building remains the subject of a full demolition application. Move to At Risk.

19 June 2023: Previously noted application for demolition (ref: 21/00178/LBC) has been refused.

21 September 2023: An appeal (LBA-120-2002) against the refusal of listed building consent for demolition has been lodged by the building owner.