I have loved historic buildings since visiting them as a child. I studied architectural history at Edinburgh University and have been involved with historic buildings throughout my career. I bring this background and knowledge to photographing them for a wide range of clients.

I finally made the opportunity to visit Coventry Cathedral; somewhere that has long been on my to-do list.

It is an astonishing creation; all the more so for the circumstances that created it: the bombing of the Cathedral Church of St Michael during WW2. That those responsible for the church's future were determined to build something so overtly modern for its time, and yet so respectful of tradition, is remarkable. Basil Spence's creation is both of these things: traditional and modern. Even though it was designed over 70 years ago (it was completed in 1962) it remains timeless, crisp and clean. The stained glass is astonishing: the huge window in the north transept is simply beautiful, as are the towering vertical glazed slits in its southern partner.

Torwoodlee Tower, lying west of Galashiels, was built by the Pringle family in 1601, replacing an earlier tower. The new tower was built on the upper of several terraces created on the south-facing slope above the current A72. Barely a shell today with no interior walls or floors, the building’s principal distinguishing feature is the round stair tower on the front (west) facade, topped with a square cap house. Beneath this is an intricate dog-tooth moulding; small and just visible from the ground. Various mouldings to window and door openings suggest that some stones may have been recycled from another building; perhaps the earlier tower. The Tower was the subject of a comprehensive repair and stabilisation project in 2017 and is a designated Ancient Monument, still in the ownership of the Pringle family who now live in nearby Torwoodlee House of 1787, when the Tower was abandoned.

Culross prospered in the early 16th century, largely as a result of local entrepreneur and landowner, George Bruce, later Sir George. He worked in coal and salt and traded with the Netherlands. In 1592, James VI granted the town the status of a Royal Burgh, but its wealth declined after the flooding of Bruce’s Moat Pit. Its architectural wealth, however, remains, as one of the very best collections of Scottish vernacular architecture, in the Fife style of pantiles, wee-windaes and crow steps, plus of course The Palace (Bruce’s merchant’s house). Its conservation can be credited to the National Trust for Scotland.

These photographs are from February 2023 and March 2024.

I am not as familiar with Glasgow’s architecture as that of the Capital, but a renewed interest via the work of Mackintosh caused me to spend part of a day photographing some of the commercial architecture in the city centre.

I was particularly interested in the iron-framed buildings, of which there are two examples here.

First is the Ca d’Oro at 120-136 Union Street. Designed by John Honeyman and built in 1872 as F & J Smith’s furniture warehouse. An unfortunate mansard was added in the 1920s, but removed in a refurbishment following a major fire in 1987, when two new replica bays were added to the southern end of the Union Street facade.

The second is A Gardner & Son’s Building at 36 Jamaica Street. Cited in Pevsner as “one of the most remarkable cast-iron warehouses of its date anywhere in Britain” this glass palazzo by John Baird I was built in 1855-56 as the showroom over four floors plus basement for one of Glasgow’s largest and most successful cabinetmakers and upholsterers. Its architectural subtleties include that the 1st and subsequent floors are of decreasing height to increase the perception of overall height. Also the first floor windows are headed with a shallow curve, those on the second floor with a steeper curve and those on the third with a full semicircle; all designed to also increase the illusion of height.

Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s office in Mitchell Street of 1893-95 for the Glasgow Herald, and now home to the architectural centre The Lighthouse, is the dominant building of the street. Its tower contains a doocot that allegedly housed pigeons that brought home notes of current news such as football results.

James Salmon junior’s Hatrack Building is at 142A-144 St Vincent Street and dates from 1899-1902. Described by Gomme & Walker (Architecture of Glasgow) as “as close as Britain gets in its architecture to art nouveau” it is a remarkable contrast to its more severe neighbours.

The former Edinburgh Life Assurance Co of 1904-06 by J A Campbell, 122-28 St Vincent Street. Reconfigured internally in 1980-81.

Also by James Salmon junior is The Lion Chambers (1906), 170-72 Hope Street. Perhaps not quite as dramatic as the Hatrack, but distinguished in its own way, and an early example of reinforced concrete construction. Sadly it has stood empty for some years, and has been on the Buildings At Risk Register since 1997; condition “critical” and continuing to deteriorate, with significant water penetration and many broken windows.

Former Northern Insurance Co, 84-94 St Vincent Street, John A Campbell, 1908. Glasgow’s first full steel framed building with decoration leaning toward the forthcoming Art Deco.

James Miller’s Union Bank, now the Bank of Scotland, of 1924-27 is at 110-120 St Vincent Street; a solid modern neo-classical block in the American style.

Arguably Scotland’s most significant architect, Robert Adam (1728-92) was the son of William and one of three architect brothers. Robert made Palladianism his own, adding elegance and a lightness of touch that few others could equal.

Whether the great cathedrals of our cities, or the local parish kirk, churches are often the primary architectural expression of a community’s pride and ambitions. Photographing their exteriors, interiors and features such as stained glass has formed a significant part of my portfolio.

Built in 1636-47 to take the congregation disposed from St Giles when it was elevated to a cathedral. The Kirk was remodelled in 1785-87 to accommodate the new South Bridge and Hunter Square, losing the south aisle and shortening the nave by two bays. After a fire of 1824, when the steeple was destroyed, a new one was added to a taller design. The interior has lost its features but retains fine stained glass by James Ballantine & Sons and by Ballantine & Gardiner. The Tron Kirk is one of Edinburgh’s most prominent causes celebre, having been without a real use for many decades. The Scottish Historic Buildings Trust has taken on a lease from the owners - the City Council - and is looking at potential solutions. I photographed it for SHBT in 2022.

Scott purchased the existing farm steading of Clarty Hole c.1811. Substantial additions were made in two phases between 1817 and 1823, during which time the original house was demolished. A large western wing was added by William Burn in 1853-57, and this ensemble is the house as we see it today. Its architectural significance is that it popularised the Scottish Baronial Revival, but it is perhaps even more significant for Scott’s large collection of ephemera. Short aerial film of the house here.

In 2019/20, I had an exhibition at Edinburgh City Art Centre. It examined the seminal text of 1966 by A J Youngson titled “The Making of Classical Edinburgh” and its wonderful photographs by Edwin Smith. I re-interpreted Smith’s images to reflect change in the New Town over the intervening half-century. We were also fortunate to able to borrow and display original prints by Edwin Smith from the book’s publisher, Edinburgh University Press, who issued a new edition which included a selection of my photographs

For Cowane’s Hospital Trust and Benjamin Tindall Architects

An outstanding Arts & Crafts house, designed by Mackay Hugh Baillie Scott, and built in 1898-1900 for Sir Edward Holt, a Manchester Brewer. It was later a school, then empty for a while, before being purchased by Lakeland Arts and restored, opening to the public in 2001. In addition to a beautiful interior, it contains many fine examples of Arts & Crafts furniture, designed by Bailiie Scott, Morris & Co, Ernest Gimson, Stanley Webb Davies, E G Punnett and others.

Images from commissions for York Conservation Trust and the National Lottery Heritage Fund

The ground floor of this historic building was amended some decades ago to raise the ceiling height of the ground floor shop. In doing so, access to the upper floors was removed and they may have remained unaccessible for over a hundred years. Local charity The Ridge is restoring the building and exploring possible uses for these upper floors. These photographs represent the first views inside the building for what may be over a century, Certainly, a newspaper I found was dated 1906. The interior has important examples of vernacular interiors, including wooden panelling made of recycled packing cases; some from Argentina - perhaps a pointer to some of the building’s former uses.

It is believed that the building as originally constructed would have had its gable end-on to the High Street, but was later modernised to line the roof up with other buildings in the street. The facade has also been dressed with cement render to simulate ashlar.