The History of Leith Corn Exchange

As you stroll around Leith, you will see many imposing buildings, some of which have an illustrious history. One fine example of Victorian Scottish architecture is the famous Corn Exchange, in Baltic Street, which was built in the 1860s and is said to have cost the princely sum of £7000.

The Corn Exchange is built in a Roman style, with a corn-hall that measures 110 feet long by 70 feet broad. The building also features an octagonal tower.

The former Corn Exchange building is popular with architects and well known locally for its attractive frieze, which shows ‘putti’ at all stages of the grain; figures are also depicted milling grapes to make wine and processing wool; sowing and harvesting; reaping and threshing; celebrating the harvest; shearing sheep; counting woolpacks and importing cereals.

The frieze was created in 1863 by a Scottish sculptor called John Rhind, who was based in Edinburgh. He was born in Banff the son of a master mason.

In recent years, the Corn Exchange has been converted into 8,000 square feet of high quality studio space where several design companies are currently housed. The building also includes exhibition gallery space at the entrance level, and forms the Eastern gateway to the historic centre of Leith on Constitution Street. This conversion project has been praised widely, and even received the “Best Re-Use of a Listed Building” commendation at the 2006 Scottish Design Awards.