Listed Building

The only legal part of the listing under the Planning (Listing Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 is the address/name of site. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing – see 'About Listed Buildings' below for more information. The further details below the 'Address/Name of Site' are provided for information purposes only.

Address/Name of Site

GREENSIDE STREET, KILNCRAIGSLB20956

Status: Designated

Documents

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Summary

Category
A
Date Added
12/06/1972
Supplementary Information Updated
20/08/2004
Local Authority
Clackmannanshire
Planning Authority
Clackmannanshire
Burgh
Alloa
NGR
NS 88795 92611
Coordinates
288795, 692611

Description

William Kerr, 1903-4; altered and converted to office units, LDN Architects, 2003-04. 4-storey and attic, 13-bay, L-plan English-Baroque office building formerly including factory premises, S elevation enclosed by monumental bowed curtain wall. Polished sandstone ashlar with rusticated quoins. Chamfered base course, channelled and corniced ground floor, mutuled cornice. Round-headed openings to ground, Gibbsian doorpiece; keystones; some shouldered architraves; corniced giant order, Ionic-capitalled, fluted pilasters flank alternate bays, those to bays 4 and 10 extend into 3rd floor and terminate in broken apex pediments above cornice, and bays 2 and 12 to incorporate date '1904'.

W (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: bays 4 to 11 arcaded at ground with door to left and regular fenestration to each floor above. 3 bays to outer left with square-headed windows throughout, single windows to centre bay at ground, 1st and 2nd floors, and bipartites elsewhere (except that to ground left which is altered). 2 bays to outer right also with all square-headed windows, bipartites to ground and 1st and 2nd floors at right.

E (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: bowed curtain wall with entrance on return to right.

N ELEVATION: 3-bay elevation with asymmetrical fenestration and 2 doors at ground; 3 floors above with bipartite windows to outer bays flanking lion-finialled engaged columns framing centre bay with larger bipartite window surmounted by elaborate stone dated '1904' below semicircular window and cornice giving way to aediculed window and broken segmental pediment. Windows to outer bays at windows.

S ELEVATION: adjoins separately listed 1936 building.

Largely multi-pane glazing in timber sash and case windows, those to N in original windows. Some coloured glass, see below. Grey slates to shallow, piended, multi-pitched roof. Cast-iron downpipes with decorative rainwater hopper.

INTERIOR: much fine interior detail retained at office floors (ground and 1st floors). Decorative plasterwork; architraved panelled doors; parquet floors. Principal entrance with bevelled glass to sunburst-astragalled fanlight over screen door; stair hall with bronze memorials to WWI and WWII, timber-panelled dado and black and white marble floor. Marble dog-leg stair with early Charles Rennie Mackintosh influence timber balusters. Arcaded openings with some original doors and glazing, and single large cast-iron column to ground floor offices; 1st floor

boardroom with panelled plasterwork ceiling, panelled dado and Milners Patent Safe; both floors retain some wall-mounted air conditioning Blackman fans. 1st floor hall top-lit with decorative coloured glass and large segmental-headed window (now overlooking 1936 building) with Art Nouveau style coloured glass. Further staircase with ceramic-tiled dado comprising glazed tiles with green border and green Art Nouveau panels. Panelled toilet cubicle with decoratively glazed lights and brown and grey marble splashback.

Statement of Special Interest

The foundation of Kilncraigs Factory was John Paton's cottage industry as spinner and dryer in Alloa, but it was to rise to become the largest wool spinning company in Great Britain. The earliest factory buildings date from circa 1830 and consisted of a 2-storey and basement rectangular mill building, following the common Lancashire model, with an adjoining warehouse. Twenty years later the company expanded its property erecting the West Mill, the East Mill (Burnside Building) followed in 1859, and the North Mill in 1868. Toward the end of the 1870s the original mill building was rebuilt and the new works included a modern engine house. All of these buildings were very utilitarian in appearance, constructed using cast-iron columns and all the stair towers were fireproof. This functional plainness of the factory site was overturned in 1903 when William Kerr was commissioned to design an office block to adjoin the 1860s warehouses. The new monumental English Baroque style building corresponded to increasing civic pride exhibited throughout the industrial world. Following the social ethos of the time, the family became philanthropic patrons, building a Town Hall factory workers as well as running a Sunday school. Ross's fine Baroque building is now complimented by a splendid full-height glass atrium retaining the early ironwork and industrial character. The restored building was opened by Andy Kerr MSP in March 2004.

There is an Avery Weighbridge situated immediately in front of the west elevation, to the north end.

The adjoining Despatch Warehouse is listed separately.

Up-graded to category A 20 August 2004.

References

Bibliography

J Archibald ALLOA 60 YEARS AGO (1911), pp23-24. Clackmannan District Libraries THE ROMANCE OF THE PATONS YARN c1813-1920 (1982). J Gifford and F A Walker BUILDINGS OF SCOTLAND ' STIRLING AND CENTRAL SCOTLAND (2002), pp97, 130, 172-3. G Scobie 'The Alloa and Hillfoots Textile Industry 1985-1987 Events and Historical

About Listed Buildings

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Listing is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for buildings of special architectural or historic interest as set out in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997.

We list buildings which are found to be of special architectural or historic interest using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Listed building records provide an indication of the special architectural or historic interest of the listed building which has been identified by its statutory address. The description and additional information provided are supplementary and have no legal weight.

These records are not definitive historical accounts or a complete description of the building(s). If part of a building is not described it does not mean it is not listed. The format of the listed building record has changed over time. Earlier records may be brief and some information will not have been recorded.

The legal part of the listing is the address/name of site which is known as the statutory address. Other than the name or address of a listed building, further details are provided for information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland does not accept any liability for any loss or damage suffered as a consequence of inaccuracies in the information provided. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing. Even if a number or name is missing from a listing address it will still be listed. Listing covers both the exterior and the interior and any object or structure fixed to the building. Listing also applies to buildings or structures not physically attached but which are part of the curtilage (or land) of the listed building as long as they were erected before 1 July 1948.

While Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating listed buildings, the planning authority is responsible for determining what is covered by the listing, including what is listed through curtilage. However, for listed buildings designated or for listings amended from 1 October 2015, legal exclusions to the listing may apply.

If part of a building is not listed, it will say that it is excluded in the statutory address and in the statement of special interest in the listed building record. The statement will use the word 'excluding' and quote the relevant section of the 1997 Act. Some earlier listed building records may use the word 'excluding', but if the Act is not quoted, the record has not been revised to reflect subsequent legislation.

Listed building consent is required for changes to a listed building which affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest. The relevant planning authority is the point of contact for applications for listed building consent.

Find out more about listing and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.

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Printed: 28/03/2024 15:53