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Summary

Description

1758-60, spire of 1778 by John Brown, remodelled by Campbell Douglas in 1865-6. 2-storey and attic 4-bay classical town hall comprising 3-bay earlier section with Gibbsian tower projecting at centre. Painted ashlar S (principal) elevation, cement rendered and lined NE gable and roughcast rear elevation. Partially exposed base course, string course at ground floor, band course and eaves cornice. Rusticated quoins at S elevation framing early building and at left of later bay, margins at corners to rear. Architraved round-arched windows with imposts and keystones at S elevation, margined at gable and rear, all with projecting cills.

SE (PRINCIPAL) FRONT: tower; engaged octagonal 1st stage with round-arched entrance door at ground with Gibbsian surround and keystone, round-arched windows to flanking faces. 1st floor, round-arched windows each with architraved oculus above. Eaves cornice to 1st stage, moulded octagonal base to 2nd stage, blind panels to each face with lugged architraves and cornice above. 3rd stage; segmental- arched recesses with keystones and projecting cills to each face, 3 faces incised to accommodate clock face, cornice above. Moulded octagonal base to steeple with 3 tiers of incised circular decoration alternated with round-arched louvered lucarnes to lowest tier, ball finial at apex surmounted by weathercock.

Round-arched windows at ground and 1st floor in bays flanking tower. Later bay at outer left with projecting portico at ground floor comprising Tuscan columns supporting entablature; corresponding pilasters flanking round-arched entrance door with carved mask keystone; flanking small round-arched windows; round-arched window at 1st floor with carved keystone and infill to arch-head displaying coat of arms.

NE ELEVATION: 3-bay gable end, segmental-arched windows at ground floor, round-arched windows to outer bays at 1st floor.

NW (REAR) ELEVATION: 4 bays, with round-arched windows at 1st floor.

Variety of plate glass and multi-pane timber windows. 6-pane timber sash and case windows over entrance door and at ground floor of NE elevation. 16-panel, 2-leaf main entrance door and 2-leaf panelled entrance door, with plate glass semi-circular fanlight above, to tower. Grey slate platform roof, stone dormer at eaves, dated 1866, with lead sides and slated roof. Stone pedimented dormerhead with lugged architrave around window.

INTERIOR: Decorative scheme predominantly from 1866 refurbishment. Entrance vestibule and stair hall; grey and white marble dado with granolithic floor and steps. Coved ceiling over stair with dentilled cornice around and 8-pane rectangular cupola at centre.

Tower entrance porch; grey and white marble dado and dentilled cornice at ceiling. Panelled 2-leaf inner doors with glazed uppers and horizontal brass handles, plate glass round-arched fanlight above.

Council Chamber; panelled walls with fluted upper panels and decorative cornice at ceiling. 6-panel doors with matching upper panels, lugged architrave around, corniced with heavy keystone at centre.

Committee room; timber floor and 6-panel doors. Chimneypiece of circa 1900, pilastered with fluted uppers, boldly corniced shelf and segmental panelled and corniced overmantle. Segmental-arched recess centring N wall, architraved with keystone at centre, flanking 6-panel doors.

Kitchen (to N of stair at 1st floor); plain cornice at ceiling, curved 6-panel door to N, stone spiral stair beyond accessing caretaker?s flat in attic comprising 2 rooms with plain fireplaces, one containing a cast-iron range. Room to S of stair at 1st floor with pilastered chimneypiece and plain cornice.

Hall; timber floor and boarded dado; round-arched windows with fluted architraves and panelled reveals and aprons. Principal entrance with 2-leaf, 12-panel doors, fluted architrave with flanking pilasters, scrolled brackets at top supporting segmental pediment with shield and foliage carving in tympanum. Flanking matching doors, narrower with 6-panel doors and corniced only. Vaulted plaster ceiling with planted mouldings giving panelled effect. Large circular ventilators and light fittings centring larger panels. Apsidal recess into tower centring S wall, round-arched opening with coffered soffit, keystone and scrolled brackets at springers.

LAMP STANDARDS: decorative cast-iron standards for Provost?s lamps (lanterns removed) with fluted and floreate decoration to shafts and bases.

Statement of Special Interest

One of Scotland?s finest town houses, marred by some out of character alterations. It replaced an earlier tollbooth standing on the same site, and was built by the Town Council rasing a loan of ?300 sterling. The original spire, which was of timber, was replaced by the existing stone structure in 1778, and the clock and bell installed by John Townsend of Greenock in 1779. In 1866, the building was enlarged by the addition of the SW wing and the interior was remodelled. External carving, including the coat-of-arms, was executed by the sculptor William Mossman. In the original arrangement the ground floor contained prison-cells while the town hall and court room occupied the 1st floor. There was also a debtors? prison at an upper level, which may have been in the garret of the main block. External alterations have been more sympathetic to the original design, apart from the glazing. Replacement with sash and case windows of traditional design would improve the appearance of the building.

References

Bibliography

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