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Summary

Description

John Watson, 1900. Built for Sir George Anderson, Treasurer of the Bank of Scotland. Large richly detailed 2-storey Italianate villa. Band course at 1st-floor. Polished sandstone ashlar to principal elevations, remainder snecked. Lead ogee domes to outer corners.

W (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: single storey 3-bay projection in centre: rusticated entrance porch to left, with balustraded platform and Bank of Scotland crest; bipartite window and Diocletian window above in centre; bow with 3 lights to right. 6 round-arched lights above at first floor; 2-storey tower with open viewing platform and dome to right on SW angle.

N ELEVATION: irregular fenestration; fire stair; servants' wing projects at left.

E ELEVATION: irregular fenestration; single storey addition to rear of main block.

S (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: Tripartite window with Serlian architrave at ground floor in left bay, initials of the owner's wife, AM, carved in the tympanum; 3 round-arched windows above. 2-storey bow in 2nd bay from left; rectangular windows at the ground floor; round-arched windows and Ionic attached columns at the 1st floor; date stone in centre at 1st floor. Tripartite window with Serlian architrave at ground floor in 2nd bay from right, initials of owner, GA, carved in tympanum; 3 round-arched windows above; single arched window to left. Single storey bow in right bay; 3 round-arched windows above. Richly decorated single storey, oriel at SE angle.

2-pane timber sash and case windows. Shallow-pitched slate roof; corniced stacks.

INTERIOR: fluted Ionic pilasters to ground floor hall; marble fireplace with grandiose chimneypiece in ground floor hall; imperial stair at end of hallway. Opulent main rooms on ground floor with heavy marble chimneypiece in E end. Ionic columns to 1st floor hall. Rich detailing, fluted Corinthian columns and Adamesque chimneypiece in SW room at 1st floor.

GATE LODGE: rectangular-plan, single storey building with overhanging eaves and flat-roofed dormers. Squared and snecked sandstone with polished long and short surrounds. Keystoned, round-headed openings; rectangular windows and doors, some with cornices. Grey slate roof; centred dormer to each face; corniced stack with pair of cans; cast-iron rainwater goods.

COACH HOUSE 1 ? storey, squared and snecked stone. L-plan main building with single storey addition in re-entrant angle; slate roof; straight skews; corniced stacks. 2-bay piended roof building to left; 2 single windows at ground floor; single dormer window in centre roof.

BOUNDARY WALL AND GATEPIERS: coped rubble walls; square plan panelled sandstone ashlar gatepiers with cushion caps.

LAMP COLUMNS: Corinthian columns; plain shafts.

Statement of Special Interest

Beechmount House was the private residence of Sir George Anderson, who was Treasurer of the Bank of Scotland from 1989 to 1916. It was his intention to sell the house to the Bank as a private residence for future Treasurers, and this explains the use of the Bank's coat of arms (an oak tree with the motto 'Stand Sure') over the entrance porch and interior stair. However, following the death of Sir George, his widow bequeathed the house to the Royal Infirmary in 1926 to be used as a convalescent home for officers injured in the War. It remained a hospital until the late 1980's when it returned to private ownership. The individual columns along the driveway were originally used as gas-lights; the hole through the shafts for the flow of gas can still be seen.

References

Bibliography

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