Description
James Collie, Glasgow, 1836-39, early purpose-built hospital building. Greek Revival. 2-storey main block with symmetrical entrance elevation to E; 2-storey ward block, built 1894, running parallel to main block to rear. Minor alterations, 1937 and small modern flat-roofed additions to rear.
Brown/red polished ashlar portico, squared, dressed sandstone rubble to main elevations, with polished ashlar dressings and margins: plinth, narrow raised margins at angles, cornice and parapet, pedimented gables, corniced apex stacks and architraved windows, those at ground floor with apron panels below. 4-pane timber sash and case windows. Shallow-pitched slated roofs.
PRINCIPAL (E) ENTRANCE ELEVATION: 2-storey, symmetrical; 3 bays flanking central pedimented entrance block, with engaged tetrastyle Doric portico in antis, door in in-filled centre bay, single windows to either side, and at 1st floor over; flight of 3 steps leading to entrance. Pediment raised high above eaves on tall entablature, frieze ornamented with 4 relief garland wreath carvings. Set-back flanking bays; single bays to centre, outer 2 bays slightly advanced pinning down ends of E elevation. Small single-storey ashlar block in similar style added to S elevation, to right, 1937, entered by small flat-roofed porch, and with 1937 timber and glazed sun-balcony at 1st floor level over; metal fire-escape stair behind (on S elevation of main block); these later additions obscuring original S elevation, with pend opening (see T Valentine photograph in Griffith: see REFERENCES).
2-storey WARD BLOCK: later wing, added 1894 (Maternity and Female Medical wards in 1989) running parallel to main block on N-S axis. Same quarry of brown-red, squared and dressed sandstone, with pitched slated roof, pedimented gable end, timber sash and case windows, with shorter (1/3) upper sashes; large 9-pane window, presumably an alteration of 1937, wrapped around eaves with 3-pane roof light to right of W elevation.
Various small flat-roofed modern additions to rear.
ANCILLARY STRUCTURES: earlier-mid 19th Century; detached to N of infirmary: 2 pitched-roofed brown sandstone buildings with pitched slated roofs, attached at right angles. That with SE elevation (facing infirmary): 2-storey, with large multi-paned windows, 4 at ground, 3 at 1st floor, centre opening at 1st floor with timber louvres (? suggesting wash-house/boiler room); second single-storey and basement building attached at right-angles, on N-S axis, built in slope of ground.
GATEPIERS AND ENCLOSING WALLS: replaced circa 1940s, but retaining line of original boundary. Original panelled ashlar piers and decorative cast-iron railings to be seen in pre-1937 T Valentine photograph (Griffith: see REFERENCES).