Description
Hollybush House is a three-storey, three-bay, classical style house dating from the late-18th century. It is rectangular on plan with early 19th century additions to the side and rear (some of which are excluded from the listing: see exclusions). The house is constructed in snecked and squared sandstone rubble with band courses at first and second floor levels and an eaves course. It is accessed by a private driveway located off Muirhall Road in Perth.
The main (southwest) elevation has a slightly advanced pedimented bay breaking the eaves to the centre with a tripartite doorpiece comprising ashlar Doric pilasters and an entablature, with tripartite windows above. The northwest elevation has windows in the outermost bays. The rear (northeast) elevation is three bays, with a slate-roofed, single-storey addition abutting the ground floor, with a later glazed porch attached (these are excluded from the listing). The southeast elevation has blind openings to the east bay and is abutted by a timber conservatory that is thought to date from the later 20th century.
There is a shallow piended roof covered in slates and the two end chimneystacks have scrolled shoulders, moulded copings and octagonal cans. The rainwater goods are predominantly cast iron and include some ogee gutters and decorative hoppers. There are raised margins, stone mullions and projecting cills throughout. The windows are a mixture of glazing patterns in timber sash and case frames, predominantly nine over nine on the ground floor and six over six on the first and second floors. The main entrance has a timber-panelled door with a spoked fanlight and sash and case sidelights.
The interior has some decorative features dating from the late-18th or early-19th century, such as timber panelled shutters, ceiling roses, moulded cornicing and picture rails in the principal ground floor rooms. There are some decorative fire surrounds, some of which are replacements. The curved timber staircase has iron balusters and a polished and coiled timber handrail. The layout comprises principal rooms on either side of a central hallway with a curved staircase to the rear.
A single-storey, L-plan extension with attic, adjoins the southeast elevation of the house, directly behind the conservatory. This wing is now a separate property known as Greenbank (and is excluded from the listing). It is multi-phased but largely dates from the 19th century, with 20th century alterations. It extends to the northeast of the site and includes the former stable block. There is a large canted bay window to the southeast with a pedimented tripartite window to the central bay.
The boundary wall fronts Muirhall Road and is constructed in random rubble with rubble copings. The vehicular entrance is set back slightly, flanked by a low, curved quadrant wall. There are four octagonal-plan, ashlar sandstone gatepiers with tiered, obelisk caps. The gates are wrought iron.
In accordance with Section 1 (4A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 the following are excluded from the listing: Greenbank and single-storey extension and porch attached to the northeast elevation of Hollybush House.
Historical development
Hollybush House was historically known as Greenbank and in 1823 the house and surrounding land was owned by a Dr Kelty. The house is first shown on Wood's plan of Perth of 1823 as an L-shaped house and detached stable block. The exact date of construction is unknown, but it was likely built sometime between 1771 and 1799, following the construction of John Smeaton's bridge over the River Tay. The Statistical Account of Scotland (1791-99) describes the 'beautiful villas' recently built on the rising ground immediately to the southeast of the village of Bridgend (pp.548-9).
The current listed building record notes that the third storey of the house was added in the earlier 19th century. The 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1860 shows Hollybush House as a largely rectangular-plan house with a greenhouse and rectangular wing attached on the southeast elevation, level with the rear of the house. A stable block and ancillary structures are shown to the northeast of the house with an enclosed garden area in between. A large, enclosed garden is shown to the southeast of the house and the wider grounds are wooded, reaching as far as Lochie Brae to the northwest.
By 1900, the rectangular-plan wing attached to the southeast elevation was extended to the northeast and a large, canted bay window added, creating an L-plan wing at the rear and side of the house (as shown on the 2nd Edition Ordnance Survey map). This wing is now known as Greenbank and is excluded from the listing.
The 1861 Census shows the Dickson family lived at Greenbank (now known as Hollybush House) from at least 1861 to 1914. John Dickson was a solicitor and Writer to the Signet. Following his death in 1909, his two daughters continued to live at Greenbank until both their deaths in 1914 (Dundee Courier, 1909) (Ancestry, Probate Index). The house was sold to Brigadier-General William Kelty McLeod who lived at Greenbank until his death in 1928 (Dundee Courier, 1929).
The current listed building record states that in 1959 Hollybush House was subdivided from the later wing. The wing was converted into a separate property by a connecting link section to the former stable/service block. Around this time the original late-18th century house was renamed Hollybush House and the 19th century wing retained the name Greenbank.
Statement of Special Interest
Hollybush House, gatepiers and boundary walls continue to meet the criteria of special architectural or historic interest for the following reasons:
- The house demonstrates quality of design and construction in its well-proportioned classical style.
- The building retains its late-18th/early 19th century architectural and historic character, particularly to the front elevation.
- It is a good example of a late-18th/early 19th century villa built within an affluent suburb of Perth, of which few now survive.
In accordance with Section 1 (4A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 the following are excluded from the listing: Greenbank and single-storey extension and porch attached to the northeast elevation of Hollybush House.
Architectural interest:
Design
Hollybush House is a well-proportioned, classical style house, the design of which is typical of a late-18th century detached villa. It is one of the earliest villas in Bridgend and the scale, level of architectural detail and classical character indicate it was a private residence of some status. The principal elevation faces west towards Perth. This is a common feature of villas built on the east side of the River Tay, further highlighting the social status of the occupant.
Its design quality is particularly evident in the symmetrical arrangement of the front elevation with evenly spaced openings, the mullioned openings to the centre and decorative sidelights and fanlight. The addition of the upper storey in the early 19th century was in keeping with the materials and overall style of the original building, whilst the increase in scale and level of detailing added to the building's architectural ambition and sense of grandeur.
On balance, it has been little altered externally and the building displays good stonework detailing, in particular the central pedimented bay, band courses and pilastered doorpiece. The sandstone rubble construction is characteristic of Perth and is a traditional building material for this area. The architect of Hollybush House is unknown.
The symmetry of its rectangular plan form is still largely retained, however, it is not clear from photographs how much the internal layout has been altered since its construction. The rooms are well-proportioned and have high ceilings throughout. The large, principal rooms are located at the front of the building, accessed from a central hallway and landing, which is served by a curved stair located the rear of the plan. This arrangement is typical for a villa of this this date and type, but its retention is of some interest.
The interior retains some late-18th or early 19th century features. These are typical for a villa of this date, but their survival adds to the special interest of the building under this heading. The fire surrounds in the principal rooms appear to be replacements but are largely in keeping with the historic character and style of the house.
The L-plan range to the southeast elevation that connects to the former stable block (all of which forms the separate property known as Greenbank) is multi-phased and has been subject to a series of incremental alterations both internally and externally. It is therefore excluded from the listing.
Setting
Hollybush House is located in the suburb of Bridgend within Kinnoull Conservation Area, on the east side of the River Tay, across from the city of Perth. The house faces west towards Perth town centre and is accessed by a gated driveway (now shared) off Muirhall Road.
The setting of the house has changed from that shown on John Wood's map of Perth of 1823 and the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1860. The house was once within extensive grounds, but these were reduced substantially in size sometime after 1931 (as indicated by housing development on the 1964 map). There are three detached properties immediately surrounding the house, dating from the late-20th century. However, these are located to the rear of Hollybush House and their impact on its immediate setting is minimised by the mature trees that screen these properties from view.
The wider setting has been altered by the addition of a later 20th century housing estate to the northwest, within what was once the extensive grounds of the house and the adjoining property, Potterhill House (now demolished).
The historic setting of Hollybush House has partially changed but it remains a distinctive property within the area due to its scale, positioning and late-18th century date. Its immediate setting within its own, largely secluded garden, surrounded by mature trees and lawns is largely retained. The former stable block to the northeast is excluded from the listing but it does contribute to the historic setting of the house.
Historic interest:
Age and rarity
Hollybush House dates from the late-18th century. Domestic architecture in Scotland experienced a boom period from 1770 to 1840 and houses were often built as part of speculative development as individual lots of land were feued out. The Statistical Account of Scotland (1791-99) describes the large houses and private grounds that were developed in this area following the completion of Smeaton's Perth Bridge in 1771, which allowed easier access to the town.
Potterhill House (now demolished) and Rosemount House were two of the earliest villas built in Kinnoull (Kinnoull Conservation Area Appraisal). Only a handful of these large, late-18th and early 19th century houses survive largely in their original form, such as Pitcullen House (listed at category B, LB39583), Annat Lodge (listed at category B, LB39581) and its associated stables (listed at category C, LB39582). Many villas that survive in this area date from the mid to late-19th century, and were often built to replace earlier houses, such as Bowerswell (listed at category B, LB39388).
Houses of this size dating from the late-18th and early-19th century can be found across Scotland and are not rare. However, Hollybush House is of special interest as it is an important representative example of a classical style villa that displays good detailing and retains much of its late-18th century plan form and historic character.
Social historical interest
Social historical interest is the way a building contributes to our understanding of how people lived in the past, and how our social and economic history is shown in a building and/or in its setting.
Houses are a very common building type, and they all have some degree of social historical interest because they show how people lived. Hollybush House is one of a handful of surviving large late-18th and early 19th century villas that were built in Bridgend. It adds to the wider social history of Bridgend, showing its development as a suburb of Perth following the construction of John Smeaton's Perth Bridge over the River Tay after 1771. However, there is no special interest under this heading.
Association with people or events of national importance
There is no association with a person or event of national importance.
Statutory address and listed building record revised in 2021. Previously listed as 'Perth, Bridge-End, Muirhall Road, Hollybush House And Greenbank including gatepiers and boundary walls'.