Documents

There are no additional online documents for this record.

Summary

Description

James Chalmers, 1893. Two-storey, asymmetrical, T-plan Scots Renaissance hall and reading rooms. Rubble with harl pointing, red sandstone dressings, margins; Jacobethan detailing.

Southwest elevation: L-plan, advanced gable to left, round tower entrance at re-entrant angle, lower gable to outer right, single storey narrow gabled block to outer left. Main broad gable, two-stage, tripartite mullioned and transomed, segmental-headed windows, upper leaded panes; principal floor window with raised louvered sandstone panel above centre window, broken pediment with strapwork detail; balcony supported on substantial consoles, barley-sugar balusters. Round entrance tower deeply set in re-entrant angle to right. Door with roll-moulded surround, strapwork panel above, small window to left, taller window above, corbelled sandstone chamfer bridging gap between gable and tower; octagonal parapet top with jettied, triangular pedimented surround to elongated orielled dormerhead; conical roof. Lower gabled entrance block to right; elaborate pilastered and pedimented doorpiece encompassing wide round-arched entrance, window at principal floor. Wide arched entrance recess, fluted arch moulding with alternating, banded vermiculated, basket-work and chevron-patterned voussoirs; armorial plaque above keystone of elephant carrying castle, inscribed with legend 'FORTITUDO ET FIDELITAS'. Canted red glazed brick side walls canted in recessed door at centre, two-leaf panelled door with 16-pane large fanlight.

Southeast elevation: asymmetrical block advanced to left, gable breaking eaves to outer right, window at ground left at right return, window at centre at gablehead. Hall recessed to right, later rendered piend-roofed block at re-entrant angle; window to outer right at hall.

Four-pane and eight-pane over plate glass timber sash and case windows. Red clay tiles with terracotta coping; sandstone coping to skews.

Interior: wooden stair with strapwork detailing. Tablet to left in vestibule inscribed 'Burgh of Cove and Kilcreggan Public Halls, opened 5th May 1895 by Provost Donaldson'. New floor level at library.

Statement of Special Interest

The town hall and reading rooms were built in 1893 by James Chalmers, on land purchased from the Duke of Argyll. The building is a good example of the Scots Renaissance style with good quality external sandstone detailing and internal joinery, and it is an important focus along the Rosneath Road.

The villages of Cove and Kilgreggan were created by the 8th Duke of Argyll in 1849 and developed as an area of large summer residences for wealthy Glasgow businessmen. The two villages were made into a Burgh in 1865, however they lacked a venue for public and social meetings. A project to build a Burgh Hall was initiated in 1891, by Charles William Cayzer a London born business man with a summer residence in Cove, who became provost of the burgh. Funding was raised through public subscription and a design competition was launched. This was won by James Chalmers a relatively unknown architect from Glasgow. Cove Burgh Halls is one of his earliest known works, although he also built a number of warehouses, churches, and villas.

Statement of Special Interest and References sections updated in 2018.

References

Bibliography

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.