Documents

There are no additional online documents for this record.

Summary

Description

Joseph Bickley, 1905; restored later 20th century (1960s). Large rectangular-plan, 8-bay, buttressed, real tennis court, adjoining nursing home. Whitewashed render; blind to ground, timber strapping at upper level; glazed pitched roof. Lean-to addition to NE.

SE (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: red sandstone, pedimented, moulded doorpiece with panelled timber entrance door to far right. Blind at upper level.

NW (REAR) ELEVATION: regularly disposed tripartite glazing rows set within timber strapping at upper level.

INTERIOR: covered, lean-to structure enclosing NE, SE and SW sides with metal columns. Timber strapping defining scoring areas; net position discernible; hooks in place; various crowns painted on walls; open metal-braced ceiling.

Statement of Special Interest

This building is remarkable for being one of only two surviving real tennis courts in Scotland and it is relatively unaltered to the exterior. Internally, much of the decoration dates to the 1960s, when the court was restored. The moulded doorpiece provides some decorative element to the exterior of the building.

The court was commissioned by a Mr J O M Clark, a thread manufacturer from Paisley, who lived in the adjoining house, which was originally called Lindisfarne (now Sun Court Nursing Home). The court was built in 1905 following a revival in the game during the end of the 19th century. It was built by Joseph Bickley, who also designed courts at Moreton Morrell and Canford Hayling Island. The Sun Court tennis court was in use until 1928. The house and the court were requisitioned during the WWII and the court was used as a gunnery instruction school. It was used for a variety of purposes after this until the 1960s when the court was restored and used again for real tennis until the 1990s. Today, it acts as a store for the adjoining nursing home (2013).

The only other real tennis court in Scotland is at Falkland Palace. It dates from the time of James V and it is said to be the oldest surviving court in Britain. There are thought to be only 38 real tennis courts surviving in the world - others situated in Australia, France, USA and England.

Real or Royal Tennis was developed in France in the 12th and 13th centuries and brought to Scotland through royal ties between the two countries. Scotland's earliest surviving tennis court in Britain was built in 1539 at Falkland Palace by James V. This is considered to be the world's oldest tennis court and is still in use today. Real tennis was generally played indoors in large buildings on a court bigger than a lawn tennis court, and compromising of different rules and rounds. The sport was an exclusively royal game and diminished somewhat after the removal of the royal family from Scotland to London in 1603. There was a revival of the game in the 19th century but this was replaced in popularity by the modern game of lawn tennis.

List description updated as part of the sporting buildings thematic study (2012-13).

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.