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Summary

Description

James M Monro, 1895. 4-storey with basement and attic, monumental Francois I university residence and former hotel on prominent corner site with 2 distinctive corner towers and domes, and mansard roof. Bute red sandstone. Ground floor cill course and band courses. Some segmental-headed openings; balustraded stone parapet and round-arched framing to windows of 3rd floor, pedimented dormer windows and shaped dormer gableheads. Stone transoms and mullions.

NW ANGLE TOWER: 6-stage tower with slightly projecting Doric-columned and corniced window and raised basement window to 1st stage with small round-headed windows on flanking canted returns; 4-light transomed bipartite window to 2nd stage, and bipartite windows to each stage above, all with similar windows to flanking canted returns. 3rd stage window with moulded apron, and 5th stage windows in round-arched framing. Cornice and deep blocking course above giving way to tall polygonal fibreglass (see Notes) dome.

N (THE SCORES) ELEVATION: 4-bay elevation with raised basement; 6-light transomed windows in canted bays to outer left and to right of centre, that to left with door to centre light; 6- light segmental-headed windows in bays to outer right and to left of centre. 1st and 2nd floors with canted bays as below and bipartite windows to remaining bays; further bipartite windows to 3rd floor. Attic with paired small round-headed windows to both left and outer right bays, those to left giving way to broad curvilinear, finialled and pedimented gable with 3 wreaths carved in gablehead, that to right with small shaped and pedimented gable; small bipartite pedimented dormer window in bay to right of centre.

W (GOLF PLACE) ELEVATION: 7-bay elevation with domed tower-like bay to outer right; canted bays to ground, 1st and 2nd floors of bays 2, 4 and 6; and projecting Doric-columned porch with cornice and deep blocking course to 1st and 2nd bays at ground. Regular fenestration with transomed and mullioned windows and alternate segmental-headed windows to ground, transomed and mullioned windows to 1st floor, and bipartite windows above. Attic with small paired round-headed windows and shaped gableheads to bays 1 and 6 flanking 4 small pedimented dormer windows and 3 large ridge stacks.

S ELEVATION: adjoining lower irregular terrace, largely blank elevation above with tall, round-headed, ceramic-tiled niche to centre.

COURTYARD ELEVATION: 2 bipartite stair windows and irregular fenestration to small totally enclosed courtyard.

Plate glass glazing in casement and timber sash and case windows. Leaded and coloured patterned glass to stair windows. Grey slates. Coped ashlar stacks and ashlar-coped skews with decorative skewputts.

INTERIOR: good decorative plasterwork cornices and ceilings; architraved doorways and some dado rails. Hall with Corinthian-capitalled columns, dog-leg timber staircase with carved newel posts and decoratively-glazed stair windows. Dining Hall with plasterwork panels, panelled timber soffits and shutters, brass handles and opening mechanism,

and deep hoodmoulds over 2 small round-headed windows to N angle. Regents' Room (1st floor) with carved timber fire surround.

Statement of Special Interest

When built the Grand Hotel was the largest in Fife. After de-requisitioning in 1946, the building was completely modernised and boasted a dining room for 150 people, two first floor lounges, ballroom and cocktail lounge. The manager at this time was Mr H Donington Smith. Purchased by the University, for £61,000, in 1949, Hamilton Hall is named for Archbishop Hamilton and members of the House of Hamilton. A serious fire started by a painter's blowtorch in September 1976, destroyed the N dome (formerly copper) and did much interior damage, but the building has been returned to its former fine state.

References

Bibliography

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