Documents

There are no additional online documents for this record.

Summary

Description

1890s; alterations by W Walker and F Pride, 1921, 1927 and conversion to golf clubhouse, 1932-33; further alterations, 1970 and 1977; 3-storey addition to rear, 2000. 3-storey with attic and basement, 3-bay house in irregular terrace. Sandstone ashlar. Base course; moulded cill courses to first and second floors; eaves cornice with blocking course. Architraved surrounds with bracketed cills; stone mullions. Corniced doorway to centre bay; panelled timber door with plate glass fanlight. To left, canted bay to ground and 1st floors; bipartite window to 2nd floor. Pair of piended timber bipartite dormer windows. Originally timber framed sash and case windows with 2 vertical plate glass panes to lower sashes; 12-pane glazing pattern to upper sashes at ground and first floors; 8-pane to upper sashes at second floor (glazing renewed but follows original pattern). Grey slates. Coped ashlar stacks; cast-iron downpipe with decorative rainwater hopper; decorative ironwork fronting all windows except ground left. INTERIOR: central stair well with prominent cantilevered, balustered timber staircase and large lantern cupola. Egg and dart plasterwork cornicing to principal rooms. 1st floor committee room: timber fireplace and panelling to dado height. Twin fireplaces to double length billiard room. BOUNDARY WALL AND RAILINGS: low saddleback-coped boundary wall with inset decorative cast-iron railings.

Statement of Special Interest

Part of a group with Forgan House, The Links and Pilmour Links; Rusacks Hotel; 2-4 Golf Place with 1 Pilmour Links; 12-24 Golf Place; 3, 6, 7, 16-18A and 19 Pilmour Links; 7-8, 11-12, 13, 15-16, 18 The Links (see separate listings). Built at the end of the 19th century, Links House has served as the clubhouse of the St Andrews Golf Club since 1933. The house has a notably broad and well-proportioned frontage for a terrace house, indicating that is must have been commissioned by a person of considerably standing. It is part of an irregular terrace of large town houses overlooking the 18th green of the celebrated St Andrews Old Course and across from the Royal and Ancient Clubhouse (see separate listing). Internally, the wide cantilevered timber staircase is worthy of particular note, dominating the central core of the building and rising to attic level. Alterations to Links House and its later conversion to a golf club house were among William Walker and Frank Pride's earliest commissions. This local architectural practice went on to design a significant number of housing schemes for Fife County Council, amongst various other works in the region. The St Andrews Golf Club began as The St Andrews Mechanics Golf Club in 1843, formed by 11 local tradesmen. By 1854, the name had changed and one of the foremost golfers of his day, Alan Robertson was captain. 'Old' Tom Morris, the world famous golf professional, club manufacturer and Custodian of St Andrews Links, was also an early and long-time member. He purchased the shop premises at No 7 and 8 The Links (see separate listing) in 1866. Early golfing societies and clubs tended to meet at a hotel or a members¿ house near to their course. Official clubhouses became increasingly common in Scotland from the mid-nineteenth century onwards as the game¿s popularity increased. The St Andrews Golf Club's first clubhouse, in nearby Golf Place, was purchased in 1905. In 1932, the club's committee seized the opportunity to purchase Links House, overlooking the 18th green of the Old Course, for the sum of 2700 pounds. After its conversion to a clubhouse, at a further cost of 2000 pounds, the new premises were formally opened on 20th July, 1933. St Andrews is recognised by international golfers and historians as the cultural home of golf. Early versions of the game were being played in Scotland during the middle ages and it is known to have been played on St Andrews Links continuously from at least the mid 16th century. The right of the people of St Andrews to play golf on The Links was officially recognised in 1552. By 1691, the Regent of St Andrews described the town as "the metropolis of golfing" and a letter of 1712 shows that students could be given a dispensation to play. Scotland has produced many pioneering names in golf including five times Open Championship winner and course architect James Braid (1870-1950), and the aforementioned Old Tom Morris (1821-1908). The Scottish Golf Union have indicated there are currently around 550 golf courses in Scotland with a total membership of approximately 236,000. List description updated as part of the sporting buildings thematic study (2012-13). Minor updates to supplementary information, 2019.

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.