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Summary

Description

James Thomson of Baird and Thomson of Glasgow, 1883-84. 2-storey and attic and single-storey and attic; overall rectangular-plan; large castellated house; comprising 2-storey and attic; 6-bay main block to S and slightly narrower single storey and attic service wing to N. Scottish baronial design with main gables crowstepped, circular-plan tower at SW corner and bartizan at SE corner. Coursed rockfaced sandstone with ashlar dressings. Base course to main block; corbelled out crenellated ashlar parapet (mainly bracketed) to eaves to outer elevations of main block; moulded eaves band elsewhere. Roll-moulded openings to main block; chamfered elsewhere. Droved arrises.

S (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: near-symmetrical 5-bay section (main block) with circular-plan tower as additional bay to outer left. Entrance to centre of 5-bay section; rectangular-plan porch with crenellated parapet (small semicircular pediment at centre) and chamfered and stopped arrises; moulded architrave with inner roll-moulding to entrance; 2-leaf boarded timber door with elaborate strap hinges; narrow windows to outer returns of porch. Window above and to ground and 1st floor to 2 bays to either side; that above has hood-mould, raised at centre and with scrolled stops; pair of basement windows (lintels pointed to centre) flanking entrance. Round-arched breaking-eaves dormer with finialled shaped gable to central bay; flanking finialled pedimented dormers set back. Bartizan to outer right arris with monogrammed panel (W R A S); band course above. Circular-plan tower to outer left bay; slightly projecting ground floor with 5 windows; windows above central 3 to upper 2 floors; those to top floor round-arched.

W ELEVATION: irregularly-fenestrated 3-bay section of main block to right with circular-plan tower (see S Elevation) as additional bay to outer right; 2 windows to ground floor (that to left mullioned tripartite with relieving arch); 3 windows to 1st floor; 2 breaking-eaves segmental-headed dormers to attic; that to right set within gable-like extension of parapet, which is stepped up on either side of it and pointed at apex (with flanking angled chimney stacks); that to left has finialled crowstepped gable. Service wing set back to left; entrance with bracketted canopy (replacement part-glazed timber door with 2-light rectangular fanlight) to right; flanking windows (that to right mullioned bipartite); ball-finialled gabled breaking-eaves dormer (with flanking ball finials) above. Slightly projecting gabled bay (with small segmental pediment at apex) to left; mullioned and transomed 6-light rectangular-plan bay window (chamfered and stopped at arrises) with crenellated parapet; blind arrowslit to gable.

E ELEVATION: 3-bay section to main block to left. Outer flanking bays gabled and ball-finialled; that to right projecting; corbelled out slightly at arrises at attic level; corbelled out at chamfered arrises to 1st floor above 10-light mullioned and transomed canted ground floor window (panel dated '1884' at head with band course stepped up over it); mullioned tripartite (with relieving arch) above; corniced attic window with strapwork pediment above. Window to each floor to each bay (apart from central bay to ground floor) to left; upper floors of central bay slightly recessed; corniced attic window with strapwork pediment to left gable; short pedimented dormer built above parapet to central bay. 4-bay service wing set back slightly to right; window to each floor to left 3 bays (ball-finialled pedimented dormers to attic); slightly projecting gabled bay to outer right; 2 windows to ground floor; one above.

S ELEVATION: 2 sections to service wing, each with breaking-eaves gable to centre. Segmental-headed entrance to right of left section; boarded timber door and rectangular fanlight. Pair of breaking-eaves dormers to (nepus) gable; window below to right and inserted garage door to left. Gable of right section recessed; small piended-roofed lean-to flush with left section; large inserted opening to right; small window to left.

Mainly 4-pane timber sash and case windows. Grey slate roofs. Pair of coped ridge stacks to main block; pair of coped (nepus) gablehead stacks to N; coped ridge stack and pair of gabled stacks (one nepus) to service wing; round cans. Largely original cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: retains most of its original fixtures and fittings. Minton-tiled floor (incorporating medieval floral motifs) to vestibule to principal entrance. Original pair of 2-leaf doors incorporating panels of etched and coloured glass with geometric floral designs open into entrance hall. Entrance hall dominated by large full-height open stairwell with vaulted ceiling (geometric plaster panels and central pitched rooflight to ceiling) with imposing double staircase with turned timber balustrade with turned timber balustrade and newel posts carved with capitals and urn finials. Large later (probably early 20th century) stained glass stair window depicting imaginary medieval streetscape (with motto 'Gather Ye Roses While Ye May - Old Tyme is Still a Flying'). Original panelled timber doors throughout; those to entrance hall with crenellated cornices. Timber Jacobethan fireplace surround to entrance hall (flanking columns/lions and tooled leather panels above mantelshelf). That to morning room of similar design with bracketted sides and bevelled glass and sunflower motif panels above mantelshelf (inner surround of glazed blue tiles with embossed brass panel over fireplace); rose and thistle motifs to ceiling cornice. Raised plaster detailing (of neo-Tudor design) to drawing room and ante-drawing room; timber fireplace surrounds incorporating bevelled glass and marquetry panels (of Adam-type designs). Ornately carved Jacobethan timber fireplace surround to dining room; panelled plaster ceiling; early/original fitted cupboards to butler's pantry. Bracketted boarded timber ceiling with central rooflight to billiard room; large carved timber fireplace surround with inner surround of green glazed tiles. Original water closet in boarded timber room. Lincrusta dados to much of house.

Statement of Special Interest

B-Group with Former Stable Block and E and W Lodges and Entranceways. An intact baronial villa retaining a very fine interior. It replaced an earlier Balfunning House, which appears just to the NW on the 1865 OS map.

References

Bibliography

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