Documents

There are no additional online documents for this record.

Summary

Description

Earlier 19th century domestic/commercial buildings around a square courtyard. Main frontage to Townhead St. 2-storey and attic 7-bay asymmetrical hotel front. Prominent dormers and overdoor signage, square-headed cart arch. Painted green with yellow margins (2004).

SE (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: two distinct buildings. To SW (left) ground floor has single door, cart arch and 3 windows. 3 windows to upper floor. 2 canted bay dormers with slated cheeks and bowed roof. To NE (right) central double door with roll-moulded basket arch with signage over (The Tavern on the Town). Flanked by two windows on each side and two projecting cornice signs. On the first floor canted bays to end bays and two single windows to centre. Three polygonal piended dormers with sloping bottom rail to windows.

NW ELEVATION: irregular fenestration. Central bowed stair projection and single-storey extensions. Single storey extension to SW.

OUTBUILDINGS: open-fronted slate-roofed shed to rear. Piended rubble shed to SW.

INTERIOR: substantially altered on ground floor. Polychrome tiled floor to hall. Stone stair to centre of NE block. Two stained glass windows to stair.

Predominately timber sash and case windows. On front elevation 4-pane to upper floor of SW and six pane upper light over plate glass lower pane to NE (applied astragals to lower lights on ground floor. To the rear a variety of glazing including 2-pane and 12-pane lying-pane. Graded grey slate roof with exposed rafters to NE block. Ridge stacks with clay cans. Cast iron rainwater goods with dated hoppers (1900).

Statement of Special Interest

The Buck's Head Hotel makes a significant contribution to the centre of Strathaven, situated as it is in a prominent location close to the Common Green. The building has also served as a hotel since at least the late 19th century and was a well-known stop-off point for early motoring traffic. Features such as the stained glass windows of a doe and buck are of considerable merit.

Downie refers to the inn as having been built in the mid 19th century and the building contained a hall which was used for public functions before the new Public Hall was built in Kirk St. The buildings certainly date to at least this period, with only insubstantial later extensions but it is not until the O.S 2nd edition (1898) that it is referred to as an inn. The majority of the features are of late 19th and early 20th century date. In the Michelin guide of 1923 the hotel is under the category of hotels whose facilities have been brought fairly well up to date or which have been recently built. The guide also mentions a garage and inspection pit on the premises The fact that the hotel was listed by Michelin, the AA and the RAC suggests that it was well-known and well-appointed at the time. The cast iron hoppers are dated 1900, which along with a number of other features, suggest the hotel was substantially upgraded at the time. A postcard of c.1906 shows a flesher's shop in the SW portion of the hotel, with a door in the place of one of the present windows. A sign over the pend indicates stabling to the rear. It is not until at least the 1920s that the hotel doubled in size.

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.