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Summary

Description

Alexander Thomson, circa 1853. 2-storey symmetrical semi-detached "parsonage style" double villa. Coursed sandstone to principal elevation excepting squared and snecked inner bays. Some stonework tooled. Base course, cill courses, canted bays, hoodmoulds, overhanging eaves. Unusual glazing. Chamfered openings.

E (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: to outer left, advanced gable with 4-light canted bay to ground and 1st floor. To right, timber 2-leaf entrance door with bipartite fanlight above with recessed shelter/veranda to right with pair of small narrow windows, all set under continuous monopitch slated roof. Above, 5-light window. To right, mirror image.

S ELEVATION: some changes to openings.

Predominantly original glazing, unusually deep-set within timber sash and cases. Mostly 2-pane or single pane over 3-panes. Interior meeting rail angled to slope downwards. Grey slates. Large gable and central ridge stacks.

INTERIOR: (No 76) good cornices and ceiling roses to hall, ground floor and first floor principal rooms. Painted and etched glass fanlight to inner entrance door. Turned cast-iron baluster with timber handrail. Evidence of simple stencilled decoration in 1st floor principal room uncovered during recent (2004) renovation.

GATEPIERS AND BOUNDARY WALLS: (probably re-sited, see Notes) to E, squared and snecked tooled sandstone stepped wall with blank armorial panel and ball finial detailing.

Statement of Special Interest

An important double villa by celebrated Scottish architect Alexander "Greek" Thomson in a "parsonage style".

Built for Robert and James Couper of the Millholm Paper Mills. The Coupers later moved to two nearby adjacent houses including the exceptional Thomson villa of Holmwood (see separate listing).

Robert Couper expanded the paper mill in 1853 and invited his brother James to join him in the business at this time and it is likely that Braehead Villa was built to allow the brothers to work closely together. There is some uncertaintly about whether the villa was built as one house and soon after divided. The Coupers also commissioned Thomson to built a very similar semi-detached pair of houses in Cove (Shore Road, Ashlea and Ellerslie - see separate listing) as a summer residence.

The front garden has been considerably narrowed due to road widening in the 1960s. The front wall was moved and the original single entrance altered to form entrances at either end.

References

Bibliography

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