Documents

There are no additional online documents for this record.

Summary

Description

Attributed to William Leiper (see Notes), circa 1876 with 20th century addition to NE. Single storey, 4-bay, roughly rectangular-plan, estate cottage with finialed crowstepped gables and bipartite windows. Squared, stugged orange sandstone with polished ashlar dressings. Base course to front elevation only; moulded eaves cornice; moulded skew putts. Roll-moulded window and door margins to front; chamfered window margins to rear; relieving arches above front windows.

SE (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: central timber-panelled front door with stone slab canopy supported on moulded brackets to SE (principal) elevation; 2 tiled steps to door.

Bipartite window to left of door; crow-stepped dormer-head with half-moon finial and monogram. Slightly advanced gable to right with paired window; spiky ball-finial to gablehead; monogram JW in square panel above window. Piend-roofed 20th century addition to outer right with bipartite window.

OTHER ELEVATIONS: slightly advanced gable with thistle finial and blind slit window to SW (road) elevation; stone bollard in re-entrant angle; truncated stack above. 2 gables flanking central bay to NW (rear) elevation; irregular fenestration with oval window to right gable; 20th century addition to outer left.

Plate glass in timber sash and case windows.

Statement of Special Interest

A very well-detailed cottage, formerly on the estate of Earnock House, believed to be by the well-known Glaswegian architect, William Leiper who built a large extension to Earnock House. Burnhouse occupies a prominent position on Neilsland Road, and, since it is now surrounded by mid 20th century local authority housing, it serves as an important reminder of the history of the area.

The Earnock estate was purchased by John Watson, owner of the Earnock Colliery, in about 1871. He made various improvements to the estate, including extending Earnock House and building a number of cottages and farm buildings. The extension to Earnock House was designed by William Leiper in 1876, and the other estate buildings (including this one) are in a very similar style, and almost certainly also by Leiper. The other estate buildings known to be in the same style included the stable block, Torheads Farm, a game-keepers cottage at Neilsland, Derrickbank Cottage (former estate laundry), and Earnock Cottage.

It is likely that there were other buildings as well. All these buildings, apart from Burnhouse and Earnock Cottage, have been demolished, which means that Burnhouse now has considerable importance as one of only two surviving examples of a fine group of estate buildings almost certainly by Leiper. Old photographs of Earnock House, its stable block, and Neilsland Cottage and Burnhouse are to be found in the book by John Watson, which is held at the Royal Commission library (NMRS).

John Watson was described in an article in the Glasgow News (and copied in his book) as 'perhaps the most extensive colliery owner and worker in Scotland and Earnock is only one of his collieries' The article also noted that Earnock was considered at the time as a model colliery as the principal seams were lit by electric light and carried telephone communication with the pit-head office.

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.