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Summary

Description

Circa 1855. 2-storey, 3-bay, T-plan villa in Jacobean style; later extension to W, dated 1867. Advanced outer bays with gabled breaking eaves dormerheads. Coursed, finely droved, squared sandstone; coursed rubble to N elevation; ashlar dressings. Projecting base course; moulded 1st floor cill course, broken by advanced bays. Raised, V-jointed, long and short ashlar quoins. Chamfered margins to S elevation. Plain timber bargeboarded eaves. Carved stone detailing; rectangular hoodmoulds; raised margins.

S (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: shallow pilastered doorpiece with strapwork entablature, margin-paned fanlight, flanked by double-height advanced bays (canted 3-light window with moulded stone parapet and central plain shield to ground floor left). Bi-partite, central first floor window. Raised, round-headed margins on upper, outer bay windows. Recessed 2-storey, single bay extension to far left. Tall ground floor window set next to re-entrant angle; breaking eaves dormer (slightly raised).

W ELEVATION: central advanced gabled bay (1867 extension), ground and 1st floor windows set in sightly advanced corniced and moulded stone frame. Window to recessed gabled right-hand bay (original house). 1st floor window to recessed left-hand bay.

N (REAR) ELEVATION: advanced gabled central bay, single storey lean-to brick service extension at ground floor, 2 blind 2nd floor windows with raised margins and painted sash and case detailing. Round-headed window at 1st floor to recessed lefthand bay (original house). Small single storey pitched roofed extension projecting to far right.

E ELEVATION: 4-bays (arranged 2-2), gabled 2 bays to left, slightly recessed 2-bay flat-roofed section to right; single bay service wing further recessed to far right. Hoodmoulded rectangular openings at ground floor; round-headed openenings at 1st floor (blind windows to outer bays and to penultimate bay left at 1st floor).

12- and 6-pane lying-pane timber sash and case windows; 4-pane timber sash and case windows; timber panel door. Pitched and flat roofs; grey slates; corniced ashlar gablehead and wallhead stacks; octagonal clay cans.

INTERIOR: access not obtained, 2004.

Statement of Special Interest

Set next to the Forth and Clyde Canal (SCHEDULED ANCIENT MONUMENT), Underwood House is a well-detailed and well-preserved mid-19th century villa. It is also indicative of the successes of the canal, bringing new industry and increased wealth to new parts of Central Scotland. Underwood House was built by Mr Robert Bennie, the owner of a chemical works that sat to the E of the house, at the rear of Underwood Lockhouse (see separate listing). A hostelry was established due to the increased population brought to the area by the works, the canal and the nearby Stein's Brickwork at Allandale. A bowling green was also established in the grounds of Underwood House. Underwood boasted a walled garden, the external wall of which lines the driveway, and a lodge facing onto the canal towpath. Towards the end of the 19th century, the Chemical Works began to fall into disrepair and the fortunes of the Underwood community declined. Underwood House continues to be inhabited, however the walled garden and surrounding property have fallen into disrepair. A farm and new housing occupy the site of the former chemical works (2004).

Underwood House lies within the amenity zone for the Antonine Wall recommended in D N Skinner The Countryside of the Antonine Wall (1973), and which will form the basis of the buffer zone, yet to be defined, for the proposed Antonine Wall World Heritage Site.

References

Bibliography

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