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Summary

Description

Attributed to T L Watson, circa 1881-4. Impressive 2-storey, 16-bay symmetrical Greek Revival former Board School with advanced 3-storey, 4-bay central pedimented section to both W and E elevations. Pale red sandstone ashlar. Deep base course, continous cill course at ground floor, projecting band course and cills to 1st floor, eaves cornice, blocking course stepped-up at corners. Central pedimented section: bays above ground divided by giant pilasters with angle pilasters, pilasters to 1st floor windows. Later alterations including large post-WWII addition to right.

Plate glass timber sash and case windows with horns to pedimented section. Timber T-plan glazing pattern with top and bottom hoppers to 1st floor. Ground floor windows boarded up. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: partly seen (2007). In poor condition. Some dado height timber boarding and tiling. Iron railings and timber handrail to staircases.

BOUNDARY WALLS AND RAILINGS: low stepped boundary wall to E and N with decorative railings with crown finials at stepping points.

Statement of Special Interest

Originally called Maryhill Public School, the former Maryhill Primary School is a good example of the work of T L Watson and a rare instance of the Greek Revival style in the Glasgow Board Schools oeuvre.

The school forms an important part of the streetscape. The central advanced Greek Revival pediment is uncommon in Glasgow Board Schools although it shows the wider influence of the renowned Glasgow architect Alexander 'Greek' Thomson. Glasgow has a rich selection of distinctive Board Schools resulting from the Education Act of 1872 which made education compulsory and acted as the catalyst for an intensive period of school building. These schools add much to the character of the built heritage of the city.

Thomas Lennox Watson (1850-1920) was born in Glasgow and had a prominent career with notable commissions for schools, churches and domestic buildings.

The Dictionary of Scottish Architects notes that Watson may have designed an unattributed school in Maryhill in 1881. Plans for a proposed unexecuted extension to the north of the school designed by Watson in June 1896 are lodged in the Mitchell Library. It is likely that the same architect as the original building would have been chosen for such a recent extenstion, adding weight to the attribution. A separate annexe to the south was planned in 1915 by the Master of Works and map evidence suggests that this was built (physically attached to the janitor's house), although it and the janitor's house have since been demolished. A photo on the Mitchell Library website shows the building in 1885 and log books for the school begin in 1884.

The building is unoccupied and in poor repair (2007) and much of the interior was inaccessible due to rot.

References

Bibliography

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