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Summary

Description

Alexander Thomson and John Baird, circa 1855 with later alterations and additions. Single storey (2 storey at centre), asymmetrical, 6-bay Greek-detailed villa (now divided) with 3 stage Italianate tower to centre at rear. Shallow gabled bays flanking flat roofed entrance set to centre; single storey flat-roofed addition to left; 2 storey pitched, harled stair addition to rear of tower. Stugged and snecked red sandstone; squared rubble to rear; polished ashlar dressings; tooled surrounds to droved openings; pilaster mullions with square capitals (plain mullions at ground to centre and to addition); plain bargeboards; eaves course beneath gables; exposed rafters. TOWER: cill course to 3rd stage; eaves course; deeply overhanging eaves.

NW (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: single storey entrance porch to right of centre; pilaster capitals supporting curvilinear incised frieze and toothed cornice; folding 3-leaf timber panelled door; slit window at 2nd stage of tower set back behind; bipartite window to each face at 3rd stage of tower above. Bipartite window at ground in advanced bay to centre; 5-light window at 1st floor; carved plaque to gablehead above. 4-light window in (added) bay to left of centre (walls flush to centre bay wall). Modern replacement door with single window flanking in bay recessed to outer left. 3-light window to slightly advanced bay to right of centre; 4-light window in bay recessed to outer right.

SE (REAR) ELEVATION: irregular single and 2-storey, 5-bay, with 3-stage tower to centre. Modern harled addition to 1st and 2nd stage of tower; window, offset to left at 1st stage; window in left return; 6 light window, clasping angles at 2nd stage. Modern window offset to left, with small window flanking at ground in gabled bay to right; window at 1st floor above. Replaced window at ground in bay to right. Replaced timber door in bay to outer right. Blank gabled bay to left of centre. Replaced door, offset to right, in bay to outer left.

NE AND SW (SIDE) ELEVATIONS: blank gabled walls with gablehead stack to SW.

Variety of glazing patterns with predominantly 2-pane timber sash and case; some uPVC replacements. Grey slate to roofs; slate to shallow piended tower roof; ashlar coped stacks; cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: part-glazed vestibule door with figural and foliate etching; anthemion etched lower border to drawing room windows; deep, highly decorative cornices with anthemion and bead and reel detail; foliate embossed (possibly original) ceiling rose in drawing room; foliate wrought-iron banisters to turnpike stair to tower; timber handrail.

Statement of Special Interest

Originally a single villa, now divided into two dwellings, McFadzean considers Greenbank to be "...The first of the mature Thomson villas". It commands a hilltop site overlooking the Clyde, the lookout tower once providing handsome views over farmland below, although this view is now largely obscured. Composed of a number of advancing and retreating planes, its external makeup directly reflects internal arrangements: the principal rooms occupy the dominant gabled blocks, (the impact of the principal 2-storey block slightly reduced due to the single storey addition which comes flush to the front wall) while the single-storey kitchen is offset to the right. Detailing is sparse, the pilaster mullions having plain capitals, the door lintel having minimal inscised decoration and the string course being the only relief to the characteristic Italianate tower (compare with the busier detail at the Knowe). The individual units are separately roofed, characteristically with oversailing eaves and exposed rafters, giving a rambling quality to the villa while concealing a highly organised and self-contained plan. The rear addition houses a modern stair, wider and straighter than its turnpike predecessor, its final reaches giving access to the tower. The rooms are large, well proportioned and light and would have provided a handsome residence for a rich Glasgow merchant.

References

Bibliography

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