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Summary

Description

Circa 1870. Large, gabled 2-storey Gothic villa. Asymmetrical plan; pointed-arched fenestration within chamfered surrounds, broad bracketed eaves and plain bargeboarding; octagonal service stair turret (stairs now removed) with fishscale slated octagonal roof and tall finial; prominent Gothic porch. Battered base course; squared and snecked cream sandstone; dressed ashlar margins.

E (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: buttressed, gabled open porch in re-entrant to SE with dwarf Gothic arcade, pierced quatrefoils below; pierced decoration on pointed entrance arch with trefoil above to gablehead; 3 pinnacles capped with fleur-de-lis; integral stone bench within porch and encaustic tiled floor; timber boarded 2-leaf vestibule door with wrought-iron hinges. Advanced bay to R with tripartite to ground, balconied bipartite above.

W (REAR) ELEVATION: 2 principal bays, plus further bays to L. Tripartite window to R; canted quadripartite bay to L with pierced stone balustrade above; 2 bipartites windows to 1st floor;

S ELEVATION: tripartite window to R; canted quadripartite bay to L with pierced stone balustrade and tripartite window above; balconied bipartite window to 1st floor R.

N ELEVATION: with modern single storey projecting wing to R.

INTERIOR: fine, well-detailed decorative scheme in place including timber panelled doors in roll-moulded architraves, elaborate Gothic-style cornices and ceiling roses to ground floor (only 2 chimneypieces survive). Lobby: pointed-arched chimneypiece with cornice and small plinth; encaustic tiled hearth. Former drawing room: bay window to S through Tudor-arched opening. Former dining room: elaborate Gothic plasterwork cornice. Morning room: Gothic oak chimneypiece with flanking paired, engaged columns supporting mantelpiece; red tiled slip. Hall and staircase: through pointed-arched opening, timber staircase with turned balusters, square newel posts with bud finials; distinctive Gothic ashlar dwarf arcade/screen (echoing porch) to half-landing with polychrome marble columns and plain leaf capitals; rectangular coved surround to cupola with elaborate plasterwork, timber Tudor-Gothic frame supporting 12-light leaded, stained glass window, 2000 (see Notes).

Original timber plate glass sash and case windows, carved internally with foils. Blue-grey slates; corniced ashlar ridge stacks with octagonal clay cans; further corniced ashlar wallhead stacks to service wing with tall octagonal clay cans. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

Statement of Special Interest

Geilsland was built for William Fulton Love. In Cuninghame Topographized, Dobie writes about the divided lands of Geilsland: 'In 1867, two of these divisions were acquired by William Fulton Love, writer and bank agent in Beith, who has built a handsome villa, and enclosed and planted with much taste, 5 acres around it.' William Fulton 'married Jessie, eldest daughter of the late William Love of Hamilfield, writer and bank agent in Beith, by Mary, third daughter of Hugh Kerr of Gatend, and has issue, John and Robert, and five daughters'. Geilsland Road was originally 'Gillsland Road' and Dobie states that in Pont's map, the area was marked 'Neelsland'.

The house is possibly by Robert Samson Ingram (1841-1915) of J & R S Ingram, Kilmarnock. Among many works in and around Kilmarnock, a pair of late 19th century Gothic semi-villas at 28 and 30 Portland Road, Kilmarnock (listed) believed to be by him have architectural details comparable with Geilsland, in particular the entrance porch with its columned supports.

The Church of Scotland established a Special School at Geilsand in 1964. Geilsland operates as such today (2003). To commemorate the millennium and the work of the school, the stained glass windows in the hall were commissioned from Gail Muir and depict the activities taught at the school. In 2002, work was undertaken to remove some of the 1960s additions to the building.

References

Bibliography

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