Documents

There are no additional online documents for this record.

Summary

Description

Probably John Milne, 1856-57. Large multi-gabled, 2-storey, asymmetrical former Free Church Manse with Tudor Gothic 3-stage tower. Distinctive stepped roofline, tower, chimneystacks and lying pane glazing adds character to Kennedy Gardens. Squared and snecked sandstone with ashlar margins and stone mullions. Base course; first floor cill course.

FURTHER DESCRIPTION: NW (Kennedy Gardens) elevation: 4-bay with advanced 3-light bay window with 4-light canted bay above to right terminating in steeply gabled roof with carved stone finial. Near centre 2-storey gabled single bay with small carved stone cross finial. To left further single gabled bay. To far left later flat-roofed single bay addition.

SE (garden) elevation: off-centre bay with tall bipartite stair window. To left 2-storey gabled single bay with stonecarved finial. To far left recessed 3-stage tower with moulded, pointed arched and hoodmoulded entrance with 2-leaf panelled timber door. Square-plan tower with decorative stepped parapet. To right stepped down 2-storey bay with gabled window breaking eaves. To far right further stepped down bay with single window to ground floor.

Predominantly 8-pane lying-pane timber sash and case windows. Graded grey slates. Tall diamond ashlar ridge stacks with some cans. Ashlar-coped skews with beaked skewputts. Some cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: simple decorative scheme in place with good plaster ceilings and cornicing. Deeply moulded consoled cornice sections divide ceilings to ground and 1st floor. Dogleg staircase with iron balusters and timber handrail.

BOUNDARY WALLS: low squared rubble semicircular coped sandstone stone section of wall to NW. To E high rubble section incorporating entrance to modern garage.

Statement of Special Interest

Rathelpie is a well detailed villa which forms part of the suburban expansion of St Andrews to the S and W of the town centre and which would eventually include Kennedy Gardens and Hepburn Gardens. Constructed in the Tudor Gothic style probably by respected local architect John Milne (1823-1904), Rathelpie is a distinctive building with a particularly notable roofscape. The decorative parapet to the 3-stage tower and carefully stepped roofline of the bays, coupled with the diamond plan stacks, make for a significant addition to the Kennedy Gardens streetscape. Rathelpie also has further interest as it retains its lying-pane glazing pattern.

Rathelpie was built as the Manse for the Martyrs Free Church in North Street, St Andrews. John Milne carried out extensive alteration to the church in 1843 in a Gothic style. Milne received a number of commissions in Fife and is almost certainly the architect of the Manse. Milne was involved in 1857 with the feuing of the general area, which was called Rathelpie, as well as the construction of Rathmore and Westerlee (now Wardlaw Wing of University Hall) along Kennedy Gardens.

Milne was Clerk of Works to the celebrated Baronial architect David Bryce in Edinburgh. Following this Milne spent the majority of his working life in St Andrews as a town councillor and Bailie as well as an architect. The University of St Andrews Library contains his personal Scrapbook (MSS Collection, MS 37447) containing newspaper cuttings and letters regarding some of his commissions. Although the Manse does not appear to be mentioned his close relationship with the Free Church features heavily. The scrapbook also shows Milne's interest in internal comfort with his patent in c1870 of the Pyro-pneumatic Room Grate. This enabled the channelling of warm air into a room through a system of vents and which won awards at exhibitions in Paris and London.

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.