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Summary

Description

Late 18th century (with mid 19th century alterations - see Notes). 2-storey, attic and basement, T-plan classical villa located within the grounds of University of Dundee. Rubble built with later roughcast render. S (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: symmetrical 3-bay arrangement with sweeping stair to centre oversailing basement; decorative iron railings rising to doorway with decorative Y-tracery fanlight above. Two windows to each storey at gable ends with further central window to attic.

Slightly lower 2-storey wing to rear: curving stone forestair and iron railings rising to 1st floor entrance at NW re-entrant angle with single-story lean-to outshot below. Later piended dormer to NE flank.

Regular fenestration with timber 4-pane sash and case windows. Steeply pitched slate roof. Straight ashlar skews. Coped end stacks to W and N elevations with octagonal clay cans; tall narrow stack to NE re-entrant.

INTERIOR: wide hall at ground floor. Original room-plan largely intact. 6-panel timber doors, ornamental cornicing and dado rails throughout. Round-arched reeded doorpiece at first floor hall with fanlight and imitation keystone. Adamesque chimneypiece to first floor room. Curving stair to attic level with decorative iron balusters and timber handrail.

Statement of Special Interest

Hawkhill House is the last surviving example of the large, freestanding villas which formerly characterised this area of the West End of Dundee in the late 18th and 19th centuries. A building at this location appears named on William Crawford's map of Dundee of 1777 as 'Hawkhill'. Another villa also known as Hawkhill House (demolished mid 1960s) was located a short distance to the W.

The building largely retains its classical profile with symmetrical principal elevation, fenestration pattern and steeply pitched roof. The interior retains an early room plan on both principal floors and a number of decorative features survive. Early to mid 19th century remodelling included removal of the internal stair to separate accommodation on the ground and 1st floors. The current T-plan formation is depicted on Charles Edward's map of 1846, while the 1857 Ordnance Survey map shows the secondary stair at E re-entrant angle, indicating the building was already subdivided at that time.

The upper section of the house was the childhood home of Sir James Alfred Ewing in the 1850s who became professor of Engineering at University College, Dundee and later Cambridge University and was also principal and vice-chancellor at University of Edinburgh. He was a pioneer in the development of instruments for measuring earthquakes.

The building was acquired by University of Dundee in the 1960s as part of the significant expansion of the campus in the later years of the 20th century. A parcel of open ground has been retained to the front of the property. Previously known as Nos 5 and 7 Hawkhill Place, it currently houses the University Museum Services collections and offices (2012).

References

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