Description

Clarke & Bell, with RA Bryden, 1888-90. 2-storey, 4-bay Italianate former hospital, with 4-storey tower and 3-storey wing to N (currently roofless, 2013). Coursed sandstone ashlar polished to margins. V-jointed base course with channelled rustication to principal elevation, base course and V-jointed channelled rustication to ground floor of remaining elevations; architraved openings, corniced with consoles to ground floor of principal elevation; dividing band courses; eaves course; strip quoins; overhanging eaves on timber modillions.

S (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: asymmetrical; 4-bay; engaged square-plan tower slightly advanced to penultimate bay to right, bipartite window to ground floor, single window to 1st floor, bipartite windows to each elevation of 2nd floor, deep cornice between 2nd and 3rd floors with modillion detail, round-arched tripartite window with sandstone balustraded apron to each elevation of 3rd floor, shallow pyramidal roof with weathervane finial; circular turret adjoining to NW angle with irregular fenestration, narrow openings to top floor enclosed by balustrade, conical truncated roof with cast-iron brattishing; square-plan open porch to re-entrant angle to right, shouldered openings, balustraded parapet, balustraded sandstone staircase with lamp standards leading to panelled 2-leaf timber door in right return; iron stair to E of porch, spiral iron stair from roof of porch to top floor of tower; tooled tablet reading "WA" to 1st floor above porch; windows to ground and 1st floor of penultimate bay to left; bay to outer left slightly advanced, bipartite window to ground floor, window to 1st floor.

E ELEVATION: asymmetrical; 5-bay; single storey bay advanced to ground floor of centre bay, doorway to left return, corniced with consoles enclosing decoratively tooled panel reading "1888", flanked by small window and tripartite window, tripartite window to 1st floor above, remainder obscured by harled 1952 additions. Penultimate bay to left slightly advanced, shallow rectangular tripartite window with balustraded parapet to ground floor, iron steps leading to 1st floor bipartite window. Bipartite window to ground floor and tripartite window to 1st floor of stepped back bay to outer left. Penultimate bay to right with biparite window to upper storey. Flat-roofed addition advanced to ground floor of bay to outer right, tripartite window to centre, 4-light canted window to right return, bipartite window above.

N ELEVATION: asymmetrical; 3-storey, 7-bay; tripartite window to centre of ground floor, bipartite above, 2 single windows to 2nd floor with balustraded balcony, iron stair to left; blind tablet to ground floor to left of 2-bay right return, bipartite windows to remainder. 2-storey, 3-bay block recessed to right, centre bay advanced with tripartite to ground floor and bipartite above, regular fenestration to remainder. Irregular fenestration to ground floor of 3 bays to left regular fenestration to upper floors.

W ELEVATION: near-symmetrical; 5-bay; 4-light canted window to centre of ground floor, with balustraded parapet, windows flanking to left and right, 4 windows to 1st floor above; bays to outer left and right advanced, tripartite windows to ground floor, bipartite windows to 1st floor, iron stair to 1st floor of bay to right.

Predominantly boarded window openings; some plate glass timber sash and case windows remain. Piend grey slate roof to N with terracotta ridge tiles; majority of house roofless.. Panelled and coped sandstone wallhead stacks. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: not seen (2013). Damaged by fire, (2005)

Statement of Interest

B-Group with former Seafield Lodge and Nightingale House (see separate listings).

This large, Itallianate Villa is well detailed with prominent square-plan tower. The deep dentileled eaves and the decorative detailing around the windows ad significantly to the interest of the property. The stair tower is a particularly fine feature. The house was damaged by fire in 2008 and some of the roof has been lost.

The house was built for the engineer Sir William Arrol (hence the tooled panel reading "WA"), it replaced an earlier house on the site. Seafield House was bought by the Ayrshire Health Authority in 1921 for use as a maternity and child welfare hospital. It was converted to a paediatric unit in 1944, and remained in use as such until 1991 when it became the Health Board's HQ. The building suffered fire damage in 2008.

Sir William Arrol (1839-13) was the pre-eminent engineer of the late 19th century and early 20th century. He was an innovative bridge builder and his work includes the Tay Rail Bridge (1887), the Forth Railway Bridge and Tower Bridge in London (1894). He lived at Seafield Estate until his death in 1913.

The practice of Clarke & Bell & R A Bryden (circa 1875-1902) was based in Glasgow. Its work is mainly concentrated in the West of Scotland and includes the Quarriers' Homes in Bridge of Weir, as well as schools, churches and residenetial properties.

List description updated, (2013).

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17834955

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Nottinghamshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
• 
  The Victorian House Manual (2nd Edition): How They Were Built, Improvements & Refurbishment, Solutions to All Common Defects - Includes Relevant ... ... Properties (Haynes Manual) (Haynes Manuals)
• 
  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)