Description

W wing Thomas Brown of Edinburgh, 1843; partially refronted and E wing added by Andrew Muirhead (Muirhead and Rutherford), 1905; later additions to rear (N). 2-storey; 19-bay main block; various extensions to N (including original wing to W). Near symmetrical principal (S) elevation with classical detailing, including slightly projecting Edwardian Baroque centrepiece with pilastered and pedimented entrance bay to centre. Poorhouse; later in use as hospital (now nursing home). Coursed stugged sandstone with droved ashlar dressings and polished ashlar centrepiece to principal elevation; less finely coursed stugged sandstone and coursed rubble with droved ashlar dressings to rear. 1st floor cill band and eaves band to principal elevation; architraved openings; aprons to 1st floor windows (apart from that set back to outer right).

S (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: slightly projecting 5-bay ashlar centrepiece with moulded cornice and chanelled quoins; all openings corniced with Gibbs surrounds. Broken-bed pediment and flanking channelled pilaster strips to central entrance bay; keystoned lintel surmounted by segmental pediment to entrance; 2-leaf panelled timber door. Window above with keystoned lintel surmounted by curved breaking-eaves pediment; flanking scrolls at base of window. Paired flanking bays; window to each floor to each bay. Single flanking bays set back slightly; bipartite with central column mullion to each floor. Outer flanking sections set back slightly. 5 bays to left with entrance with consoled pediment at centre; regular fenestration (with a couple of additional inserted windows to ground floor); slightly projecting 6th bay to outer left. 5 regularly fenestrated bays to right; 6th bay set back slightly to outer right; mullioned bipartite to 1st floor; lean-to conservatory extends along wall to right below; entrance with 2-leaf panelled timber door with segmental fanlight to left; triple segmental-headed window-arcade to right.

W ELEVATION: 3-bay end section to main range to right; altered at ground floor to flanking outer bays (both now entrances); alterations and additions to left return. Original 4-bay rear wing (outer left bay obscured) set back to left; substantially altered (windows enlarged) to ground floor. Altered section with additions projects to outer left.

E ELEVATION: single bay end section to main range projects forward to left (altered at 1st floor); lean-to conservatory adjoins to left. Later harled flat-roofed addition to right.

N ELEVATION: irregular and substantially altered. Later flat-roofed harled addition obscures most of E wing. Slightly projecting section incorporating catslide-roofed original stairtower to centre. 2 bays set back to left; 3 to right; both terminating at projecting gable-ended sections; that to right part of original rear wing; various outbuildings set forward to either side adjoining it, including later brick and harled structure with square-plan brick industrial chimney.

Mixture of 12-pane timber sash and case windows and modern replacments with casement opening sections. Grey slate roofs, piended apart from to rear wing to W and rear projecting section to E (both with coped skews). Gablehead stacks with band courses to either side of rear wing to W and to rear projecting section to E; ridge stack with band course to W of main range; cans missing.

INTERIOR: not inspected (1999).

GATEPIERS AND BOUNDARY WALL: pair of square-plan polished sandstone ashlar gatepiers to SW; both chamfered with friezes and pyramid caps. Similar smaller and simpler gatepier (without frieze) to pedestrian entrance to E; wrought-iron gate to each. Coursed roughly stugged sandstone rubble boundary wall adjoins to E and terminates at pair of gatepiers with pyramid coping to SE. Similar wall encloses former grounds on N and E sides.

Statement of Interest

B-Group with Former Fever Hospital (McLean House) and Former Poorhouse Probationary Ward ('The Lodge'). Primarily of interest on account of its principal elevation, which was rearranged and extended in 1905. The original poorhouse of 1843 is shown on the 1856 OS map with separate yards for male and female occupants; it included 2 apartments for lunatics (Chalmers).. In 1904 it became a hospital as well as a poorhouse. With the creation of the National Health Service in 1948 it came under the management of the West Fife Hospital Board and became the Northern Hospital, specialising in the care of the long-term and chronic sick. The Northern Hospital was closed in 1985, since which time it has been sold and passed into use as a nursing home.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17816508

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

• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Old House Handbook 2 Books Bundle Collection (Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair,Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability)
• 
  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)