Description

Alexander Thomson, 1854. 2-storey, symmetrical T-plan Greek

fclassical villa with single storey service wing to left (E). Grey, cream and red bull-faced snecked rubble, cream ashlar dressings.

Plinth, cill bands, lintel course. Bipartite, tripartite and multi-partite windows with ashlar pilaster-mullions and pilastered reveals; small peephole roundel with deep decorative surround to gableheads; overhanging eaves.

N (CLYDE STREET/ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: broad advanced gabled bay to outer right, paired windows at ground substantial projecting ashlar porch in re-entrant angle with distyle piers in-antis, cornice and blocking course, pilastered 2-leaf panelled doors with patera border in tripartite doorway, lead-paned windows flanking, entablature with patera decoration to frieze, plate glass fanlights to door and windows, deep-set tripartite vestibule galzed doorway with anthemion and palmette frieze. Window to left of porch, bipartite window above and to left at 1st floor.

W (SIDE) ELEVATION: advanced gabled bay to centre, small bipartite window at ground, tripartite window at 1st floor flanked by narrow window on each return. Recessed bay to right with window to outer right at 1st floor, single storey pavilion abutting in re-entrant angle, tripartite window to N elevation, lower modern flat-roofed conservatory adjoined to S.

S (REAR) ELEVATION: advanced gabled bay to outer left, paired windows at ground, 5-light window at 1st floor. Doorpiece in re-entrant angle on return to right, 2-leaf panelled door, pilastered reveals, incised decoration to architrave and flanking die walls; window above at

1st floor. Recessed wing to right with 3 closely grouped windows at ground, 7-light window across bays at 1st floor.

E (SIDE) ELEVATION: single storey service wing (see below) abutting. SERVICE WING:

N (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: taller advanced gabled bay to centre with 5-light window; 2 windows to right; narrow window to left, 2-leaf panelled door to far left.

E ELEVATION: window to centre and left, door to right.

S ELEVATION: detailed as N elevation, with modern flat-roofed conservatory abutting to outer right.

Plate glass and 4-pane sash and case windows. M-gabled roof, low pitch to advanced gabled bays to W; grey/green slates, squared decorated cans, anthemion acroteria.

INTERIOR: richly decorated with pilaster flanked panels to hall, anthemion and palmette frieze. Dining room with Egyptian style doors, vertically panelled with patera borders and guilloche decoration with anthemion and palmette frieze; similarly detailed wall frieze and cornice, sideboard recess with paired piers with anthemion and palmette capitals and egg and dart moulding. Dog-leg timber stair with bronze balustrade of inverted palmette and fret border.

SUNDIAL: ashlar pedestal sundial with flat octagonal dial-stone.

Statement of Interest

A Group with Rockland gatelodge and boundary walls listed separately. Villa sub-divided into 2 residences (one occupying the former service quarters). McFadzean considers Rockland an important villa in Thompson:s work, introducing for the first time the division of the dwelling into its functional elements. A hint of this has appeared in many of the earlier domestic building but not expressed so boldly. Rockland is also the first villa where Thomson clearly broke free from the Italian Romanseque and cottage ornee styles which had dominated all of his earlier domestic works. McFadzean suggests that the porch is a later addition citing the difference in stone work and the use of Greek motifs which are usually found in Thomson's later buildings. A development of this porch and vestibule appears in the Double Villa (1856) at Langside. The present owner (1991) believes the drawing room at 1st floor has had a false ceiling installed and that there is possibly a plastered ceiling underneath.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17571912

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

• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair