Description

James Collie, Glasgow, 1836-39, early purpose-built hospital building. Greek Revival. 2-storey main block with symmetrical entrance elevation to E; 2-storey ward block, built 1894, running parallel to main block to rear. Minor alterations, 1937 and small modern flat-roofed additions to rear.

Brown/red polished ashlar portico, squared, dressed sandstone rubble to main elevations, with polished ashlar dressings and margins: plinth, narrow raised margins at angles, cornice and parapet, pedimented gables, corniced apex stacks and architraved windows, those at ground floor with apron panels below. 4-pane timber sash and case windows. Shallow-pitched slated roofs.

PRINCIPAL (E) ENTRANCE ELEVATION: 2-storey, symmetrical; 3 bays flanking central pedimented entrance block, with engaged tetrastyle Doric portico in antis, door in in-filled centre bay, single windows to either side, and at 1st floor over; flight of 3 steps leading to entrance. Pediment raised high above eaves on tall entablature, frieze ornamented with 4 relief garland wreath carvings. Set-back flanking bays; single bays to centre, outer 2 bays slightly advanced pinning down ends of E elevation. Small single-storey ashlar block in similar style added to S elevation, to right, 1937, entered by small flat-roofed porch, and with 1937 timber and glazed sun-balcony at 1st floor level over; metal fire-escape stair behind (on S elevation of main block); these later additions obscuring original S elevation, with pend opening (see T Valentine photograph in Griffith: see REFERENCES).

2-storey WARD BLOCK: later wing, added 1894 (Maternity and Female Medical wards in 1989) running parallel to main block on N-S axis. Same quarry of brown-red, squared and dressed sandstone, with pitched slated roof, pedimented gable end, timber sash and case windows, with shorter (1/3) upper sashes; large 9-pane window, presumably an alteration of 1937, wrapped around eaves with 3-pane roof light to right of W elevation.

Various small flat-roofed modern additions to rear.

ANCILLARY STRUCTURES: earlier-mid 19th Century; detached to N of infirmary: 2 pitched-roofed brown sandstone buildings with pitched slated roofs, attached at right angles. That with SE elevation (facing infirmary): 2-storey, with large multi-paned windows, 4 at ground, 3 at 1st floor, centre opening at 1st floor with timber louvres (? suggesting wash-house/boiler room); second single-storey and basement building attached at right-angles, on N-S axis, built in slope of ground.

GATEPIERS AND ENCLOSING WALLS: replaced circa 1940s, but retaining line of original boundary. Original panelled ashlar piers and decorative cast-iron railings to be seen in pre-1937 T Valentine photograph (Griffith: see REFERENCES).

Statement of Interest

Built to provide separate accommodation for the "Sick Poor", who had formerly shared accommodation with asylum patients at the Montrose Lunatic Asylum (completed in 1781 as the first asylum to be built in Scotland). James Collie's designs were chosen from 15 competition entries published in the contemporary press. Contractors: David Mitchell, mason; John Crieg, wright. Foundation stone laid on 28 June 1838, the Coronation Day of Queen Victoria. Level of Bridge Street was "reduced by a foot or two" to enhance the effect of the new building, a sea wall to the W raised by using the masonry from an old wall to Bridge Street, and a new wall and gatepiers to Bridge Street constructed with pavement. Separate fever wards were built in 1866, linked by a covered walkway to the main block (now demolished). Mortuary and lift (latter replaced in 1912) were accommodated within the building (? in basement) in 1894.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Montrose Royal Infirmary, 62, 64 Bridge Street, Montrose at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17576173

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

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  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
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  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)
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  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)