Description

Later 19th century, asymmetrical, 5-bay, 2-storey and attic over concealed basement, Scots-Baronial former mansion of approximate L-plan, with single storey over basement service wing and square tower to S, projecting conservatory to N. Bull-faced, squared and snecked red sandstone, rusticated basement, droved dressings. Projecting basement storey, staggered string course to attic (2nd) floor level.

SE (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: 5-bay elevation. Entrance door to principal floor at bay 3, crowstepped stone dormerhead breaking eaves at 2nd floor. 3-storey square stair tower at outer bay to left, staggered tripartite stair window at principal floor with corresponding string course above; bipartite window at 2nd stage with corniced cill and ball finialled dies flanking lintel, string course; bipartite window at 3rd stage with string course above, articulated to open, ball finialled pediment; heavily bracketted cornice with rope-moulding and waterspouts to crenellated parapet. Bay to left of entrance, narrow window to principal floor, crowstepped stone dormerheads breaking eaves at 2nd floor. Bay to right of entrance, narrow windows to principal and 1st floor only. 2 bays to outer right, crowstepped gabled return

of NE front, 3-light canted oriel window, corbelled and bracketted with crenellated parapet over. Single window centring gablehead with staggered string course over encompassing circular corbelled bartizan to right at corner of 2nd floor with bracketted eaves.

NE ELEVATION: 4-bay facade, first bay with bipartite dormer window breaking eaves, crowstepped stone dormerhead and staggered string course at sill. Bipartite window at principal floor, bay 2, partially obscured by projecting timber conservatory with modern plastic pitched roof, relieving arch in wall behind. Crowstepped gablet breaking eaves above, clock at centre on square tablet with string course over and corbelled stack at apex. Bipartite window at principal floor, partially obscured by projecting timber conservatory with modern plastic pitched roof, relieving arch in wall behind. Circular 4-storey, 5-light tower at corner to right with band course at 1st floor and string course at 3rd floor sill level.

NW (REAR) ELEVATION: 4 bays, with corner tower at first bay, large crowstepped gable to right corresponding to that on principal elevation. 3-storey, 3-light canted bay window at bay 4 with bipartite window at basement and crenellated parapet. Stone dormerheads breaking eaves to bays 3 and 4 (crowstepped with thistle finials) bipartite window at bay 4.

SERVICE WING: 5-bay 1-5, single storey service wing with crenellated parapet over rope-moulded string course. 1st bay, circular stair tower centring SW wall, window at principal floor level. Bays 2-4, 3 narrow windows, closely spaced. Entrance door in bay 5 with modern chevron boarded and slated porch.

Plate glass timber sash and case windows to all openings. Windows in S elevation of main block with (original) chain-hung timber sash double glazing. 2-leaf timber entrance door with glazed upper panels and plate glass fanlight above. Modern panelled entrance door to S wing. Grey slate roof, bellcast conical bartizan roofs with fish-scale banding and finials. Large 18-pane skylight over billiard room. Cast-iron downpipes, profiled gutters to eaves including turrets. 4-storey cast-iron external spiral stair with landings accessing N tower windows at each floor, decorative balusters. Bull-faced, squared and snecked sandstone stacks, all corniced with octagonal cans except for plain cope to S stack.

INTERIOR: basement: vertically-boarded timber wainscoting and 4-panel doors. Timber spiral stair to service wing, dumb waiter with workings and stone shelves to larder still intact.

Ground (principal) floor; chevron boarded pine lining to entrance hall, with coffered ceiling above. Elaborately carved chimneypiece with overmantle containing 3 mirrors, marble and tiled surround to cast-iron free-standing grate. 6-panel doors, integral writing desk and shelved recess to SE corner. Stone stair (except for timber upper flight) with turned, fluted balusters and ball finials at newels. Panelled shutters to windows, roll-moulded surrounds to arches leading off landings and rich cornice to ceiling. NE rooms panelled with grained shutters, strapwork ceilings and decorative cornices.

1st floor; 4-panel door, some grained, shutters to windows and floral cornices. Billiard room to N corner with timber lined walls, red marble basket-arched fireplace, 6-panel doors. Chevron-boarded panelled ceiling with carved roses at centres, 18-pane skylight at centre. Clock workings in cupboard at NE wall. Bull-faced, coped, retaining wall and basement area to SE of S wing. Service tunnel extending along length of E wall, connecting with additional tunnel traversing drive to N of house, accessing area adjacent to conservatory. Rubble side walls and brick barrel-vaulted ceiling to tunnels. Bull-faced, crenellated wall to sea-front terrace with mock bastions at corners, stone steps with modern railings to N end.

Statement of Interest

Kilbowie is maintained in good repair by the local authority who retained the original fittings of the house when converting it to office use. A photograph of the house in its original state show the conservatory with a curved roof profile conforming to the relieving arch which still exists in the north wall. A similar glazed port-cochere can also be seen extending eastwards from the area of the entrance door, and a semicircular raggle mark remains showing the profile of this roof. This house is a prominent landmark on the shoreline south of the town.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17773729

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

• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Warwickshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The Shredded Chef: 120 Recipes for Building Muscle, Getting Lean, and Staying Healthy
• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)