Description

Circa 1830. 2-storey, 3-bay symmetrical villa with distinctive balustraded parapet and 1897, 2-storey and attic central single-bay extension to rear. Ashlar to principal elevation (E), rubble to other elevations with ashlar margins. Eaves cornice, wallhead balustrade. Some gabled attic dormers breaking wallhead to rear.

FURTHER DESCRIPTION: PRINCIPAL ELEVATION (E): single-storey, full-length parapetted portico with square-plan Doric columns and with balustraded, advanced central bay with pair of fluted Ionic columns. Central non-traditional timber entrance door with rectangular fanlight above with circular glazing pattern. Flanking tripartite windows with stone mullions and recessed aprons. Moulded raised architraves to upper floor window openings.

Predominantly plate glass and 12-pane timber sash and case windows. Piended roof, grey slates. Wallhead stacks with decorative cans.

INTERIOR: (seen 2009). Original room-plan largely extant. Stone open-well stair with decorative iron balusters and timber handrail. Some decorative cornice and ceiling plasterwork. Part-glazed 2-leaf internal entrance door with fanlight above with circular glazing pattern.

OUTBUILDINGS: single storey outbuildings to SW.

BOUNDARY WALLS: surround building. Coped, rubble walls to N and S, lower wall to E with iron railings and central decorative iron gate. To W, painted rubble wall with 3 square-plan gatepiers with near-flat capstones.

Statement of Interest

Part of a B-Group comprising: '1 and 2 St Leonard's Bank, Parklands Hotel'; '3 St Leonard's Bank, Including Boundary Walls and Gatepiers'; '5 St Leonard's Bank, Including Boundary Walls and Outbuilding'; '7 St Leonard's Bank, Including Boundary Walls and Outbuildings'; '9 St Leonard's Bank, Including Boundary Walls'; '4 St Leonard's Bank, Including Boundary Walls'; '6 St Leonard's Bank, Including Boundary Walls and Gatepiers' and '10 St Leonard's Bank, Including Boundary Walls' (see separate listings).

This is a fine, well-detailed Classical house with distinctive balustrading and a finely detailed Ionic columned entrance. The house forms part of an impressive row of large villas (see separate listings) which all have large sloping gardens to the South Inch Park. This house with its impressive balustraded garden elevation and good Classical detailing is an important integral part of this row. The extension to the rear was conceived in 1897 and provided a bathroom and a servant's bedroom for J & D Gowans, Merchants, who were the owners at the time.

The plots along St Leonard's Bank were laid out for development by W M Mackenzie, the Perth City Architect in 1828. The area was owned by the Glover Incorporation, which was one of the largest landowners in Perth at the time. The early part of the 19th century was an important time for the development of Perth City as it expanded to the South and this row of high quality houses at St Leonard's Bank formed a critical part of that expansion. Conditions with sale of the feu are said to have included the building of a house with an ashlar front and at a value of at least £800.

List description updated at resurvey (2009).

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17852297

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

• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Derbyshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability