Description

James Pearson Alison, 1900. 2 distinct but internally connected, Dutch-inspired Art Nouveau blocks comprising shops at ground floor and tenements above.

NO 45: Symmetrical 2-storey and attic, 3-bay gabled tenement with large central round-arched shop window flanked by depressed-arch doorways. Squared, roughly coursed, lightly stugged red sandstone with polished ashlar dressings. Deep bracketed cornice to ground floor. 4 stone steps to small-pane-glazed doors in corniced depressed-arched surrounds to outer bays; key-blocked oval windows above; plate glass in round-arched opening with panelled voussoirs to centre. Oriel windows with scalloped parapets in outer bays at 1st floor; mullioned quadripartite windows in centre bay at 1st and attic floors. Arrowslit window and curved apex to gable. INTERIOR: Entrance lobby through left door with floor mosaic bearing monogram 'JPA' (see NOTES); internal half-glazed secondary front door in round-arched architrave; hall with timber balustraded staircase with Arts and Crafts detailing; oval stair window at 1st floor. 2-panel timber doors to 1st floor, with some Art Nouveau copper fittings; 4-panel timber doors to 2nd and attic floors. Some cornices. Leaded lights with decorative wrought-iron catches to 1st- and 2nd-floor windows; heraldic stained glass dated 1900 to centre windows of oriels. Cast-iron corner fireplace to rear attic room.

NO 47: Symmetrical, 2-storey and attic, 3-bay block. Lightly stugged red sandstone ashlar with polished dressings. Arcaded shop at ground floor with key-blocked voussoirs, semi-octagonal engaged pinnacles rising from springing point, and ornate carving to spandrels of central arch. Fascia and cornice above.

continuous fascia: pilasters with semi-octagonal capitals, extended lantern-shaped consoles, and moulded cornice. Glazed door in depressed arched surround with banded voussoirs and decoratively carved spandrels with blank escutcheons to centre; plate glass windows in segmental-arched surrounds with banded voussoirs in outer bays. Corniced tripartite mullioned and transomed windows in outer bays at 1st floor. Pedimented tripartite windows in shaped gables crowned with open segmental pediments and finials to outer bays, linked by panelled parapet; later tripartite dormer window to attic. Fixed plate glass to shop; non-traditional windows to flats. Large flat-roofed 20th-century extension at ground floor and basement to rear. INTERIOR: Internal walls and all decorative features of ground floor removed. Original scale-and-platt stone staircase with cast-iron balustrade and polished timber handrail from ground to 1st floor; half-glazed timber landing doors to flats. Timber scale-and-platt stair to 2nd floor, 4-panel timber doors, timber panelling around front windows, timber boarding around rear windows, and some cornices and timber chimneypieces in each flat. Some timber panelling in cellar.

BOTH: Stone skews. Corniced ashlar end stacks with circular red clay cans. Grey slate roof. Cast-iron rainwater goods with decorative hoppers.

Statement of Interest

B-Group comprises Nos 41, 43 & 43A, 45 & 47 and 49 North Bridge Street - see separate list entries.

Two elements in a range of five outstanding Dutch-, Art Nouveau- and Arts and Crafts red sandstone buildings, with fine detailing, all by James Pearson Alison (1862-1932), Hawick's most prominent architect, who built No 45 for his own use (hence the 'JAP' monogram in the entrance). Alison had commenced practice in the town in 1888 and remained there until his death, during which period he was responsible for a large number of buildings of widely varying types and styles, including a considerable proportion of Hawick's listed structures. The client for No 47 was the Cycle Company Ltd.

Beneath Alison's home and office at No 45 was, in the early 20th century, the dressmakers' store Hathorn & Wither. This part of the building is now accessed through and in the same ownership as No 47, retaining some original details such as an egg-and-dart cornice which are lacking in the entirely modernised interior at No 47 itself.

Previously listed separately, the listing has been combined due to the interconnectedness of the interiors (2007). List description revised following resurvey (2008).

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17834884

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.

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