Description

Dated 1926; sympathetically altered 2001. Single storey and attic with raised basement to N, 4-bay gabled villa with Arts and Crafts references, steeply-pitched swept roofs and exceptional interior with outstanding retention of figurative coloured glass. Harled with cement dressings. Jettied gables with arrowslits; mock half-timbering; stone mullions.

S (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: 3 dominant gabled bays to right, that to centre broader and slightly set-back with steps up to full-width tiled canopy on polygonal outer columns, set-back 2-leaf timber door to left and large irregular tripartite window to right; small horizontally-aligned tripartite above in gablehead.

Flanking gables each with flat-roofed canted window and further set-back bay with bipartite window to outer left.

N (GARDEN) ELEVATION: reducing semicircular steps (with flanking small bipartites and sundial on moulded panel dated '1927' to outer right) to right of largely blank raised basement lead to broad terrace, swept-roof over broad French window at centre and horizontal eyelid dormer above. Irregular flanking gables, that to left tall and half-timbered with canted window at ground and recessed French window above, that to right low with bipartite window. Further gable to left with bipartite below square window in gablehead and lower bays to service wing at outer left.

W ELEVATION: gabled elevation with canted 6-light window under polygonal roof flanked by diminutive later (2001) square windows.

E ELEVATION: bay to centre with timber door, tooled panel with date '1926' over tiny shield carved 'JSD' in gabletted wallhead stack breaking eaves at left; pitch-roofed wing projecting at right with timber door to right and small bipartite to left, ancillary (see below) abutting at outer right.

Largely leaded multi-pane glazing in casement windows; coloured glass see Interior. Rosemary tiles with terracotta finials. Ashlar-coped harled stacks with full-complement of cans. Swept overhanging eaves; moulded skews and skewputts. Cast-iron downpipes with decorative rainwater hoppers.

INTERIOR: exceptionally fine decorative scheme in place including decorative plasterwork cornicing, architraved doors some with coloured glass panels, and timber fire surrounds some with overmantels and original-tiled slips. Panelled stairhall with winding timber staircase;

ingleneuk fireplace with panelled overmantel and coloured glass panels; attic study with decoratively-astragalled glazing to display cupboards. 2 bathrooms, each with original fittings and fine ceramic tiles, 1 with panels depicting exotic birds (see Notes) and 1 with borders incorporating picture tiles including Dutch figures and boats.

COLOURED GLASS: much fine coloured glass throughout, including stairhall with coloured margins and heraldic devices; sun room with variety of butterflies and Mackintosh style flowers; attic bedroom (over main door) with diminutive Dutch girl figures and tiny panels with harbour lights; roundels with birds and ships; interior panels with castle and windmill.

ANCILLARY BUILDING: rectangular-plan harled ancillary with battered buttress-style angles supporting Voyseyesque overhanging swept eaves. Part-glazed boarded 2-leaf timber door

under tiled canopy and jettied gablehead with arrowslit to S; horizontally-aligned leaded multi-pane tripartite window to E; decorative cast-iron weathervane to roofridge. Interior walls lined with glazed, decoratively-margined ceramic tiles.

TERRACE WALLS AND GATEPIERS: flat-coped rubble terrace walls. Square-section red brick gatepiers with cement bases and capped by obelisk finials on ball feet.

Statement of Interest

Originally known as 'Glenshira', and built for James Slos Duncan, to a design by his wife. Duncan was a tile importer, presumably the source for the many fine well preserved tiles. The house was owned for 40 years (1959-99) by McPhail, a shipowner whose character was inspiration for 'Puffer' in the 'Para Handy Tales'. When the current owner took over the property needed extensive renovation including replacing ceilings in the three principal rooms and the lounge fireplace which was reinstated with stone from York Minster. The exotic bird tiles mentioned above were hand copied by Leslie Johnston from drawings in the Hunterian Gallery.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata IDs Q15056359 Q17572081

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

• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)
• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings