Description

Circa 1845. 2-storey, 3-bay L-plan classical house with single storey, single bay wing facades and rear extension. Harled and painted principal elevation, coursed rubble side and rear elevations, yellow brick rear extension. Angle margins, base and eaves course. Architraved window surrounds, projecting cornices to ground floor.

W (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: slightly advanced porch to centre: pair of Tuscan columns supporting rectangular lintel, architraved cornice and smaller lintel; pilastered arched door surround with semi-circular fanlight; single architraved window to outer bays with cornice surmounting lintel. 3 regularly placed architraved windows to 1st floor. Eaves course leading to low parapet. Single storey, single-bay wing facades to flanks: moulded rectangular vehicular access to left wing, right wing now in-filled to form extra room with small paired windows placed high in wall.

N ELEVATION: blind rubble wall, in-filled single window to outer bays of 1st floor, wallhead stack to centre.

E (REAR) ELEVATION: regularly fenestrated projecting extension to 1st and 2nd bays, window to extreme right on right return; single window to 3rd bay of both floors of main house.

S ELEVATION: blind rubble wall, piended single storey extension to ground floor behind wing facade with blind gables to left and right.

Later 2-pane PVCu sash and case effect windows to principal elevation, replacement multi-paned fixed window to ground floor left. Later 2 & 4-pane timber and PVCu sash and case windows to sides and rear. Piended grey slate roof, lead ridging and flashing. Cast-iron rainwater goods, some now plastic replacements; principal gutter concealed by low parapet, draining to down pipes to side elevations. To N and S: stepped rectangular coursed ashlar wallhead stacks with slightly projecting ashlar neck copes and 4 mis-matched cans.

INTERIOR: some cornicing, timber skirting boards and doors; room plans remain but some features missing due to earlier 20th century alterations to provided vets rooms / surgery, waiting room and reception.

BOUNDARY WALLS AND GATEPIERS: low coursed rubble front walls; pair of squared ashlar former gatepiers with cushioned caps.

Statement of Interest

The street was built on Sheilin Hill, but the name was dropped to provide plain Hill Street. Originally it was a country road leading towards Knockinlaw but it became increasingly urbanised during the 19th century. The dominating feature had been Hawket Park (located approximately where Nazareth House is) but smaller houses set within their own grounds were built. Only two still survive today, No.21 and No.11. The surgery is similar in design to the early classical villas found in London Road, some of which can still be seen. The lower "wings" usually gave access to the rear of the property and its grounds but since they were built most have been in-filled to provide extra accommodation or garage space. The building has been in used as a veterinary practice since at least the 1930's when it was Forbes and McKenzie, Veterinary and Canine Surgeons. William Forbes, one of the partners resided in the accommodation above the surgery. Outhouses for storage, and formerly kennelling, are sited to the sides and rear. This is a good example of a villa retaining most of its original exterior features, although some of the interior had been altered.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q77777672

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

• 
  Cornwall (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]
• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)