Description

Earlier 19th century domestic/commercial buildings around a square courtyard. Main frontage to Townhead St. 2-storey and attic 7-bay asymmetrical hotel front. Prominent dormers and overdoor signage, square-headed cart arch. Painted green with yellow margins (2004).

SE (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: two distinct buildings. To SW (left) ground floor has single door, cart arch and 3 windows. 3 windows to upper floor. 2 canted bay dormers with slated cheeks and bowed roof. To NE (right) central double door with roll-moulded basket arch with signage over (The Tavern on the Town). Flanked by two windows on each side and two projecting cornice signs. On the first floor canted bays to end bays and two single windows to centre. Three polygonal piended dormers with sloping bottom rail to windows.

NW ELEVATION: irregular fenestration. Central bowed stair projection and single-storey extensions. Single storey extension to SW.

OUTBUILDINGS: open-fronted slate-roofed shed to rear. Piended rubble shed to SW.

INTERIOR: substantially altered on ground floor. Polychrome tiled floor to hall. Stone stair to centre of NE block. Two stained glass windows to stair.

Predominately timber sash and case windows. On front elevation 4-pane to upper floor of SW and six pane upper light over plate glass lower pane to NE (applied astragals to lower lights on ground floor. To the rear a variety of glazing including 2-pane and 12-pane lying-pane. Graded grey slate roof with exposed rafters to NE block. Ridge stacks with clay cans. Cast iron rainwater goods with dated hoppers (1900).

Statement of Interest

The Buck's Head Hotel makes a significant contribution to the centre of Strathaven, situated as it is in a prominent location close to the Common Green. The building has also served as a hotel since at least the late 19th century and was a well-known stop-off point for early motoring traffic. Features such as the stained glass windows of a doe and buck are of considerable merit.

Downie refers to the inn as having been built in the mid 19th century and the building contained a hall which was used for public functions before the new Public Hall was built in Kirk St. The buildings certainly date to at least this period, with only insubstantial later extensions but it is not until the O.S 2nd edition (1898) that it is referred to as an inn. The majority of the features are of late 19th and early 20th century date. In the Michelin guide of 1923 the hotel is under the category of hotels whose facilities have been brought fairly well up to date or which have been recently built. The guide also mentions a garage and inspection pit on the premises The fact that the hotel was listed by Michelin, the AA and the RAC suggests that it was well-known and well-appointed at the time. The cast iron hoppers are dated 1900, which along with a number of other features, suggest the hotel was substantially upgraded at the time. A postcard of c.1906 shows a flesher's shop in the SW portion of the hotel, with a door in the place of one of the present windows. A sign over the pend indicates stabling to the rear. It is not until at least the 1920s that the hotel doubled in size.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q77780632

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

• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  Nottinghamshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)