Description

Halley & Neil, 1905-06. 2-storey and attic Baroque, richly detailed industrial and office range with symmetrical wings. Long rectangular-plan. Red sandstone ashlar with pink ashlar dressings, marble columns. Base course, deep entablature with mutuled cornice; ashlar parapet over centre block with raised die, large ball finials; pierced balustraded parapet over wings.

W (MAIN) ELEVATION: 2-storey and attic, 5-bay centre block advanced at centre, tall onion-domed tower rising behind at centre, flanking wIngs. Centre block comprised of 3-bay channelled entrance with flanking bays raised to pagooda-roofed pavilions. Aediculed entrance, open-pediment supported on paired Giant order Corinthian columns, round-arched entrance, decorative cast-iron gate, blocked voussoirs, keystone with mask sculpture, framed by banded columns, fluted console brackets supporting balutraded balcony above. Round-arched window above framed by aedicule, radiating voussoirs, large raised keystone as base for sculpture in open pediment; sculpture of Victory figure astride motor car, flanked by trumpet-blowing angels, engineering and manufacturing figures, globes; 2 window in flanking bay at ground, 1st floor, divided by channelled pilaster, terminated by column. Broad outer bays, tripartite window at ground, tripartite window at 1st floor. Pavilion window above, paired columns at each corner, advanced eaves on brackets consoles, centre consoles walrus and fish form. Parapet broken by narrow window at centre, framed by pedimented, battered, consoled aedicule. Similar treatment on returns, but bipartite window at ground, 1st floor.

TOWER: rising at centre behind parapet, paired columns supporting advanced entablature at each corner; large clock face on each side, decorative armorial panel below; balustraded parapet; lead onion dome with louvred lantern above.

WINGS: 9-bay flanking wings, wing to left with additional 5-bay range, house at outer left. Bays divided by Giant order pilasters raised as dies in balustraded parapet above. Bipartite window at ground, bipartite window above set into shallow segmental-headed surround at above. Terminal bays broader with full-height canted window, narrow flanking side lights; ashlar parapet raised as pediment above. Additional 5 bays to left, tripartite segmental-headed windows, keystone, pilaster bay divisions.

HOUSE: 2-storey, 2-bay house terminating left wing.

S SIDE ELEVATION: 3 bays. Portico in antis at centre ground, inner architraved door; balustraded loggia above, rusticated columns, corniced caps with lions head motif.

LODGE: single storey, L-plan lodge house. Red sandstone, base course. 2 half glazed doors to left, piend-roofed block to right, boarded door and window.

Multi-paned timber window, top-hopper. Red tiled roof.

Originally multi-paned metal windows, now largely blocked. Slate roof, partly roofless; pavilions with sarking and felt.

INTERIOR: originally sumptuous interior. Large hallway with clustered Scagliola marble pier columns, rising to upper storey; segmental-headed pediments supporting dome over central hall; marble staircase removed. Decorative glazed tiled dado. Long upper floor corridor, tiled dado, heavy cornice, lit by round lanterns, wooden surround to doors. decorative coffered plaster ceilings.

BOUNDARY WALL, GATES, GATEPIERS AND RAILINGS: channelled ashlar gatepiers with corniced caps, consoled heavy ball finial. Low squared and snecked boundary wall, ashlar coping. Decorative cast-iron gates; simple cast-iron railings.

Statement of Interest

The building was used as the Royal Naval Torpedo Factory during the war. It is in a ruinous condition.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Argyll Motor Works at Wikipedia
• Wikidata IDs Q15188463 Q17568331

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

• 
  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6
• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The Victorian House Manual (2nd Edition): How They Were Built, Improvements & Refurbishment, Solutions to All Common Defects - Includes Relevant ... ... Properties (Haynes Manual) (Haynes Manuals)