Description

John Ross McMillan, architect, circa 1900. 2-storey, basement and attic, 3-bay Arts and Crafts villa. Harled, painted cream with stugged granite dressings. Deep granite base course; long and short dressings and quoins; bracketed overhanging eaves, timber bargeboards.

NW (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: asymmetrical; 2-bay; 2 windows off-centre to left at ground floor of gabled bay to right, tripartite window to 1st floor; granite consoled doorway to re-entrant angle to left, 2-leaf boarded timber door with decorative oval glazed panels, 4-light shallow bow window above with decorative latticed glazing; gabled bay recessed to left, 6-pane window to ground at 1st floor, 4-light timber prism oriel to attic floor.

SW ELEVATION: altered openings to ground floor of bay to left, door linked to window, bipartite window to 1st floor above. 2 M-gabled bays to right, window to ground floor of centre bay, 3-light timber prism oriel to 1st floor; 6-light harled canted window through ground and 1st floors with sandstone dressings.

SE ELEVATION: asymmetrical; 3-bay; advanced chimney flue through centre of 2 gabled bays to right; small barred window to bay to right at basement, window to 1st floor above; large 16-pane window to ground floor of flanking bay to left, bipartite window to 1st floor. Ground floor of bay to outer left obscured by harled flat-roofed additions; roof swept down over 1st floor timber balcony with finely turned balusters on raised timber supports.

NE ELEVATION: asymmetrical; window to centre of ground floor; pink granite 7-light canted window to bay to left of ground floor, timber cornice, Venetian window above to flanking bay to left; shallow 6-light bow window to ground floor of bay to right, quadripartite window to 1st floor.

Variety of small-pane timber casement windows, many with top hoppers. Ballachulish slate roof with tiled ridge. Variety of uncoped rounded granite stacks, harled to S, with circular cans. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: not seen 1999.

Statement of Interest

J Ross McMillan (1867-1959) was the son of Duncan McMillan (1840-1928), and took over his father's practice when he died. Duncan McMillan is perhaps best known for his work on Archibald Simpson's Marine Terrace (see separate listing). 2 Devanha Gardens West is without doubt one of J Ross McMillan's finest designs, built for himself. The photographs in Nicoll show the hall with timber beamed ceiling, oak-boarded floor, white plaster frieze and ceiling, oak stair and brown paper wall coverings. Brogden suggests that McMillan was influenced by H Baillie Scott (p117). The unusual name of Devanha would appear to originate from the Romans, who referred to Chester as "Devana" because of its situation on "Deva" or Dee, much like Aberdeen, which has also been so called.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17771007

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

• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
• 
  Warwickshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
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  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
• 
  Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy