Description

Probably W G Rowan, Glasgow. Dated 1900. 2-storey 3-bay L-plan Tudor-influenced villa with high quality interior decoration, now horizontally divided to form 2 flats. Coursed sandstone ashlar to principal elevation, tooled squared and snecked sandstone to other elevations. Doorpiece, canted bay windows, half-timbering.

W (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: symmetrical. Slightly advanced doorpiece with banded Ionic pilasters and rectangular fanlight. Above, date '1900' flanking stylised keystone set below segmental hoodmould. Painted timber 2-leaf door flanked by sidelights with stone transoms. Above, tripartite canted bay window. The whole flanked by 5-light full-height canted bay gables with overhanging eaves and bold half-timbering near apex.

N ELEVATION: later large concrete flight of steps provides access to 1st floor flat.

E ELEVATION: dominated by projecting timber conservatory to left with dentil detailing in upper half of gable and projecting single storey wing to right with half-timbered gable.

Timber sash and case windows with horns, mixture of panes, predominantly 18-pane, 12-pane and 9-pane over plate glass. Modern red roof tiles. Rosemary tiles survive on N pitch of single storey wing to E. Gable end stacks, central ridge stack, wallhead stacks to E elevation.

INTERIOR: excellent, with particularly outstanding honey-coloured pine timberwork. Inner entrance door with painted glass upper panels, fanlight and sidelights depicting ship and heraldry. Timber panelled hallway with elaborate parquet floor. Coffered plaster ceiling with dentil moulding held aloft by 4 timber columns, 2 of them flanking the free-standing fireplace with timber overmantle and green glazed tiles. Staircase to right now blocked off. Panelled drawing room with impressive chimneypiece set in ingleneuk. Angled reeded timber pilasters with cherub capitals flank fireplace with red veined marble surround. Whole flanked by small 6-pane painted glass heraldic windows depicting gentleman and lady in 16th century costume. Panelled dining room has slightly less elaborate columned ingleneuk with chimneypiece with red veined marble. Timber doors, some with 3 panels, some with diamond pattern to upper half. Simple glazed cupola to 1st floor.

GATEPIERS AND BOUNDARY WALLS: to Grahamsdyke Avenue, square ashlar pair of gatepiers with gabled caps. Coursed sandstone wall with railed scoops and cast-iron gates. To Grahamsdyke Lane, 3 circular rubble corninced gatepiers with rounded caps. High coped rubble wall.

Statement of Interest

An impressive villa with a particularly good interior. Built for the timber importer Sir Robert Murray, hence the particularly fine pine-dominated interior. A very good example of a Bo'ness merchant's home.

A potting shed to the NE which belonged to Caer-Edin is now in separate ownership as part of the garden was sold for housing.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17815974

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

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  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
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  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
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  London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)