Description

Melvin & Leiper of Glasgow, architects. Foundation Stone

laid 23.6.1865. Damaged by fire 11.12.1882, and restored

1883, William Leiper, architect. Large, symmetrically planned

French Gothic former academy; 2 storeys and attic, with

square, central, 4-stage tower. Snecked ashlar with polished

dressings. Most openings hoodmoulded (some with cusped heads)

under pointed-arched mouldings; windows flanking tower mostly

have columned jambs and mullions, with foliated capitals.

Tower supported on square piers with arched openings between,

and main door recessed. 2nd stage of tower has window with

columns and gabled canopy to front elevation, simple single

lights to flanks; 3rd stage rises above eaves level, with

tall slender paired lancets to each face. Corbelled,

octagonal angle turrets at top stage, each with slender

shafts and pinnacles; simple rose window recessed in pointed

and gabled panel to each face between. Tower is flanked by

arcaded 5-light windows at ground floor, with single window

to outer bays; 3 plate-traceried windows at 1st floor with

single narrow light to outer bay; 3 gabled and barge-boarded

dormers with 8-pane upper sashes. Additional gabled doorway

at extreme left, corresponding gabled pend to right.

Continuous strings at cill and at impost level of each floor,

eaves course and bracketed main cornice (these all continued

across tower). Slate roof. East (rear) elevation: scars at

ground level of formerly adjoining burgh hall (now

demolished); 2 stair towers, each with pointed and facetted

roof, that to left taller, and reaching into attic. Narrow,

mullioned and transomed windows; rectangular roof lights and ventilators.

Simple interior.

Statement of Interest

Originally, Thomas Gildard of Glasgow, architect, provided

plans for the academy, described as "Greco Italian ...

exceedingly chaste and elegant", but White of Overtoun

commissioned Melvin & Leiper to provide plans, and their

design was adopted.

(See Dumbarton Herald 18.2.1864 and 27.9.1867.)

The 1883 restoration excluded the tower steeple, and roof

pavilions (see illus in Dumbarton ancient and modern)

Up-graded category B to A 7 August,1995.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Burgh Hall, Church Street, Dumbarton at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17572083

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

• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Shropshire)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1958)
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover