Description

Later 18th century with later additions. Single storey, irregular-plan toll house. Squared and snecked rubble with stugged ashlar dressings. Base course to W wing; deep eaves; timber bargeboards.

W (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: canted gable to centre: bipartite window on central face (now blocked); single windows on right and left splays (both blocked). Entrance in left re-entrant angle.

N ELEVATION: gable to left with blocked window; smaller window to right also blocked.

E ELEVATION: projecting gable in centre; blind wall to left; single window to right.

S ELEVATION: gable to right with single window; blind outshot to left.

Modern glazing. Grey slate roof; short coped stack to gable head on N elevation; tall coped stack in re-entrant angle on S elevation.

Statement of Interest

The building has been incorporated into the NW corner of the garden wall of 11 Graham Avenue. During the late 18th century the road infrastructure was still very basic in East Kilbride. The Stuarts of Torrance provided financial aid to assist with the construction of 2 turnpike roads; one ran from Glasgow to London, passing through Muirkirk, Dumfries and Carlisle, and the other ran from Ayrshire to Edinburgh, by Eaglesham, Blantyre and Hamilton. Graham Avenue runs into Old Coach Road, thus it is probable that it is part of the original 18th century turnpike road. It is also likely that 12 Graham Avenue was one of the new tollhouses built as part of the scheme; the other old tollhouse in East Kilbride is at the crossroads of Old Coach Road and Mains Street. The construction of these tollhouses during the late 1780's was a controversial issue, as a tollhouse already existed further down the road. Opposition to the proposal was published in the local press and James Stuart of Castlemilk sent a newspaper clipping down to Alexander Stuart of Torrance, who was living at Lower Grovesnor Street, London. However, the opposition was clearly unsuccessful.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q56630795

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

• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)