Bute Estate Office, 57-59 High Street, Rothesay, Bute, Rothesay, Argyll and Bute

Entry Name: Bute Estate Office, 57-59 High Street, Rothesay, Bute

Listing Name: 55, 57 and 59 High Street Bute Estate Office Including Outbuilding

Listing Date: 2 April 1971

Category: A

Source: Historic Scotland

Source ID: 386388

Historic Scotland Designation Reference: LB40456

Building Class: Cultural

ID on this website: 200386388

Location: Rothesay

County: Argyll and Bute

Town: Rothesay

Electoral Ward: Isle of Bute

Traditional County: Buteshire

Description

Later 17th century (skew dated 1681); refurbished late 20th century. Rectangular-plan 3-storey with attic, 6-bay former town house with full-height projecting crowstepped stair tower off-set to left of centre; 2-storey, 2-bay pitched addition to outer right (Nos 57 and 59). Whitewashed harl; polished yellow sandstone dressings. Raised string course; moulded lintel course beneath eaves; crowstepped gables. Chamfered surrounds to openings; tabbed detailing to Nos 57 and 59. Piended single storey, 2-bay rectangular-plan random rubble outbuilding at rear; tooled long and short yellow rubble sandstone dressings.

W (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION NO 55: projecting stair tower off-set to left of centre comprising single windows at ground and 1st floors, attic window off-set to right of centre; boarded timber door at ground in re-entrant angle facing N, armorial panel above, single attic window beneath eaves; single window in re-entrant angle facing S at 1st floor. Small square opening at ground in bay to outer left; single window at 1st floor in bay to right. Bipartite window at 1st floor off-set to right of stair tower comprising smaller window to right; regularly fenestrated in at all floors in remaining bays. NOS 57 AND 59: 2-leaf boarded timber (carriage) door set in segmental-arched surround at ground in bay to outer left; single window off-set to right at 1st floor; boarded timber opening at 1st floor in bay to outer right.

Predominantly 8- and 12-pane timber sash and case windows. Graded grey slate bell-cast roof; crowstepped skews (dated 1681). Corniced apex stacks to N and S; coped and corniced apex stack to W; various circular cans.

INTERIOR: converted for office use. 18th century panelling; plain plaster cornice-work; ornately carved Welsh overmantle in upper office comprising stylised figures, foliate detailing, foliate frieze.

W (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION REAR OUTBUILDING: boarded timber door at ground off-set to left of centre; single window (originally a door) off-set to right. Graded grey slate piend.

Statement of Interest

B Group with Nos 51, 53, 61 and 67 High Street (No 65 at rear). An interesting example of 17th century burgh architecture. Originally the Marquess of Bute?s town house and at one time, a Custom's House (shown on Wood's map, 1825). Recorded in 1971 as having elevations of "random stone."

Rothesay is one of Scotland's premier seaside resorts, developed primarily during the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries, and incorporates an earlier medieval settlement. The town retains a wide range of buildings characteristic of its development as a high status 19th century holiday resort, including a range of fine villas, a Victorian pier and promenade.

The history and development of Rothesay is defined by two major phases. The development of the medieval town, centred on Rothesay Castle, and the later 19th and early 20th century development of the town as a seaside resort. Buildings from this later development, reflect the wealth of the town during its heyday as a tourist destination, and include a range of domestic and commercial architecture of a scale sometimes found in larger burghs. Both the 19th and early 20th century growth of the town, with a particular flourish during the inter-war period, included areas of reclaimed foreshore, particularly along the coast to the east of the town and around the pier and pleasure gardens.

(List description revised as part of Rothesay listing review 2010-11).

External Links

Historic Environment Scotland Listing

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