Description

Late 18th, early 19th century. Near-symmetrical single storey with basement and attic former cotton works in plain classical style converted to orphanage late 19th century; office use later 20th century. Main block comprising 19 bays to W elevation; central pediment; pitched single storey 4-bay block to outer left, pitched single storey with attic, single bay addition to outer right. 2-storey with attic, 18-bay elevation to E; full-height stair tower to outer left; single storey with attic, 4-bay addition to outer right. Whitewashed harl; painted surrounds to openings; moulded eaves; gableheaded attic windows.

W (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: stairs to central entrance; replacement multi-paned door, raised keystone centred in door-surround. Single windows at ground in 11 bays to right of centre, 7 bays to left. Single windows irregularly-disposed at basement. Attic windows in 3 bays to outer left; 2 attic windows off-set to right of centre; single attic window in bay to outer right.

E (REAR) ELEVATION: exterior steel stairs to attic entrance off-set to right of centre; replacement glazed timber door at 1st floor in bay to outer right. Near-symmetrical disposition of openings in remaining bays at ground and 1st floors; 9 attic windows irregularly disposed. Single storey addition to outer right comprising single windows in bays to outer left and penultimate bay to outer right, boarded timber doors in bays to outer right and penultimate bay to outer left. Full-height bowed stair comprising entrance at ground; single opening above; stair windows at ground and 1st floor in re-entrant angle.

Predominantly 12-pane timber sash and case windows. Graded grey slate roof; raised stone skews; corniced sandstone apex stack to S; corniced sandstone ridge stack off-set to right of centre; various circular cans.

INTERIOR: not seen 1996.

BOUNDARY WALLS AND GATEPIERS: coped random rubble wall to Barone Road; harled, coped square-plan panelled gatepiers flanking entrance; curved harled linking walls.

Statement of Interest

One of the oldest cotton mills in Scotland. Sympathetic conversion has ensured architectural and historic interest is retained. The Columshill Street and Columshill Place developments (built as millworkers' housing during the 19th century) are situated nearby - see separate list entries.

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
• Wikidata Q17775227

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

• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Derbyshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy