Description

Joseph Bickley, 1905; restored later 20th century (1960s). Large rectangular-plan, 8-bay, buttressed, real tennis court, adjoining nursing home. Whitewashed render; blind to ground, timber strapping at upper level; glazed pitched roof. Lean-to addition to NE.

SE (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: red sandstone, pedimented, moulded doorpiece with panelled timber entrance door to far right. Blind at upper level.

NW (REAR) ELEVATION: regularly disposed tripartite glazing rows set within timber strapping at upper level.

INTERIOR: covered, lean-to structure enclosing NE, SE and SW sides with metal columns. Timber strapping defining scoring areas; net position discernible; hooks in place; various crowns painted on walls; open metal-braced ceiling.

Statement of Interest

This building is remarkable for being one of only two surviving real tennis courts in Scotland and it is relatively unaltered to the exterior. Internally, much of the decoration dates to the 1960s, when the court was restored. The moulded doorpiece provides some decorative element to the exterior of the building.

The court was commissioned by a Mr J O M Clark, a thread manufacturer from Paisley, who lived in the adjoining house, which was originally called Lindisfarne (now Sun Court Nursing Home). The court was built in 1905 following a revival in the game during the end of the 19th century. It was built by Joseph Bickley, who also designed courts at Moreton Morrell and Canford Hayling Island. The Sun Court tennis court was in use until 1928. The house and the court were requisitioned during the WWII and the court was used as a gunnery instruction school. It was used for a variety of purposes after this until the 1960s when the court was restored and used again for real tennis until the 1990s. Today, it acts as a store for the adjoining nursing home (2013).

The only other real tennis court in Scotland is at Falkland Palace. It dates from the time of James V and it is said to be the oldest surviving court in Britain. There are thought to be only 38 real tennis courts surviving in the world - others situated in Australia, France, USA and England.

Real or Royal Tennis was developed in France in the 12th and 13th centuries and brought to Scotland through royal ties between the two countries. Scotland's earliest surviving tennis court in Britain was built in 1539 at Falkland Palace by James V. This is considered to be the world's oldest tennis court and is still in use today. Real tennis was generally played indoors in large buildings on a court bigger than a lawn tennis court, and compromising of different rules and rounds. The sport was an exclusively royal game and diminished somewhat after the removal of the royal family from Scotland to London in 1603. There was a revival of the game in the 19th century but this was replaced in popularity by the modern game of lawn tennis.

List description updated as part of the sporting buildings thematic study (2012-13).

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q77771515

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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  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
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  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5
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  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Farrow & Ball How to Decorate: Transform your home with paint & paper
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  Nottinghamshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)