Description

Circa 1885. 2-storey, 3-bay rectangular Gothic Revival villa with projecting bay window, much later 2-storey extension to NW. Coursed ashlar, harled and painted; coursed rubble sides, harled and painted. Painted ashlar dressings and cornices. Base and sill courses. Gabled windows with ball and spike finials. Plain skew gables with block skewputts.

NE (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: central entrance: stepped surround leading to projecting pilasters, scroll brackets supporting square detailed plinth with TORWOOD plaque to centre, advanced stepped triangular canopy surmounting; recessed entrance door, shouldered rectangular fanlight surmounting. Band course above, central hoodmoulded window to 1st floor. Advanced gable to right bay, 2-storey, 3-sided canted bay window, window to each side to each storey, cornice supporting battlements, recessed gablehead to rear with arrowslit, squared finial with further ornate cushioned finial with spike surmounting. To left slightly advanced bay: 3-sided canted bay window with later piended roof to ground floor, corbelled 1st floor window with hoodmould, squared putts and projecting spiked pole finial breaking gablehead. Single storey, single bay wing to left: central window, scrolled brackets with block detail supporting stepped triangular canopy surmounting, low corniced parapet concealing roofline.

SE ELEVATION: single bay adjoining to ground floor (see NE (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION), blind gable above.

SW (REAR) ELEVATION: not seen, 2001.

NW ELEVATION: later 20th century 2-storey stepped extension concealing 1 ? -storeys of original elevation, blind gable of main house's upper storey still visible.

2-pane sash and case windows, horns to upper sashes, replacement windows to ground floor left bay window, single bay to central window. Shallow piended grey slate roof to main house and gablet windows. Metal ridging, valleys and flashing. Rooflight to right of gabled bay window. Painted cast-iron rainwater goods, gutters concealed within eaves cornice. Tall stacks to gableheads: high base block with painted ashlar coping, 5 squared stacks set at 90 degrees to base of stack, projecting corniced neck copes leading to angled square cans.

INTERIOR: not seen, 2001.

Statement of Interest

Leading out of Kilmarnock to the east in London Road. Along with Portland and Dundonald Roads, London Road was viewed as a fashionable address in the 19th century. Originally, a few classical villas were set along this semi-rural road, with open aspects to the south and north. Prosperous Victorians bought land and had villas individually designed and built as symbols of their wealth. As with many of the villas on London Road, they are now too big for single family occupancy. Many had servant accommodation purpose built, which is no longer needed today. This villa has been subdivided, with a later 20th century, almost flat roofed extension to NW. Villa listed for unusual design and retention of original features such as stacks, bays and finials.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q77777578

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

• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)
• 
  Cornwall (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)