Description

Possibly William Railton, circa 1875. Pair of 2-storey and basement, 2-bay, semi-detached L-plan classical villas; raised entrance porch in re-entrant angle. Coursed sandstone ashlar. Drip sills to projecting bay windows. Base and eaves course. Bracketed, overhanging blocked eaves.

SW (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: flight of 9 steps, divided into 2 by sloped party wall. Raised ground floor open entrance porch in re-entrant angle: decorated columns terminating in arched bracket, classical detailed cornice surmounting, ? glazed / timber panelled door with rectangular fanlight above. Single window above to 1st floor. Projecting 2-storey bay to left, further projection containing central window to basement; pilaster mullioned, 3-light rectangular bay window to ground and 1st floors with single window to each return, classical mouldings and detailing separating ground and 1st floor. No.22 as No.20 but reversed.

NW ELEVATION: basement elevation not seen; small square window with projecting sill to ? storey above door; larger staircase window with projecting sill to upper ? storey, wallhead chimney surmounting.

NE (REAR) ELEVATION: not seen, 2001.

SE ELEVATION: to ground floor off centre left, later panelled basement door with smaller door to right; small square window with projecting sill to ? storey above door; larger staircase window with projecting sill to upper ? storey, wallhead chimney surmounting.

2-pane timber sash and case windows, replacements to principal elevation of No. 20; stained glass margin lights to 4-pane horned timber sash and case staircase windows. 9-pane glazing to upper panel of front doors, 2 timber panels below. Later replacement window to basement of former No 22. Piended grey slate roof, later metal ridging, flashing and valleys, similarly treated piended grey slate roof to slightly lower bay windows. Bracketed and timber blocked over sailing eaves. Painted cast-iron rainwater goods, gutters bracketed to blocked eaves. Coursed ashlar stacks with moulded neck cope, large ornate to No. 22, plain replacement cans to No. 20.

INTERIOR: not seen, 2001

Statement of Interest

Leading out of Kilmarnock to the east is 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 designed and built as symbols of their wealth. This building is one of the few paired villas to be found on the road. It is set back within its grounds, with a swept driveway to the front. The low boundary wall is slightly altered. The villa borrows ideas from the work of Alexander Thomson, the main exponent of the style in Kilmarnock at that time being William Railton. The architect of Kilmarnock Infirmary, Railton did do smaller private commissions, but he is best remembered for the laying out of main thoroughfares such as John Finnie Street. By the 1930's, No 20 was home to John Dickie, a seed merchant with James Borland & Son in Kilmarnock. Now, the villas have been partially subdivided to form flatted accommodation. Listed as a good example of a later 19th century pair of villas.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q77777586

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.

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