Description

David Woodburn Sturrock, 1902-3. Single-storey 6-bay T-plan symmetrical former school building. Squared and snecked stugged yellow sandstone with ashlar dressings. Rock-faced base course. Large quatripartite mullioned and transomed windows with pediments breaking eaves containing relief busts carved in stone within semicircular arched niches. Exposed rafters. Modern grey brick entrance extension to S.

E (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: Advanced outer bays: large mullioned and transomed windows with gables over. Entrance (to youth centre) in second bay from left via 4 steps; adjoining narrow transomed wndow. Two bipartite mullioned and transomed windows and a former door forming a bipartite window. Flat-roofed entrance and ramp to library to far left.

N AND S ELEVATIONS: quatripartite window with pediment over and single tall window.

W ELEVATION: Brick to NW angle. Datestone on pediment to central projecting bay (1903).

Modern timber doors. Predominately 3-pane sash and case windows (Transoms are false). Piended roof with flat roof to central bays at front. Grey slate with perforated clay ridge tiles and sheet metal ventilators. Wallhead stack to N. Cast iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: arched roof trusses with hanging finials. Decorative ventilator grilles. Rooflights to pitches.

BOUNDARY WALLS: modern brick boundary walls and railings.

Statement of Interest

Craighead Library is a fine example of a small early 20th century school . Although the building was altered for use as a library and youth centre, the exterior and roof structure were largely unaffected and the building retains its good proportions and details.

David Woodburn Sturrock 1860-1934, who practiced with J.L Bruce, designed, among others, Bishopbriggs High School, 1895-6 (Also Listed) as well as a number of houses in Glasgow. Sturrock is referred to in the local paper at the time as having had 'Large experience in school building' and had just completed the school at Stepps, which opened in 1902 and shares many features with Craighead. Sturrock was also a painter who exhibited several times at the Glasgow Institute and may have been responsible for the designs of the busts which are thought to represent Walter Scott for literature and poetry, James Watt for Science and mechanics, David Wilkie for Art and Adam Smith for commerce.

The school replaced an earlier charity school built in the late 18th century. When opened, there were 5 classrooms, with room for 260 pupils. John Baxter of Kirkintilloch was the mason. Latrines and sheds located to the rear of the plot have since been demolished.

Craighead School was replaced by a new school immediately beside it in 1968 designed by the (Stirling) county architect, Alec Smith, who also converted the 1903 school for use as a library and youth centre.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q77780695

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

• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hampshire: South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Nottinghamshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)