Description

Loch Lomond And Trossachs National Park Planning Authority

This dominating 4-storey corner Baronial tower creates good streetscape value along the Main Street. The restrained 3-storey, 5-bay Baronial main block facing the Main Street is dated 1893. The adjoining 3-storey, 4-bay wing to Cross Street perhaps pre-dates the principal façade being a possible remainder of a previous building on the site. Linked to this section is an early 20th century 2-storey, 7-bay rectangular-plan wing (former kitchen wing and bedroom accommodation) running to the NE along Cross Street, this wing is interestingly composed with some good detailing.

The entrance bay to the principle (SW) elevation is given prominence by bipartite windows to the 1st and 2nd floor, that to the 2nd floor has a cornice with a shallow broken pediment and central ball and pedestal motif. The bay is crowned by a surmounting crow-stepped gablehead with a datestone incorporating 2 moulded shields. To the immediate left of the entrance bay at the 1st floor is a crenellated 4 light mullioned and transomed oriel window borne on decorative consoles. The predominantly plain corner tower is ornamented at its 4th stage with a bartizan tower set to the W corner rising above the crenellated parapet. A blank plaque is set beneath the bipartite window to the SW. The tower has a rounded quoin which is stop chamfered at the 4th stage.

There is a small single bay link joining the 3-storey NW wing to the long 2-storey wing, it has an elaborately carved frieze of intertwined garlands. The 2-storey NW wing (Cross Street) is asymmetrically arranged with simple corniced doorpieces to either end. Bipartite windows are arranged to the far outerbays, that to the left is incorporated into a canted 2-storey, 3-bay section which terminates the elevation wrapping around to the NE side. A segmental round arched door is set to the centre left. The bipartite windows to the 1st floor are surmounted with gableheads, that to the right is shaped in a Dutch style and is probably missing a stack to the left. Both gables have ball finials carried on corbels, that to the right sits higher above the gablehead. The 2 breaking eaves windows between the gables have stylised moulded keystone motifs in their dormerheads. There is a shaped gablet to the NE (side) elevation with ball finial missing, 2004.

The rear elevation to the main block and NW wing is predominantly plain and has undergone a number of alterations and changes. There was a large single storey dining hall to the courtyard area accessed by all parts of the building, this was demolished in the later 20th century. To the main block the rectangular-plan advanced stair tower remains with long bipartite windows to its upper part. To the NW wing at the NE end there is a crow-stepped gable with modest scrolled skewputts, adjacent is a breaking eaves window with crow-stepped gablet.

Interior

Admission only gained to ground floor of NW wing at time of site visit, 2004. Modernised for retail use with no original features remaining. Owner has informed that the majority of the features to the interior of the main block were lost after the hotel was used for accommodation for soldiers during the 2nd World War.

Materials

Twin leaf timber 12 panelled door to principal elevation. A pair of timber boarded doors with multi-paned upper sections to NW wing. Rough red/yellow bull faced sandstone to main block with thin render finish to NW. Polished sandstone dressings to door and window openings. Red bullfaced sandstone to 2-storey NW wing with polished sandstone door and window openings. Predominantly plate glass timber sash and case windows to main block. Plate glass lower with multi-paned upper timber sash and case windows to NW wing. Grey slate pitched roofs. Deep overhanging eaves to rear of 2-storey wing to SE. Missing majority of stacks apart from gable apex stack to 3-storey section to NE. Cast iron rainwater goods.

Statement of Interest

There is a live planning application at the time of writing this list description, 2004. The owner intends to convert the 1st and 2nd floors of the main block to flats. The 3-storey wing to the NW is let as offices as is the 1st floor of the 2-storey wing to the NW. Both the ground floor to the main block and that of the 2-storey NW wing are let as retail premises. The hotel appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey map as McGregor's Hotel.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q77778532

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

• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)