Description

Probably John Milne, 1856-57. Large multi-gabled, 2-storey, asymmetrical former Free Church Manse with Tudor Gothic 3-stage tower. Distinctive stepped roofline, tower, chimneystacks and lying pane glazing adds character to Kennedy Gardens. Squared and snecked sandstone with ashlar margins and stone mullions. Base course; first floor cill course.

FURTHER DESCRIPTION: NW (Kennedy Gardens) elevation: 4-bay with advanced 3-light bay window with 4-light canted bay above to right terminating in steeply gabled roof with carved stone finial. Near centre 2-storey gabled single bay with small carved stone cross finial. To left further single gabled bay. To far left later flat-roofed single bay addition.

SE (garden) elevation: off-centre bay with tall bipartite stair window. To left 2-storey gabled single bay with stonecarved finial. To far left recessed 3-stage tower with moulded, pointed arched and hoodmoulded entrance with 2-leaf panelled timber door. Square-plan tower with decorative stepped parapet. To right stepped down 2-storey bay with gabled window breaking eaves. To far right further stepped down bay with single window to ground floor.

Predominantly 8-pane lying-pane timber sash and case windows. Graded grey slates. Tall diamond ashlar ridge stacks with some cans. Ashlar-coped skews with beaked skewputts. Some cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: simple decorative scheme in place with good plaster ceilings and cornicing. Deeply moulded consoled cornice sections divide ceilings to ground and 1st floor. Dogleg staircase with iron balusters and timber handrail.

BOUNDARY WALLS: low squared rubble semicircular coped sandstone stone section of wall to NW. To E high rubble section incorporating entrance to modern garage.

Statement of Interest

Rathelpie is a well detailed villa which forms part of the suburban expansion of St Andrews to the S and W of the town centre and which would eventually include Kennedy Gardens and Hepburn Gardens. Constructed in the Tudor Gothic style probably by respected local architect John Milne (1823-1904), Rathelpie is a distinctive building with a particularly notable roofscape. The decorative parapet to the 3-stage tower and carefully stepped roofline of the bays, coupled with the diamond plan stacks, make for a significant addition to the Kennedy Gardens streetscape. Rathelpie also has further interest as it retains its lying-pane glazing pattern.

Rathelpie was built as the Manse for the Martyrs Free Church in North Street, St Andrews. John Milne carried out extensive alteration to the church in 1843 in a Gothic style. Milne received a number of commissions in Fife and is almost certainly the architect of the Manse. Milne was involved in 1857 with the feuing of the general area, which was called Rathelpie, as well as the construction of Rathmore and Westerlee (now Wardlaw Wing of University Hall) along Kennedy Gardens.

Milne was Clerk of Works to the celebrated Baronial architect David Bryce in Edinburgh. Following this Milne spent the majority of his working life in St Andrews as a town councillor and Bailie as well as an architect. The University of St Andrews Library contains his personal Scrapbook (MSS Collection, MS 37447) containing newspaper cuttings and letters regarding some of his commissions. Although the Manse does not appear to be mentioned his close relationship with the Free Church features heavily. The scrapbook also shows Milne's interest in internal comfort with his patent in c1870 of the Pyro-pneumatic Room Grate. This enabled the channelling of warm air into a room through a system of vents and which won awards at exhibitions in Paris and London.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q77780295

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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