Description

Ebenezer Simpson 1909, extended 1936. Picturesque Arts and Crafts style single storey, 6-bay village hall sited opposite Caputh Parish Church. Battered buttresses, keystoned lunette windows and distinctive broad eaves overhang under swept, gabled and piended, red-tiled roof with square ridge ventilator with galley weathervane. Whitewashed harl with blue painted timberwork. Segmentally-arched, deep-set segmental-headed doorway; stone cills, banded at centre bays of principal elevation.

FURTHER DESCRIPTION: principal S elevation comprising 5 original symmetrical bays to right with 3 set back lunette windows flanked by projecting bays, that to right with gabled porch, broad 2-leaf boarded timber door and commemorative stone 'CAPUTH HALL / PRESENTED BY / ALEXr PARK LYLE / OF / GLENDELVINE / ANNO 1909', projecting bay to left with stepped piended roof. Later bay at outer left with single window and commemorative stone 'THIS ADDITION WAS BUILT / IN MEMORY OF / SIR ALEXANDER PARK LYLE / BARONET / OF GLENDELVINE / BORN 1849 DIED 1933 / AMPL 1936 D DE H'. E elevation with large single lunette in half-timbered gablehead, W elevation with similar window under stepped piended roofline.

Multi-pane glazing patterns to timber sash and case and casement windows. Rosemary tiles. Coped harled stacks with red clay cans. Deeply overhanging eaves with moulded bargeboards.

INTERIOR: simple hall interior retains timber floor, boarded timber dado, plain cornicing, coombed ceiling with original light fittings and decorative cast iron ventilators. Part-glazed panelled timber screen doors with decorative ironwork handles; large hall has stage at W end with simple mural decoration over proscenium. Panelled timber doors flanking stage lead to staircases (flanking stage) giving access to later room with full-height folding timber screen door. Clock donated by Caputh and Spittalfield WRI 1928.

Statement of Interest

Caputh Hall is a striking community building sited directly opposite Caputh Parish Church (see separate listing). It makes a significant contribution to the streetscape of this picturesque village with a number of buildings retaining the estate colours of blue and white. The Arts and Crafts style here is executed with confidence.

Caputh Hall was built for Sir Alexander Park Lyle, the current owner's great grandfather. Sir Alexander was a seasoned traveller and gave lectures at the hall on his travels in Egypt. In 1922 his work Family Notes was 'Printed for Private Circulation' by publisher Maclehose, Jackson and Co of Glasgow.

Local architect Ebenezer Simpson had been commissioned to rebuild Glendelvine House (the Lyle family home) of circa 1900, and was again called in to design the hall. Simpson was based in Stirling and worked extensively in Stirlingshire, Perthshire and Fife. His commissions included the Police Station (1908) and Council Office (1910) in Denny, tenement with shops (1910) in Aberfeldy and the Macfarlane Museum Hall at Bridge of Allan (after 1920), both of the latter being listed.

Simpson's use of Arts and Crafts elements at Caputh Hall are reminiscent of the work of James Maclaren, particularly the 1889 Aberfeldy Town Hall, as well as the pronounced batters used in some J J Burnet churches.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17834327

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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