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Summary

Description

Early 19th century with early 20th century alterations and additions by R Blackadder of Edinburgh. 2-storey and attic and basement; 3-bay; rectangular-plan; large house. Classical design with corniced ground floor windows to N elevation and early 20th century bowed central bay to S and W elevations. Droved sandstone ashlar with lightly droved and polished ashlar dressings. V-jointed basement. Base course to basement and ground floor; cill course to ground floor; moulded eaves cornice with frieze below. Architraved (and corniced) ground floor windows to N elevation; windows set back within shallow round-arched recesses to S elevation.

N (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: slightly projecting central entrance bay with low stepped parapet. Early 20th century porch to ground floor; entablature with Adamesque frieze projects forward slightly as canopy supported on pair of composite columns; pair of Composite angle pilasters set back to either side of entrance; 9-panel timber door with narrow flanking side lights (each with Adamesque panel at head) and fanlight; architraved window with adjoining cill band to either side of porch; partially obscured Composite columns support rear of entablature at junction with main block. Flanking windows to each storey except attic; tripartite window above. Entrance with late 20th century part-glazed timber door to central bay to basement; 2 windows (one small) to right. Entrance with panelled timber door set back to left bay.

S ELEVATION: tripartite basket-arched arcade supported on Doric pilasters to basement of bowed central bay; entrance to centre with later glazed timber door in glazed timber screen incorporating fanlight. Large windows with fanlights to flanking arches (glazing all replacement). 3 windows to bowed bay to 1st and 2nd floors. Window to each floor to flanking bays; those to attic are polygonal piended dormers; those to 1st floor have early 20th century cast-iron balconies.

W ELEVATION: basement window to centre of central bowed bay; one to right; 3 windows to ground and 1st floors above. Window to each floor to flanking bays; those to attic are polygonal piended dormers; that to right of 1st floor has early 20th century cast-iron balcony. Large later cast-iron balcony with Adamesque detailing and steps down to lower level to ground floor window to left bay.

E ELEVATION: entrance (probably formerly window) to left of centre; replacement glazed timber door. Window above to ground and 1st floors; one to left to basement, ground and 1st floors; those to 1st floor have later cast-iron balconies. Inserted stair window to right between ground and 1st floors. Polygonal piended dormer to left of centre.

12-pane timber sash and case windows to principal (N) elevation; 12-pane timber sash and case windows and later 10-pane timber casements elsewhere. Grey slate piended platform roof. 3 corniced stacks to N side; 2 to S side; round cans.

INTERIOR: internal arrangement and fittings of fine quality largely date from early 20th century. Vaulted porch with circular light at apex. Glazed tripartite screen with part-glazed central door and fanlight gives onto vaulted inner vestibule with plaster ribs and foliate bosses. Oval hall with decorative Adamesque plasterwork to ceiling and fireplace with built-in bookcase above. Stairway to E with later panelling. Part-glazed door with etched glass panels and walnut and oak panelling with fitted bookcases to bow-fronted ground floor room. Adamesque plaster ceiling incorporating sunflower motif and pair of marble Adamesque fireplaces with brass inner surrounds to dining/board room to E; pilasters and low dado panelling to walls. Low cupola with circular light with radiating glazing bars at apex at head of staircase. Timber Adamesque fireplaces to upper floors.

GATEWAY, BOUNDARY WALL, RAILINGS AND LAMP STANDARDS: coped boundary wall of various heights of coursed and rubble sandstone (partially harled) encloses original plot of land. Later polished sandstone ashlar gateposts of square plan; each with base, frieze, moulded cornice and pyramid coping; recessed panels to street elevation; wrought-iron arch with lamp at apex spans gap in between; pair of cast-iron gates. Pedestrian entrance with droved sandstone ashlar surround and timber door to W. Pair of lodges built into wall to W. Later cast-iron railings to either side of porch with urn finials and terminating at lamp standards. Cast-iron lamp standard dated 1901 to NE. Terrace of coursed rockfaced sandstone with ashlar balustrade to rear of house; central steps lead down to lower garden terrace. Stepped base surmounted by partially intact lion statue to W.

Statement of Special Interest

A fine large town house of early 19th century date, sympathetically altered in the early 20th century and with fine internal features of the same date. It appears to have been built by the Spence family who acquired the land in about 1810. In 1821 it was purchased by the Bank of Scotland and converted to a bank. It remained a bank until 1911 when it became the residence of Dr Bishop of New York. Dr Bishop had the entrance porch, the central bowed bays of the S and W elevations, the balconies and other cast-iron features and the balustraded patio added between 1912 and 1914. It was purchased by the Carnegie Dunfermline Trust in 1946 and assumed its present function as headquarters of the Carnegie Hero Fund Trust and Carnegie Dunfermline Trust in 1952.

References

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