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Summary

Description

Alexander Shairp, dated 1897. 2-storey and attic over basement, 7-bay classical civic building on sloping site. Rectangular plan with earlier building to rear connected at N end giving U-plan overall. E and N fronts of sandstone ashlar. W (rear) elevation of grey granite with sandstone dressings. S wall rendered with ashlar quoins at corners. Base course, articulated at pilaster bases, string course at ground floor cill, cornice at first floor, string course at 1st floor cill below frieze. Cornice with stone balustrade and panelled dies above. Full-height dividing pilasters. Panelled aprons to 1st floor windows.

E (ALBANY STREET) ELEVATION: symmetrical, 2 visible storeys, basement concealed below street level and attic lit through bull's-eye window in pediment. Entrance doorpiece, large segmental pediment with floral decoration in tympanum, over pulvinated frieze articulated and fluted over free-standing semi-fluted Corinthian columns on panelled and corniced pedestals. Doorway behind with cornice-lintel and architraved, round-arched fanlight above with fluted keystone at centre. Ground floor windows architraved with keystones and pediments

over. Round-arched 1st floor windows architraved, flanked by capitalled columns supporting cornice incised into window openings to give semicircular fanlights with architrave and keystone. 1st floor centre bay, Venetian window with architraved and keystone at centre, pulvinated frieze and cornice. Balustrade with round balusters, panelled dies between surmounted by small segmental pediments at corners and flanking main pediment. Blind centre bay to balustrade with carved script, "Municipal Buildings", tall pediment above with leaf carving and bull's-eye window in tympanum.

N (CAMPBELL STREET) ELEVATION: 6-bay elevation, grouped 3-2-1. Bays 1-3, symmetrical gabled return of principal front slightly advanced at centre bay. String courses and cornice continued from principal elevation. Base course with basement window at bay 3. Inscription to centre below ground floor window cills. Ground floor windows architraved with cornices over incorporating shallow pediments, narrow window at centre bay flanked by tripartite windows. 1st floor bay 2, empty round-arched niche with flanking capitalled columns, architrave and keystone. Flanking Venetian windows in bays 1 and 3 matching

1st floor centre window of principal elevation. Corniced chimney

stack central to gable, strip pilasters corresponding to advanced

centre bay below, datestone between. Moulded skews, stepped at half length. Bays 4-5 gabled with square window and entrance door at basement (now street) level. Door architraved with keystone at centre and broken, scrolled pediment above containing pedimented panel. Ground floor window in bay 4, tripartite, corniced incorporating shallow pediment. 1st floor, Venetian window matching bays 1 and 3 to centre of gablehead. Small round-arched window to right, with cill at 1st floor cornice. Bay 6, cornice and string course at sill levels continued across, returned and stopped at NW corner. Square window to

basement, ground floor window architraved with frieze and cornice over, 1st floor window architraved.

W (REAR) ELEVATION OF WING: 5-bay 2 storeys over basement at street level. Intermittent band course at eaves, cills to windows. Basement, square windows to bays 1, 3 and 4, goods entrance with 2-leaf timber doors in bay 2, tall doorway with fanlight above in bay to outer right. Ground floor windows in bays 1-4. 1st floor, windows in bays 1, 3, and 4, stair window in bay 5 with transom.

W (REAR) ELEVATION OF MAIN BLOCK: N section obscured by wing, centre bay and 2-bay S section visible. Centre bay, stair window with central mullion and transom below fanlight. Gablet breaking band-coursed eaves with blind bull's-eye. 4-flue stack at right angle to eaves adjoining foot of gablet skew. Bays to right of centre, bipartite windows with cills at ground and 1st floors.

S ELEVATION: windowless gabled return of principal elevation. Short parapet from balustrade on E front to skew cope. Plate glass timber sash and case windows in all openings except stained glass stair window. Panelled timber 2-leaf main entrance door, 6-panel timber door to north elevation. Grey slated pitched roof to main block with lead covered, slate-hung octagonal base at centre of (now removed) cupola. Piended, grey slated roof to rear wing. Corniced stacks with string course at main block gables, plain copes to stacks at rear, tapered red cans. Square downpipe with decorative brackets at N elevation. Profiled gutters to main block rear elevation and rear wing eaves.

INTERIOR: timber double-leaf inner entrance doors with sidelights and rectangular fanlight above, all with etched glass. Grained dado panelling along vestibule, staircase and upper hallway. Blind arcade at N wall of vestibule, architraved arches with keystones over marbled and corniced pilasters. Stone stair with carved timber balustrade, turned balusters, finials at newels. Round-arched stair window, stained glass with Art Nouveau influence. Upper hallway with arched screen to N, architraved, supported on marbled columns with bases and ornate capitals. Architraved and panelled doors leading off. Former council chambers at NE corner of 1st floor. Dado panelling along walls

except new S wall replacing former sliding doors. Large corner

chimneypiece with pedimented overmantle, flanked by capitalled,

fluted pilasters, niche to centre containing ornate ormolu clock.

Decorative plaster ceiling with metal ventilator grille, floral

cornice, repaired simply at corner. Purpose-made furniture still

extant including semicircular table.

LAMP STANDARDS: 2 ornate cast-iron provost's lamp standards, flanking main entrance, positioned at pavement edge. Drum base, with flutes and swags, extending into decorated shaft, lamp fittings missing.

Statement of Special Interest

Inscription on N wall records that the foundation stone was laid by Provost Francis W Cooper on 22nd of June 1897. Dean of Guild Court plans record washing house and coal cellars of 1898, also by Shairp, and re-roofing of the older building behind to form a meeting house, for Robert MacFie of Airds and Oban 1900. Upper right square pane of stair window recently broken and carefully replaced with a copy.

References

Bibliography

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