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Summary

Description

Early 19th century. Single-storey, symmetrical 3-bay former toll-house (see Notes) with later harled narrow single bay addition to left and with later harled extension to the rear (SW). Situated at E end of Hepburn Gardens. Squared and coursed whinstone rubble with sandstone margins to principal (street) elevation, rubble to other elevations. Central 2-bay timber door. Bipartite window with timber mullion and half-timbering to E gable.

12-pane timber sash and case windows with horns. Graded grey slates. Gable end stacks with cans. Ashlar-coped skews. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: simple layout with two principal rooms flanking entrance hall. Boarded timber to narrow harled bay to left.

BOUNDARY WALLS: to N. Low coped stone section of wall.

Statement of Special Interest

Situated just outside the city walls the former Argyle Toll House is an important part of St Andrews social history. It is a good example of its type with a largely unaltered street elevation. Marked as the Argyle Toll on John Wood's 'Plan of the City of St Andrews' dated 1820, it is likely that the Toll House was constructed not long before this date.

The use of turnpike roads became common in Scotland as a result of the Turnpike Act of 1759 which enabled private roads to be constructed and a charge made on their use. The purpose behind the turnpike road and toll house, through its administration by a Board of Trustees, was to fund improvements to the road network. In 1880 toll roads were banned and the toll house was no longer required. The majority were converted into private dwellings.

A small weighing machine, removed from its original location, inscribed with H. Pooley & Son Ltd (Patentess, Liverpool), is now (2006) in the garden of the property.

The harled narrow bay to the E, the office to the Toll, is a possible extension from the original 3-bay construction. It does not appear on the Ordnance Survey Town Plan of 1854 but is evident on the 1893 edition. This suggests that possibly more sophisticated weighing machinery had been introduced. Outside the boundaries of the property an iron circle weighing machine anchor, is still in place, giving an indication of the importance of the Argyle Toll. As a prominent market town St Andrews would have had a particular need for Toll Houses and associated equipment such as the weighting machine.

Category changed from B-C(S) in 2007

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