Listed Building
The only legal part of the listing under the Planning (Listing Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 is the address/name of site. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing – see 'About Listed Buildings' below for more information. The further details below the 'Address/Name of Site' are provided for information purposes only.
Address/Name of Site
BALMAHA, NOS 1, 2, AND 3 MONTROSE HOUSE (FORMERLY KNOWN AS MONTROSE HOME)LB50451
Status: Designated
Documents
There are no additional online documents for this record.
Summary
- Category
- C
- Date Added
- 04/05/2006
- Local Authority
- Stirling
- Planning Authority
- Stirling
- Parish
- Buchanan
- National Park
- Loch Lomond And The Trossachs
- NGR
- NS 42149 90863
- Coordinates
- 242149, 690863
Description
Loch Lomond And Trossachs National Park Planning Authority
Montrose House built circa 1891 and designed by Robert Bryden, is a square-plan villa, single storey with attic breaking the eaves, with a single storey service wing. It was commissioned by the Duchess of Montrose as a holiday home for underprivileged children from Glasgow. Located on an elevated site at the heart of Balmaha, it was subdivided into 3 flats in the late 20th century. It contributes to the streetscape of Balmaha, and is of historical significance and interest as a philanthropic building.
A fairly restrained treatment of the ground floor, with a chamfered base course, mullioned double windows and a string course above, is balanced by a steeply pitched roof enlivened by gable-roofed dormers breaking the broad bracketed eaves. The 3-bay (S) entrance front has a central timber-panelled door with moulded door surround, and the left bay is slightly advanced with a steeply piended roof, as is the left bay of the side (E) elevation. To the (W) side, out of sight of the approach to the house, is a single storey former service wing. The rear (N) elevation has a central door (non traditional) flanked by advanced piend-roofed bays with dormer headed windows to 1st floor, and the service wing to the right.
Interior:
Some original joinery to Flat 1. Access to flats 2 and 3 not gained 2004.
Materials:
Snecked bullfaced red sandstone; rubble whin with sandstone margins to rear. Non-traditional timber and uPVC window. Piended roofs; graded slates; terracotta ridge tiles and finials. Corniced sandstone ridge stacks.
Statement of Special Interest
The original ground floor layout of the house included a large playroom and adjoining dining room, with interconnecting doors which allow them to be combined into one large room if necessary. On this floor there was also a matron's room, maid's room, kitchen and a bathroom. There was direct access from the play room to an outdoor playshed. The house accommodated up to 30 children at any one time; they slept in one of four dormitory rooms upstairs, where there was also the matron's bedroom and a small sick-room.
To the rear of the house was a single storey range of offices, now demolished.
The home was established by the Duchess of Montrose, who was inspired by the work of the Glasgow-based Fresh-Air Fortnight Society, which arranged for city children to be placed with host families in the country. Perhaps influenced by the idea of the philanthropic Quarrier's Village (a village in Renfrewshire established by William Quarrier in 1878 to rehome poor orphan children), the Duchess proposed that, rather than being placed in individual homes, the children might benefit from being lodged in a purpose built institution. The land was donated by the Duke of Montrose and subscriptions gathered to fund the building. Robert Bryden was no doubt selected to be the architect because, having previously designed Quarriers, he had proven experience of designing buildings for philanthropic use.
References
Bibliography
No Bibliography entries for this designation
About Listed Buildings
Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.
We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.
Listing is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for buildings of special architectural or historic interest as set out in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997.
We list buildings which are found to be of special architectural or historic interest using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)
Listed building records provide an indication of the special architectural or historic interest of the listed building which has been identified by its statutory address. The description and additional information provided are supplementary and have no legal weight.
These records are not definitive historical accounts or a complete description of the building(s). If part of a building is not described it does not mean it is not listed. The format of the listed building record has changed over time. Earlier records may be brief and some information will not have been recorded.
The legal part of the listing is the address/name of site which is known as the statutory address. Other than the name or address of a listed building, further details are provided for information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland does not accept any liability for any loss or damage suffered as a consequence of inaccuracies in the information provided. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing. Even if a number or name is missing from a listing address it will still be listed. Listing covers both the exterior and the interior and any object or structure fixed to the building. Listing also applies to buildings or structures not physically attached but which are part of the curtilage (or land) of the listed building as long as they were erected before 1 July 1948.
While Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating listed buildings, the planning authority is responsible for determining what is covered by the listing, including what is listed through curtilage. However, for listed buildings designated or for listings amended from 1 October 2015, legal exclusions to the listing may apply.
If part of a building is not listed, it will say that it is excluded in the statutory address and in the statement of special interest in the listed building record. The statement will use the word 'excluding' and quote the relevant section of the 1997 Act. Some earlier listed building records may use the word 'excluding', but if the Act is not quoted, the record has not been revised to reflect subsequent legislation.
Listed building consent is required for changes to a listed building which affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest. The relevant planning authority is the point of contact for applications for listed building consent.
Find out more about listing and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.