MEMBERS AREA
CASEWORK
Dumfries & Galloway
Anne House Stranraer
Historic Scotland have received notification that it is the council’s
intention to approve the application for listed building consent in
respect of the demolition of Anne House and its associated
buildings. However Scottish Ministers have decided to require the
application to be referred to them for determination. The
appointed Reporter will carry out a site inspection on 12th August,
we hope for a fine day which will show the charms of the property.
Restored House in Kirkcudbright
Dumfries Conservation Area Character Appraisal
At long last this is being compiled and will be available for
comment. Many of the proposals will very much enhance the
central area of Dumfries if carried out. However, it is proposed to
reduce the size of the conservation area, which could be
detrimental to historic areas and structures not covered by listed
status.
Clement’s Store Kirkcudbright
This little, rather battered building, used until recently as a paint
store, is under threat of demolition, to be replaced with a two
storey house. The store is the last remaining original cottage in the
High Street and still retains an interesting oak roof structure. Tiny
though this building is, it once housed two families! It is situated
between two Victorian houses and would make an ideal restoration
project. There has been a previous application to demolish and
rebuild with a pastiche house, which was fortunately refused.
Further along the High Street there is an excellent example of how
a careful restoration can bring early houses back into occupation.
This building had been divided and both cottages were in an almost
derelict condition. The new owner saw their potential and after
considerable research, has restored it with careful consideration of
the original detail, and converted the properties back into one
house. This house adds considerably to the High Street. A picture
of the paint store/cottage can be seen in Alastair Penman’s book
‘Old Kirkcudbright’.
Clements Store, Kirkcudbright
Ladyfield East and West
Both these houses, owned by the Hospital Board, are now surplus
to requirements, and have been empty and boarded up. Ladyfield
West, formally called Hannahfield, is category A listed and built
c.1830. Described in the listing as ‘an exceptional design for an
urban villa of this scale’, it had fallen into such a state of disrepair
that it had to be gutted, walls capped, and the remaining interior
fittings removed and stored. It is a Walter Newall designed house,
described in detail in Loudon’s Cottage, Farm and Villa Architecture,
(1839). Ladyfield East is a category B listed, compact villa and was
built slightly later than Ladyfield West. Recently lead was stolen from
the roof; however this has now been repaired. Plans have been
submitted to turn both houses into flats and build in the policies.
These are important houses and should have been properly
marketed as they stand in pleasant grounds and would have made
excellent family houses accessible to both Dumfries town centre
and the hospital.
Theatre Royal, Dumfries
This historic theatre has recently survived a proposal to demolish it
with an alternative plan now im place to rebuild it with modern
facilities. Fortunately, the Georgian house next door to the theatre,
on Shakespeare Street, has been acquired by the Trustees. Plans
have been submitted to link the two structures with a glass
extension. It is now proposed to reinstate the lost features such as
door casings and restore the sash and case windows in the
Georgian house, which were very poor replicas of the originals.
There is also a horse ramp still in place behind the house, an
unusual feature, which was used to transport goods to the upper
floor. Hopefully this will be retained.
Patricia Woodley
AUTUMN 2013
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THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND
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