Woodside House, Arbroath

Woodside House, Arbroath

A mid-19th century two-storey gabled villa significantly altered between 1893 and 1896 by the architect A A Symon of Forfar for Colin Grant. The alterations included the addition of a prominent square-plan entrance tower on the south-east front. The house retains important surviving interior features and is of considerable architectural interest.

The external walls are constructed of rough-hewn rubble plinth with stugged and snecked ashlar displaying droved margins, complemented by polished ashlar dressings. Windows consist of single and mullioned bipartite examples with simple architraves and plate glass sash and case glazing. The roof is slated with broad corniced ridge stacks and masonry skews. Masonry gable apex finials and iron weathervanes (to the rear and north elevation) complete the external detailing. The building comprises a single-storey service wing and a wing housing heating apparatus, creating a U-plan footprint to the east.

The south elevation originally formed an L-plan with a gabled bay to the left. The entrance lay in the re-entrant angle, where a large three-stage square-plan entrance tower was introduced during the 1890s alterations, projecting off-centre. To the left of the tower are set-back gabled bays with an advanced three-light parapetted window bay featuring rounded angles at ground floor level. Two single-light windows at first floor break the eaves, each crowned with very elaborately detailed pedimented and finialled dormerheads in the Scottish Renaissance idiom of the 1890s period. To the right of the tower are four window bays; a gabled two-window bay to the right displays paired single windows, some with modern replacement glazing. A stringcourse marks the division between ground and first floors.

The entrance tower is a sophisticated 1890s addition. A stringcourse steps around inset panels featuring semi-circular pediments at first floor on the east and west faces and over the entrance to the south. The south-facing entrance features an architraved doorpiece with narrow banded Scottish Renaissance style pilaster shafts and a pediment bearing an inset cartouche with elaborate carving. The doors are unusual two-leaf panelled examples, each leaf comprising six horizontally-placed panels. Architraved bipartite windows at the first and second stages are set above carved apron panels and corniced architraves. A fine Jacobethan strapwork frieze and cornice support a trefoil motif parapet. The tower is crowned with a slated ogee roof incorporating oval 'oeil-de-boeuf' attic windows. Paired square-plan chimney stacks with leaded ogee caps and cast-iron weathervane finials are attached to the east of the tower roof.

The west elevation presents a shallow U-plan with gabled end bays flanking a recessed centre. At ground floor level, a loggia with a pair of tapered columns supporting an entablature and balustered parapet screens the library within. A first floor balcony rises behind this feature. The gabled end bays display canted, parapetted three-light windows projecting at ground floor, with bipartite windows featuring shallow pediments at first floor. Two further bipartite windows set back between the end bays are crowned with very elaborate banded Flemish gablet-heads bearing ball finials.

The interior is notable for its high-quality finishes and original features. A passageway runs across the full length of the south front at both ground and first floors, with principal apartments arranged at ground floor and bedrooms at first floor. The second stage of the tower originally functioned as a smoking room. Throughout the house, a fine Jacobethan scheme is evident, featuring a variety of timber chimneypieces, most notably that in the drawing room with its tall elaborate overmantel crowned by open swannecked pediments. Decorated plasterwork ceilings, original window shutters, and period door furniture survive. The staircase is distinguished by a distinctive brass scroll balustrade and classical style brass newel posts with timber handrail. Notable Glasgow School style figurative stained glass at the first floor landing depicts the heraldic arms of the Grants within a decorative margin.

An ashlar sundial in pedestal style stands to the south of the house. Its lower section is executed in 18th century classical style with acanthus-leafed ornament.

Historical Context

The original plans for the 1893 alterations, signed from 34 Castle Street, Forfar, presented three alternative stylistic schemes: simple Jacobethan, crowstepped Scottish Renaissance, and French-Jacobethan. As executed, elements of the latter two schemes were combined. An Arbroath Herald notice of 22 August 1895 described the new Woodside House being built on the site of the former house at Woodside.

Colin Grant, the patron of the alterations, was made Burgess of the Burgh of Aberbrothock in 1923, at which time he was presented with a casket and illuminated manuscript, both now held by the Signal Tower Museum in Arbroath. Both objects bear depictions of Woodside House.

The house has been subdivided into four flatted units since 1992.