Brucefield Manor Hotel, Woodmill Road, Dunfermline

Brucefield Manor Hotel, Woodmill Road, Dunfermline

A substantial villa built in 1872 and extended in 1902 by the architects H and J Philp, with further hotel additions made in the later 20th century. The building is now a 2-storey structure with attic accommodation, arranged asymmetrically as a detached original villa with later wings. Early 20th century work includes a short wing added to the south-east, the conversion of a former single-storey outhouse range on the north to 2 storeys, and a flat-roofed connector section at the north-east junction between the two main wings. Later 20th century single-storey flat-roofed hotel additions occupy the east and west sides.

The design is eclectic, combining French and Italianate detailing. A distinctive 3-stage tower with a piended pavilion roof dominates the principal south elevation. Attached columns and pilasters with foliate capitals frame the openings across this elevation. The principal elevation displays sandstone ashlar; the remainder of the main block is coursed stugged sandstone with ashlar dressings. The later single-storey additions are harled. A base course runs beneath the main block, with an eaves band applied to the flat-roofed 2-storey section to the north-east. Most of the main block retains deep overhanging eaves. Windows to the main block are architraved (except the attic lights), with most featuring lintels angled at their corners.

The principal south elevation comprises four bays. An architraved round-arched entrance set at the base of the tower (second bay from left) is flanked by attached columns bearing foliate capitals and carved foliage at their bases. Decorative carving enriches the arch. A band course with circular motifs sits above, surmounted by a projecting cornice; a serrated band course continues across the deep reveal to form an open porch. The entrance door is of 2-leaf panelled timber incorporating circular panels at its centre, with a fanlight above. Windows to the upper two stages of the tower are set back, with the first-floor opening opening onto a balcony above the entrance, complete with a decorative cast-iron balustrade and a bracketed projecting piended breaking-eaves dormer above. The dormer has a round-arched opening with recessed spandrels.

A bracketed projecting parapet with decorative circular motifs tops the tower and extends across the early 20th century 2-bay section projecting to the right. The canted bay to the left of the entrance features mullioned tripartite windows to ground and first floors, both with round-arched openings and moulded architraves angled at their corners. The openings are divided and flanked by pilasters with foliate capitals (with attached columns to either side of the central light on the first floor). To the right of the entrance, a similar bay rises with mullioned tripartite windows. The first-floor window here has a plain lintel angled at the corners to each light but lacks the flanking pilasters; the ground-floor opening retains the round-arched treatment. Both windows have moulded architraves where applicable, angled at the corners. A decorative frieze incorporating circular motifs sits below the projecting cills of the first-floor windows.

The west elevation contains three bays. A slightly projecting gabled bay to the centre has a first-floor window with an angled lintel and bracketed cill. Identical breaking-eaves windows with gabled heads set back occupy the flanking bays (the left one dates to the early 20th century when the upper storey was added to the north wing). The right bay includes a round-arched ground-floor window. A bipartite dormer with timber mullion lights the attic. A later 20th century projecting flat-roofed addition occupies the ground floor of the central bay and that to the left.

The east elevation is dominated by a single bay of the early 20th century wing set forward to the outer left, with a projecting section to the centre and small ground and first-floor windows to its left return. The original block to the right is set back with a gabled section; a pair of octagonal windows pierce the first floor here. A gable-headed breaking-eaves window with an angled lintel lights the right bay, with a piended bipartite dormer incorporating a timber mullion in the attic above. A 2-storey single-bay flat-roofed section with mullioned bipartite windows adjoins to the right. The ground floor is largely obscured by a later 20th century flat-roofed addition, though a projecting bay to the outer left remains partially visible at ground-floor level.

The north elevation features a gabled bay (upper storey added in the early 20th century) to the right, with a first-floor window angled lintel and three blocked (altered) openings at ground floor. A 2-storey flat-roofed section adjoins to the left, with a small first-floor window to its right and an altered tripartite ground-floor window arrangement (the right-hand opening is blocked). A gable is set back above. The projection rising from the centre carries a stack dated 1872.

The roof is of grey slate throughout. Wrought-iron finials remain to two gables on the south and east elevations, with one additional finial to the piended dormer on the east; decorative wrought-iron brattishing adorns the pavilion-roofed tower. Five ashlar stacks with rounded edges and projecting coping sit upon the main block: a pair flanks the tower at the wallheads, one rises from the projecting section to the east, and further stacks sit at the gableheads to the west and to the left of the north elevation. The coping is serrated at the edges on all except the eastern stack. Shouldered circular-plan stacks with band courses sit on either side of the flat-roofed 2-storey section, fitted with round cans.

The interior retains fine contemporary fittings. An inner vestibule at the main entrance is defined by a pair of polished granite attached columns with foliate capitals surmounted by a round arch. An elaborate cast-iron balustrade runs along the staircase. The main first-floor reception room (originally the billiard room) in the early 20th century south-east wing features a panelled timber dado and an arched recess with a contemporary fireplace sporting a green tiled surround and timber mantelpiece. Coloured leaded glass incorporating Art Nouveau motifs lights the upper panes of the window; a small window onto the staircase is similarly glazed.