Glencoe Hospital

The Glencoe Hospital, built in 1896 and 1897, was originally Glencoe House, commissioned for Donald Alexander Smith (1820-1914), later Lord Strathcona, a key figure in the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway. It is an asymmetrical mansion, predominantly two storeys and an attic in height, though the sloping site and variations in the layout result in differing storey numbers across the building.

The building has a roughly rectangular plan with two projecting wings on the east entrance front. It is constructed primarily from grey bullfaced ashlar stone, with contrasting red polished sandstone dressings. The asymmetrical gabled entrance front features a principal door approached by a flight of steps leading to a single-storey, attic porch with a red sandstone, polished ashlar finish and a leaded ogee roof. The east front is gabled and varied, incorporating single and two-storey canted bay windows, some topped with shaped wallheads and others with leaded ogee roofs. A tall, double stair window, set within a recessed bay, is topped by a long, pedimented design.

The long west garden front is mainly three storeys and an attic high, with six bays. A lower, two-storey and attic service wing is set back at the north gable. Two canted bay windows are present; one rises fully three storeys with a piended slate roof and carved detailing above the principal floor windows, while the other rises only two storeys. Centre first floor (raised ground floor) windows have decorative pediments bearing the initials JSS and DAS, along with dates. Five timber-fronted gabled dormers are present on the west garden front, with various other dormers featuring decorative, stone finialled, segmental-headed pediments to all elevations. The windows feature multi-pane glazing. Other original features include crowsteps, tall coped stacks, original rainwater goods, and slate roofs.

A balustraded garden terrace fronts the south gable, following the contours of the sloping site. The interior features an entrance hall with original panelled doors, moulded corniced doorpieces, and a panelled dado. A carved and panelled chimney piece with a moulded marble and tiled surround is noted around the grate, along with decorative plasterwork on the ceiling. A wide staircase with turned balusters ascends from the stairhall. Two wings were removed in 1965. Former stables and a service accommodation block, now a Scottish Ambulance Service centre, are not included in the listing.