Brooksby House, 18 Greenock Road, Largs

Probably David and James Hamilton architects. Built circa

1840.

Classical house with symmetrical west elevation. Polished

ashlar with channelled and battered basement, windows with

architraves or margins, band course above basement and

ground floors, angle margins modillion cornice and blocking

course to all elevations. South entrance elevation: 2

storeys over basement. 3 bays, left bay deeply recessed

with modern, harled, square lift shaft in re-entrant angle

blocking original bipartite on west face. Central door,

approached by steps with modern hand rail; raised round

-headed fanlight. Projecting portico, entablature supported

on 2 square piers with angles chamfered near base and

capital; modillion cornice, and single 1st floor window

above. Basement windows advanced in outer bays. Ground

floor windows with pierced blind balustrade and cornice.

1st floor windows with blind balconies and shallow pediments

over cornice raised on pilaster strips. West elevation:

similarly detailed windows in outer bays, 3 central, taller

advanced bays, basement projects to give ground floor

terrace with parapet (originally supporting a verandah).

3 tall round-headed 8-pane sash windows to ground floor.

Corniced windows above. North elevation: single window and

tripartite in each floor; east elevation has low flat

-roofed central extension and a variety of window openings.

Grouped square stacks linked by cornices. Piended slate roof.

Interior: entrance hall with central Roman Doric screen

opening to stair well: corniced doors, and stair with

richly patterned, later 19th century cast-iron balustrade.

Ground floor rooms refitted in the latter 19th century;

coffered ceilings with egg and dart, bead and reel and

leaf and vine mouldings. Room to south west decorated with

grotesques and crests with names of literary figures.

Set behind low, polished ashlar boundary wall with squat

gatepiers.

Rectangular walled garden enclosure to east.