Hollybush House, Muirhall Road, Perth

Hollybush House is a three-storey, three-bay classical house of late-18th century date, located off Muirhall Road in Perth. It is rectangular on plan with early 19th century additions to the side and rear, though some of these later additions are excluded from the listing. The house is constructed in snecked and squared sandstone rubble with band courses at first and second floor levels and an eaves course.

The main southwest elevation features a slightly advanced pedimented bay breaking the eaves at the centre, containing a tripartite doorpiece with ashlar Doric pilasters and an entablature, and tripartite windows above. The northwest elevation has windows in the outermost bays. The rear northeast elevation is three bays with a slate-roofed single-storey addition at ground floor level and a later glazed porch (both excluded from listing). The southeast elevation has blind openings to the east bay and is abutted by a timber conservatory thought to date from the later 20th century.

The roof is shallow piended and slate covered. The two end chimneystacks have scrolled shoulders, moulded copings and octagonal cans. Rainwater goods are predominantly cast iron, including some ogee gutters and decorative hoppers. Raised margins, stone mullions and projecting cills feature throughout. Windows are a mixture of timber sash and case frames with varying glazing patterns: predominantly nine over nine on the ground floor and six over six on the first and second floors. The main entrance door is timber-panelled with a spoked fanlight and sash and case sidelights.

Interior features include timber panelled shutters, ceiling roses, moulded cornicing and picture rails in the principal ground floor rooms, along with decorative fire surrounds (some replaced). A curved timber staircase with iron balusters and polished, coiled handrail serves the interior, which is arranged with principal rooms on either side of a central hallway.

The boundary wall fronting Muirhall Road is constructed in random rubble with rubble copings. The vehicular entrance is set back slightly and flanked by a low curved quadrant wall. Four octagonal-plan ashlar sandstone gatepiers with tiered obelisk caps mark the entry, with wrought iron gates hung between them.

A single-storey L-plan extension with attic adjoins the southeast elevation and is now a separate property known as Greenbank (excluded from listing). Multi-phased but largely 19th century with 20th century alterations, this wing includes the former stable block, extends to the northeast and features a large canted bay window to the southeast and pedimented tripartite window to the central bay.

Hollybush House was historically known as Greenbank and was owned in 1823 by Dr Kelty. It was likely built between 1771 and 1799, following construction of John Smeaton's bridge over the River Tay. The Statistical Account of Scotland (1791-99) describes 'beautiful villas' recently built on rising ground southeast of Bridgend village. The third storey was added in the earlier 19th century. The 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1860 shows the house as largely rectangular-plan with a greenhouse and rectangular wing on the southeast elevation, with stable block and ancillary structures to the northeast and enclosed gardens. By 1900, the wing had been extended northeast and a large canted bay window added, creating an L-plan wing as shown on the 2nd Edition Ordnance Survey map.

The 1861 Census records the Dickson family at Greenbank from at least 1861 to 1914. John Dickson was a solicitor and Writer to the Signet, and following his death in 1909, his two daughters remained until their deaths in 1914. The house was subsequently sold to Brigadier-General William Kelty McLeod, who lived at Greenbank until his death in 1928. In 1959 Hollybush House was subdivided from the later wing, which was converted into a separate property connected by a link section to the former stable block. At this time the original late-18th century house was renamed Hollybush House and the 19th century wing retained the name Greenbank.