27 Wilson Street, Perth

Home of the poet William Soutar from 1924 until his death in

1943, the left hand part of a double house built for the

partners in his father's building firm of Soutar and McQueen.

As the house adjoining to the right (No 29) forms an integral

part of the building, it too is included in the listing as

part of the one item.

William Soutar suffered from a progressively debilitating

illness which forced him to become permanently confined to

his bed (his Diaries give the date as 3 November 1930) and

the family home was adapted to accommodate him, his bed and

his library (ultimately, about 2,000 volumes of his were

deposited in Perth library) in one room which was enlarged by

his father, a Master Joiner, who also installed handsome

timber panelling, with mirrors to enable Soutar to see every

part of the room and all his books. This work all survives,

though the furnishings are all but entirely removed.

In 1958, Soutar's home was donated to the Town Council of

Perth by his father as a memorial to the poet. It was used

for several purposes, and for a time housed council tenants,

for whom the house was modernised. It is now (1990) used to

house a 'writer in residence' and for gatherings, usually of

a literary nature.

The house was built to the design of Alexander K Beaton of

Perth, architect; planning consent was obtained in 1923.

Externally, the building has been virtually unaltered in

recent years. Harled, broad-eaved, piend-roofed and slated,

it is a symmetrical U-plan, single storey to the street, like

a double bungalow 2-storeyed to the flanks and rear. Long

flat street front, each house has its door set in a deeply

recessed centre which links to large timber-mullioned and

transomed windows lighting rooms on either side; leaded

lights. Tall narrow end stacks and projecting chimney

breasts, mutual axial stack. Rear wings are similar, though

not identical to one another, upper windows break through

eaves.

Inside, Soutar's house is well-finished, and has also been little-altered (kitchen and bathroom fittings are modern).

Entrance hall and room to right (?dining room) are

timber-panelled in similar manner to Soutar's bedroom;

fireplaces throughout have coloured tiles, decorative

chimney-pieces in principal rooms, some (upstairs) with art

nouveau detail. To the rear, beyond the kitchen, the maid's

room and access stairway is white-painted with contrasting

wooden strips like timber framing.

Small conservatory to rear; garage deeply recessed on flank;

low boundary/retaining wall to street, wrought iron gates

(railings mostly removed).