Elmwood Mansion, 1-8 Blantyre Mill Road, Bothwell

Elmwood Mansion, 1-8 Blantyre Mill Road, Bothwell

A two-storey, six-bay asymmetrical Tudor-gothic mansion of droved red sandstone ashlar with polished ashlar dressings, originally built in 1819 as a secondary school and subject to a series of substantial additions and alterations in 1893, 1923, 1936 and 1952. The building is planned as an irregular U-shape with multiple gabled projections and advances.

The design features considerable architectural detail throughout. A crenellated parapet runs continuously across the principal frontage with carved ashlar and moulded surrounds to windows. The two outer bays to the left are single storey with blind slits to their gableheads. The right gable incorporates a full-height three-light canted window with crenellations, while the advanced left gable displays a crenellated oriel window. A six-bay addition extends to the right, slightly set back from the original block, with chamfered window surrounds and Tudor-arched dormer windows to the first floor.

The principal south elevation spans twelve bays, grouped 6-6. The original six-bay block contains a raised shallow porch with carved shield and the inscription "BENE DEN MOTO" set above. The doorpiece features a Tudor-arched surround with multi-moulded set supported by grey polished granite columns with carved capitals and pierced spandrels, with a replacement timber panelled door set between mullioned lights. A three-light Tudor-arched mullioned window with decorative carved surround stands at ground level in the bay to the left of centre, with a set-back Tudor-arched window at first floor above and a shield panel to the gable. The advanced bay to the left displays a three-light segmental-arched mullioned window at ground level and a three-light canted oriel window at first floor with two blind slits beneath. The outer left bays contain bipartite mullioned windows with blind slits to the gableheads above and stacks. The six-bay addition to the right includes a single window at ground in each of five bays with Tudor-arched dormer windows at first floor, and a slightly advanced gabled bay at the outer right containing a three-light mullioned and transomed window at ground with a three-light window with taller central light at first floor.

The west side elevation presents an irregular composition of single and two-storey sections with an attic storey, spanning five bays. An advanced single and two-storey gabled block incorporating a stable block stands to the left, with a slightly advanced gabled bay at the centre containing a three-light window at ground and a bipartite window at first floor. A tall segmental-arched doorway with stepped Tudor-arched cope sits in a slightly recessed bay to the outer left, flanked by bipartite windows, the left one blinded. A two-bay single storey block to the right contains bipartite windows with three evenly disposed windows set back at first floor above. A bipartite pointed-arched window appears at attic level within the gable.

The east side elevation comprises six bays, grouped 1-1-4, with a replacement timber panelled door with letterbox fanlight and large segmental-arched light above at ground in the bay to the left of centre. A small three-light window sits at first floor above, set tight to the eaves. The gabled bay to the outer left contains a three-light transomed window at ground and a three-light transomed window with taller central light at first floor. The remaining four bays to the right contain two-light mullioned and transomed windows with two-light gabletted windows above.

The north rear elevation reflects the irregular angles of the U-plan. A slightly advanced gabled bay at the centre features a pointed-arched stair window, with single windows at ground level and gabled pointed-arched windows at first floor flanking either side. A projecting former stableyard wall at ground level to the right contains three irregularly disposed dormer windows and a stack set back at first floor. The addition to the left displays irregular fenestration, while a projecting wall of a further addition to the left shows regular bipartite windows at both ground and first floor levels. A single storey pend-roofed porch occupies the re-entrant angle.

Windows throughout are largely two-pane timber sash and case, with some fixed and casement windows to the additional block. The roof is covered in grey slate with bargeboards featuring exposed rafters to the rear and grey slate to the addition. Multiple-flue ashlar-coped stacks dominate the original block's principal gable and stand at the rear, with an ashlar-coped stack to the north end gable of the addition. Cast-iron rainwater goods with some uPVC replacements serve the rear elevations.

The building was converted to flats in 1977, but many significant interior features survive. The vestibule features etched glass panelled doors by C & J Rae of Glasgow and a pierced timber banister. A pointed-arched hood mould with regular flower motifs decorates the architraved timber panelled door to the upper flat. The upper flat contains a drip-moulded ceiling and fine plasterwork (unseen as of 1996). The lower flat retains skirting boards, timber panelled doors and some cornices from its original use as the main downstairs rooms.