#RoofSquares 23-30: Glasgow edition

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The final countdown …

For my last selection of roofs for Becky’s #RoofSquares Challenge I’m sticking to Glasgow, starting with St Mungo’s Cathedral (1136) seen here from part way up the hill of the Necropolis.

Another imposing building is the neo-Gothic University of Glasgow, but I’ve not chosen an external view this time. Above are the Cloisters, also known as the Undercroft. It’s graduation season at the moment and they are a-flutter with colourful gowns, but this shot was taken around Christmas.

Just look at the carvings beneath the roof of this building at 1 La Belle Place, Kelvingrove! Currently a Hindu Mandir, it was built as the Queen’s Rooms in the 1850s to be used to celebrate the arts and sciences. Of particular interest to me: it was the location of a Suffrage Celebration meeting (tickets sixpence) on Saturday 20th April 1918 after the planting of the Suffrage Oak on nearby Kelvin Way. I only learned this recently and it has made me look at the building with new affection.

I could call this next section “Turret Envy”! Moving on from public buildings, these are all private houses within a few minutes walk from my own home (which looks nothing like any of these).

The houses at each end of this terrace on Kirklee Road have a splendid round turret. The one shown, until recent years, was supported by concrete buttresses which made it very ugly, but it has now been strengthened and restored. I can imagine sitting in that bay window with a good book and a glass of red – though I’d love that even more in this next one.

This is Kensington Tower (1858). Wow, just wow! I would love to have that tower room.

If you think the roofline of Lancaster Crescent looks like a terrace has been bolted on to a standalone villa, you are correct. Redlands House was built in 1870-71 and originally stood in grounds of 24 acres. For much of the 20th century it was a women’s hospital before being converted back into residential accommodation. The terrace was added in stages between 1898 and 1907, which you can probably tell by the different windows at roof level.

The last house might be surprising!

Ayton House (c. 1859) was badly damaged in the Blitz in 1941, and by the 1980s was threatened with demolition. However, it was rescued by a developer who added a modernist penthouse flat. What do you think? It certainly divides opinion locally – but it’s another place I could imagine myself sitting, glass in hand, at sunset.

I walk past Ayton House often, but I had never looked round the back until someone dropped me a hint. This is what I found.

It’s an extension bearing the unmistakable hallmarks of Charles Rennie Mackintosh who designed it. Which brings me back to the sad subject of the Art School – the latest news is that it is likely to be partially demolished because some of the walls are in danger of collapsing.

On to happier things: as well as linking to Becky’s challenge, I’m also linking to Cathy’s Photography Intention invitation on ~wander.essence~.  All my roof-themed posts would fit, but I’ve chosen this one because I had a conversation with Cathy in the comments on one of her other posts about Victorian houses, and the differences between here and North America. (Turrets are a common feature, but ours are solidly sandstone as opposed to colourful wood).

Because of the way I’ve grouped my roofs on a Friday, I’m finishing a day early – but I just couldn’t stop myself. I suspect roofs will now be as addictive as benches are after Jude’s challenge a couple of years ago, so here are a few more I’ve gathered, again all close to home.
Many thanks to Becky for running such a great challenge. I’ve enjoyed participating.

Scotland, UK , ,

72 Comments »

  1. That house certainly was surprising. Wonderful selection as always. I am so glad you were able to join us every week.

    And apologies once more it has taken me so long to pop by and see all of your fab roofs.

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  2. I have adored the gorgeous architecture in your Roof Square Series. That sort of beauty is lacking in my current environs so it was especially lovely to experience here today

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  4. You’ll be addicted to roofs, benches and doors with all these photo challenges! Great collection. I love the turrets as well – reading a book in front of one of the windows up there, with a glass of wine in hand would be awfully nice. 🙂 Not sure I like the combination old and modern of the Ayton house.

    My sister-in-law once rented a house with a turret, resembled in a round bedroom. It was interesting and special!

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  6. Thanks for providing a guided tour of interesting roofs in various locations in England and Scotland. As someone who grew up on the northern and western frontier of North America, I find the history represented in your architecture endlessly fascinating.

    Jude

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    • Thanks. It’s interesting how different areas can be: not just history, but traditions growing up round local materials. Grey slate says Lake District, red or blonde sandstone says Glasgow and some other Scottish cities, though not Aberdeen which is known as Granite City. Actually, I suppose that is all history of a different sort!

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  7. I love these beautiful old buildings. Just imagine the stories they could tell. But I also like that modern penthouse. It’s good to see old places being given a new lease on life and a new purpose.

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  9. The turrets for me, every day. I can just imagine me sitting there in ye olden dayes, awaiting a lover, or two if I were lucky!

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  10. There are so many great captures here, Anabel. I especially love the turrets, and I can also imagine having a glass of wine in them! There’s something so romantic about them. I also love the Hindu Mandir and those carvings. It’s interesting about the sandstone vs. wood in your Victorian houses compared to ours. You had great fun with the roof challenge this week.

    Thanks so much for linking up to mine. I’ll include this link in my photo invitation of July 5. 🙂

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  13. You live in the right area for ornate grand buildings. You can do an online tour of rooms within Kensington Tower at the moment. Equally lovely inside. I recognise most of these buildings but I’ve never seen the Undercroft with that lighting before.

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  14. Hi Anabel – I’d be happy to live in any of those houses … especially those with a high view!! Equally when you have yours … I’ll come up and have a glass of red with you to discuss more roof tiles, spaces etc. Gorgeous cathedrals … but sorry to read about the art gallery – though if it is the superficial structure and can be put together again – that at least must help a little – though it sounds totally devastating. Cheers Hilary

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  15. At first glance I thought that modernist penthouse was a giant bath tub. I’m not a fan of it on that particular building but it would nice in a different setting.

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  17. Such a fabulous selection, I don’t know where to start. I love the modernist penthouse, though I can’t quite believe I’m saying that. I suspect it’s because it isn’t uncommon here to graft contemporary architecture onto our (small and dwindling) stock of old buildings. The Auckland Museum has a similarly shaped new top floor and it is a magnificent space.

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  21. It appears Anabel, that you and I share a love of turrets. I too look with longing at any property with a turret that I imagine would make an ideal place for creative work … even if it’s just reading a book. Perhaps in my next life 😉

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  22. Super roofs and buildings you have found us Anabel. I recall seeing turrets in Perthshire and thinking how I’d like a house with a turret. A perfect writing room. The curves are pretty good too.

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  25. The buildings are magnificent with the stones used and I love turrets!the one room up in that tower would be all mine:) I’m glad that building was saved but I wonder what the inside looks like..my fear is everything went modernist. I am sad to hear about the art school but I’m not surprised

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  26. I love the round turret and conical roof of the end-of-terrace but think the modern penthouse on the roof of the old building is a complete eyesore – I’m surprised it was allowed and not made to be in keeping with the rest of the building.

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  29. Hi Anabel,
    I spent the better part of a month in Glasgow about 47 years ago and either never got to the gorgeous buildings you show in your posts, or never looked up (I was 12 and maybe a touch focused on buying castle rock candy and hunting out the Hume/Home tartan). Maybe both.

    Whatever the reason, I clearly need to make another visit. Beautiful!

    Oh and my vote – I actually love the modernist penthouse flat on Ayton House. Which surprises me because modernist isn’t usually my thing. I just think this one looks like it was done very well and it creates a great contrast between the two time periods yet works together at the same time.

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  31. I went wild, so roofs were beyond me, save when they sheltered swift nests! It’s been fascinating looking on from a distance, though.

    Sad news about the Glasgow School of Art buildings. Someone really took a dislike to CRM.

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