Conservation Areas are: Conservation Area “...areas of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance.” Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Area) () Act 1997 Section 61

The designation of a conservation area is not intended to prevent change but to ensure the special character or appearance of the area is protected and enhanced. Special rules apply to conservation areas, for example, demolition of any building or structure requires Conservation Area Consent, and certain Permitted Development rights are removed. Council is committed to preserving and enhancing the conservation areas in its care. Conservation Area Appraisals set out the factors which contribute to the special character of the area in order to provide a sound basis for effective conservation area management.

This short guide summarises the special qualities of the Town Centre Character Area of the Rothesay Conservation Area to raise awareness and understanding. It is produced with the support of Heritage Lottery Fund and in association with proposed Townscape Heritage Initiative. The full Appraisal is available from Argyll & Bute Council and Rothesay Library.

Further information What is a Conservation Area? What is a Conservation

Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Area) (Scotland) Act 1997 SSP: Planning and the Historic Environment SHEP: Scottish Historic Environment Policy PAN 71: Conservation Area Management Argyll & Bute Planning Department

Town Centre Character Area a short guide

Rothesay Conservation Area is one of Scotland's most Buildings of the Georgian Period extensive, stretching five miles along the east coast of the Isle of are characterised by Classical Bute from Port Bannatyne to Ascog. It encompasses the town refinement: splayed corner details, centre and esplanade; the early industrial area; extensive seafront raised stone surrounds, projecting suburbs and two villages It was designated in 1971, extended in lintels and cills and banding courses 1980 and 1984 and given outstanding status in 1985. elaborate plain buildings. Wallhead chimney stacks, sometimes dated This conservation area is divided into 9 character areas each and often quite decorative, feature with its own special architectural and historic interest. on a number of buildings. Dormers

Introduction Rothesay Town Centre Character Area is highly were not typical of this period but significant for three reasons: many have been added in the Victorian period or later. a medieval castle, heart of the Royal Burgh a historic commercial centre an iconic seaside resort

Victorian era buildings are more elaborate with ornamental features such as pavilion roofs (Victoria Hotel; Duncan Halls) and carved stonework (Post Office). Decorative ironwork appears and the bay window is introduced, articulating building façades and improving light and views. Dormer windows similarly punctuate the roof space and provide extensive sea views.

© Crown Townscape Detail Townscape Rothesay Conservation Area’s 9 character areas

1 18

Building scale, its height and breadth has a fundamental Rothesay is the only influence of the townscape. Height often reflects when a building town and principle port was constructed and this is true in Rothesay: on the Island of Bute.

Earliest buildings are 1 or 2-storey Early 19th century properties are 3-storey The town lies at the Victorian & Edwardian buildings rise to 4- or more storeys. head of the wide, sheltering bay on the island’s east coast. Building scale works best where it considers neighbouring buildings and the streetscape. Building widths vary, with a few being as narrow as 2-bays, but most tending to be 4 or 5-bays. This variety of width articulates the horizontality of the seafront It faces across the with the coast of North Ayrshire and returns a verticality which is traditional in Scottish and a distant backdrop. To the north, the architecture, emphasised by vertically proportioned windows. Peninsula provides views of enticing mountain scenery. Arriving by sea the wide curving seafront is lined with elegant buildings Townscape Detail Townscape Rothesay displays a rich backed by wooded hills and open farmland. The cliffside in the east of the town centre offers panoramic views over the bay. variety of architectural detail from the modest Classical detailing of the Georgian period through more elaborate Victorian era to the 20th century Art Nouveau and Moderne periods.

Location

17 2

Rothesay Castle was built around 1230 above the natural Building materials harbour to defend Scotland’s western frontier. The castle is make a unique associated with the royal family of Stewart (later Stuart), kings of contribution to the Scotland from 1371 to 1714, and remained a royal residence and character and strategic location until the later 16th century. The castle ruins appearance of an Origins were consolidated in the late 19th century and it is now in the care area. In the town of Historic Scotland. centre buildings are predominantly built using traditional stone Rothesay was erected as the only island Royal Burgh in walls with pitched slate 1401, allowing free trade at home and abroad. Very little is roofs. certain of the early burgh buildings, but the settlement focused around the castle and extended along the High Street toward the Earlier buildings have rubble stone work (designed to be lime medieval parish church of St Mary. Buildings were constructed harled and limewashed but now often exposed) whilst later between New Vennel (Stuart Street) and Old Vennel (Russell buildings have regularly coursed dressed stone (ashlar). Street). Castle Street stretched toward the Serpentine route. The Originally locally quarried stone was used, then rail transport area of Watergate and Shore Lane possibly formed an early increased the use of ‘imported’ stone in the Victorian era. The harbour. result is a variety of building stones - grey, buff, red sandstones and dark whinstone. Window surrounds and quoins (corners) are often picked out in a contrasting stone. Some buildings, especially on the seafront, have been painted a light colour.

Other traditional materials contribute to the townscape’s quality and detail including Scottish slate, timber windows and shopfronts, clay chimney cans, leadwork, cast iron rainwater goods, decorative ironwork.

7KH&DVWOH¶VFLUFXODUFXUWDLQZDOOLVXQLTXHLQ6FRWODQG Townscape Materials Townscape

3 16

Roy’s Survey (1747-55) shows the Royal Burgh shortly before its rapid growth in the second half of the 18C. Development was still restricted by the sea. Two shops in Tower Street have The first harbour is matching fronts with good mosaic clearly indicated. © NLS entrances and stall risers

Rothesay has functioned for over two centuries as the island’s commercial centre, creating shops primarily at street level in Montague Street, along the seafront and in linking streets. Historic Shops Historic Shops

The town centre contains a significant number of historic

shops, the style and materials of which reflect the town’s Rothesay grew from the late 18th century, stimulated by economic and architectural history dating back to the late 19th increasing Irish trade and the success of cotton and fishing century. Historic shops contribute greatly to the character, industries. The population rose from about 400 in 1756, to over appearance and vitality of the town centre in a number of ways: 2500 in 1790. New streets were laid out on the foreshore, and the harbour was enlarged and extended.

historically fashionable materials - chrome and Vitrolite Wood’s map glazed brick tiles and mosaics (1825) shows decorative console brackets many of the town’s streets established stained glass, curved glass including decorative ironwork and pilasters Montague Street, Watergate, Store Lane, Bishop Street, East and West Princes Streets, and the beginnings of Guildford Square on reclaimed land at the pier-head. © Caledonian Maps Georgian Development

15 4

During the Victorian Era Rothesay rapidly became an The 3 principle elements are important holiday resort. The harbour was reconstructed to serve connected by linking streets. pleasure steamers and the Esplanade Gardens and Promenade These vary from the earliest routes: were laid out. The town expanded with fine new buildings such as Store Lane, Watergate, Bishop the Duncan Halls and the Aquarium, and grand seafront hotels, Street; to the newest Dean Hood including the Glenburn, Scotland’s first Hydropathic Hotel. Behind Place. the seafront, tenement blocks in the Glasgow style towered over lower terraced cottages; mansions for industrialists, fine villas for The buildings reflect the town’s sea-captains, and welcoming seaside guest houses were built growth from late 18th into the 20th along the shores of Rothesay Bay extending from the fishing century. On Gallowgate there are village of Port Bannatyne to the rural village of Ascog. early 2-storey properties. In the east Bishop Street has imposing stone tenements next to single storey cottages.

Glimpses of the seafront are offered

Seaside Expansion by the linking streets. The linear form at Tower Street and Dean Hood Place create vistas closed by the Winter Gardens and a memorial fountain respectively. Splayed corners of buildings help to create a sense of space.

1896 © Crown

In Castle Street the landmarks of the former County Buildings and Trinity Church define the extent of this early road.

Rothesay’s heyday as a holiday resort arrived when the working classes could afford a trip to the seaside. Linking Streets

5 14 13 13 Seafront Esplanade Gardens Esplanade well-tended the buildings Opposite the seafront comprising buildings elegant stone southern wall isdefined edge by tall The of the century. seafront long road the 19th was during The reclaimed Public Convenience (1899). (1899). Public Convenience Victorian and decorative 19C), House highly the (late Weigh square, (1922), the memorial victoryglazed-brick winged WWI (1930), the Cabbies’ Rest iron cast glazed the notably most structures, Harbour Argyle Street and Victoria Street Square

many 4-storey, 3and form, building seafront’s the of continuity Strong

painted in light colours to enhance the seaside atmosphere atmosphere the seaside toenhance colours light in painted . . are dotted withare dotted

and East Princes Street, Princes East Albert Place,

only broken by Guildford Guildford this threatens its special significance; threatens its specialthis significance; investment. hasof The built sufferedenvironment asa and result andlow population levels has in adeclining resulted This Britain. along with many seaside resorts and small towns throughout Rothesay entered a period of decline in the late20th century, Isles. very British bestinthe the out asone Rothesaymarked Pavilion (1938) theand the resort of (1924) Gardens the buildings, Winter iconic Rothesay’s most and 20ththe of century. middle the The Bute Museum openedin 1926 asRothesay’s popularity a holiday continued destination well into

opportunities for the 21st opportunities century Inappropriate repair - Small damaging changes Small damaging - repair Inappropriate Gap sitesGap structure for the town. town. the for structure iconic and landmark major a is pagodas decorative and dome iron cast vast with Gardens Winter styled Nouveau Art The Public Realm - Connectivity - Streetscape Public Realm - Need for repair - repair Need for Inappropriate change Inappropriate Building scale -

- Dereliction

Lack of maintenance

-

Vacancy &Under-use challenges and include: include:

6 Challenges & Opportunities

In addition to the recognition and protection of the conservation Montague Street was laid out on reclaimed foreshore in the

area, individual structures can have statutory protection as second half of the 18th century and extends from Gallowgate in

Listed Buildings or Scheduled Monuments. Many the west to Watergate on the far side of Guildford Square. It buildings in the Character Area are listed and Rothesay Castle is provides a compact centre protected from the seafront for a Scheduled Monument. commercial activity.

Buildings are generally 3-storey and late Georgian in design; historic shopfronts add interest.

Landmarks

7KUHHODQGPDUNOLVWHGEXLOGLQJVVSDQFHQWXULHVIURPWKHWK FHQWXU\FDVWOH6WXDUWV¶7RZQKRXVH  WRWKH:LQWHU*DUGHQV

A number of the most important listed buildings form key landmarks in the Character Area. Others such as the Duncan Halls, former Royal Hotel, Victoria Hotel and St Paul’s Episcopal Church form local landmarks on the seafront.

7KLVVHDIURQW EORFNRI 9LFWRULD6WUHHW LVOLVWHGZLWK WKH9LFWRULD Originally buildings lined both sides of the street but a number of +RWHODQG6W losses have created significant street gaps. At the eastern end 3DXO¶V the loss of the northern block between High Street and Watergate (SLVFRSDO has doubled the size of Guildford Square, and created the open FKXUFKDUH space at the foot of High Street. ORFDO ODQGPDUNV

Principle Shopping Street

7 12

Open space, trees and landscaping have an important role in defining the character of Rothesay Town Centre.

The principle open spaces are the Castle grounds with landscaped lawns with trees and shrubs surrounding a deep moat.

Buildings in the Castle Area reflect its historic background, as The Esplanade gardens retain their Castle Area Castle the original heart of the Royal Burgh. There are a number of formal grandeur with well tended flower listed buildings including the Market Cross, former County beds, palms and ornamental trees. The Buildings and Bute Museum. Two of the region’s most significant space is a buffer between sea and town structures are of national importance. and adds distinction to the seafront

buildings. Rothesay Castle:

Scheduled Monument & Category A listed

Stuarts’ Townhouse: Guildford Square forms the town’s Category A listed, a rare surviving 17th century dwelling principle public space and addresses the harbour as the first point of arrival by sea. The space forms an extension in the seafront and draws the public into the heart of the town centre. It functions A number of traditional stone built houses and tenements make as the principal transport interchange. Guildford Square is

an important contribution to the background townscape to these enclosed to the east and west by ‘bookend’ buildings: the special buildings and structures. Guildford Court Hotel and the Esplanade Hotel

Open Space

11 8

Seafront: a long curving element comprising Argyle Street, Victoria Street, Albert Place and East Princes Street. Argyle Street

Principal Shopping Street: the linear form of Montague Street running behind and parallel to the seafront.

t e e V tr ict S Castle: a strong oria s St e ree c t n circular element ri P t s standing on raised a Albert Place E

3 Principle Elements ground behind Montague Street. Monta gue Stree t

Castle

These 3 principle elements are combined with linking streets and open spaces to create a varied and unique organic urban form.

Character Area Boundary Urban Form