Basic Site Details Name: | Thornliebank House | Town, district or village: | Thornliebank | City or county: | Renfrewshire | Country: | Scotland | Parish: | | Status: | Demolished | Grid ref: | | Notes: | Cost of Waterhouse work 1872-5: £10,000. Contractors: Heating, D O Boyd; glass F T Odell; R B Edmundson; chimneypieces W H Burke; ironwork Hart Son Peard & Co, J Jones; plasterwork J W Hindshaw; G Jackson. Main contractor not given in Cunningham & Waterhouse.
In 1826 brothers John and Walter Crum acquired the management of the Newfield and Thornliebank mills and calico print works, and in 1848 the estate, later to become in part Rouken Glen Park, came into their ownership. In 1856 the estate passed to Walter Crum and the OS name books at the time identify Birkinshaw House as being the principal mansion on the estate, and the property of Walter Crum. Only after Walter died in 1867 did his son Alexander inherit the mansion, so that it would seem to have been Walter who commissioned Charles Wilson to “extend” or more likely from mapping evidence substantially re-develop the modest Birkinshaw House into Thornliebank House, just a short time after acquiring sole ownership. In the same manner of course Alexander further enlarged the mansion shortly after his father’s death. (Information courtesy of John West)
The cottages (now demolished) and other estate buildings including the lodges are unlike other work by Alfred Waterhouse.
Information from Mr Andrew Eadie: The first house was built in the 1830s, probably by John Smith, and was known as Birkenshaw Cottage in the 1840s and subsequently Birkenshaw House by the late 1840s. Following the rebuilding of the house by the architect Charles Wilson in the late 1850s the house became known as Rooken House. After engaging the architect Alfred Waterhouse to enlarge the house in the 1870s, the name was changed to Thornliebank House. By this time the Crum family had stopped living in their house in the village of Thornliebank that had been called Thornliebank House.
The estate was named Rouken Glen by Glasgow City Corporation following the estate being gifted to the Corporation by Archibald Cameron Corbett to distinguish it from the rest of the Thornliebank estate.
| Alternative NamesThe following alternative names are associated with this building/design: | | Name | Current name? | Notes | | Birkenshaw House | | Predecessor on the site | | Rouken House | | Sometimes erroneously described as 'Rouken Glen House'. Name before 1881. Changed to Thornliebank House at that date. |
Building Type ClassificationThe building is classified under the following categories: | | Classification | Original classification? | Notes | | Country House | | |
EventsThe following date-based events are associated with this building: | | From | To | Event type | Notes | | 1858 | 1860 | | | | 1872 | 1875 | Alterations and additions | Carriage porch and other additions, also stables, lodge and cottages | | 1877 | | Alterations and additions | | | 1967 | | Destruction/demolition | House demolished |
PeopleDesign and ConstructionThe following individuals or organisations have carried out design/construction work. Where architects or practices worked together, matching letters appear beside their names in the Partnership Group column. | | Name | Role | Partnership Group | From | To | Notes | | Charles Wilson | | A | 1858 | 1860 | Reconstruction of Birkenshaw House | | Alfred Waterhouse | | B | 1872 | 1875 | Carriage porch and other additions, also stables, lodge and cottages | | Alfred Waterhouse | | C | 1877 | | Alterations |
ClientsThe following individuals or organisations have commissioned work on this building/design: | | Name | Notes | | Crum, Alexander | Client for Waterhouse work | | Crum, Walter | Client for the Charles Wilson phase of work. |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this building: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Cunningham, Colin and Waterhouse, Prudence | | Alfred Waterhouse 1830-1905: biography of a practice | | | Catalogue no 366. Details of Waterhouse work and tradesmen given. Page 242 | | Sinclair, Fiona J, ed | 1995 | Charles Wilson Architect 1810-1863: A Question of Style | | Glasgow: Park Circus Promotions, 1995 | p24 | | Sweeney, Dan | 2015 | Postscript to the Past: Lost Mansions and Houses of Renfrewshire | | Windan Press | pp40-41 | | Thomson, David | 1882 | Memoir of Charles Wilson | 13 March 1882 | Proceedings of the Glasgow Philosophical Society | |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this building: | | Source | Archive name | Source catalogue no. | Notes | | Courtesy of Mr Andrew Eadie | Information sent to Dictionary | | Sent October 2016 | | Courtesy of Mr John West | Information senet to the Dictionary | | Sent October 2016 |
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