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 Names

The following alternative names are associated with this building/design:
 NameCurrent name?Notes
Item 1 of 2Birkenshaw House Predecessor on the site
Item 2 of 2Rouken House Sometimes erroneously described as 'Rouken Glen House'. Name before 1881. Changed to Thornliebank House at that date.

Building Type Classification

The building is classified under the following categories:
 ClassificationOriginal classification?Notes
Item 1 of 1Country House  

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:
 FromToEvent typeNotes
Item 1 of 418581860  
Item 2 of 418721875Alterations and additionsCarriage porch and other additions, also stables, lodge and cottages
Item 3 of 41877 Alterations and additions 
Item 4 of 41967 Destruction/demolitionHouse demolished

People

Design and Construction

The 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.
 NameRolePartnership GroupFromToNotes
Item 1 of 3Charles Wilson A18581860Reconstruction of Birkenshaw House
Item 2 of 3Alfred Waterhouse B18721875Carriage porch and other additions, also stables, lodge and cottages
Item 3 of 3Alfred Waterhouse C1877 Alterations

Clients

The following individuals or organisations have commissioned work on this building/design:
 NameNotes
Item 1 of 2Crum, AlexanderClient for Waterhouse work
Item 2 of 2Crum, WalterClient for the Charles Wilson phase of work.

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this building:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 4Cunningham, Colin and Waterhouse, Prudence Alfred Waterhouse 1830-1905: biography of a practice  Catalogue no 366. Details of Waterhouse work and tradesmen given. Page 242
Item 2 of 4Sinclair, Fiona J, ed1995Charles Wilson Architect 1810-1863: A Question of Style Glasgow: Park Circus Promotions, 1995p24
Item 3 of 4Sweeney, Dan2015Postscript to the Past: Lost Mansions and Houses of Renfrewshire Windan Presspp40-41
Item 4 of 4Thomson, David1882Memoir of Charles Wilson13 March 1882Proceedings of the Glasgow Philosophical Society 

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this building:
 SourceArchive nameSource catalogue no.Notes
Item 1 of 2Courtesy of Mr Andrew EadieInformation sent to Dictionary Sent October 2016
Item 2 of 2Courtesy of Mr John WestInformation senet to the Dictionary Sent October 2016