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masonry to random rubble. More interesting are the steading, cartshed, dairy and cottage, in more mature Gowans style; panelled façade, the rubble completely variegated, different coloured, each stone in its allotted bed. Chimneys are random rubble within panelling. The house at the east end of the byre bears the inscription Heb 111:4 - For every house is built by some man; but he that built all things is God. Eccles, 11:4 1 August 1862. Gowans' rigorous 2 ft module underpins everything.
72:. In 1848 he married his first wife Elizabeth Mitchell, daughter of James Mitchell a railway contractor. She died in the bath, in their home at 34 Rosebank Cottages, in what would appear unusual circumstances on 26 September 1858. Soon after, he married his second wife, Mary Brodie, daughter of the sculptor
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Local names for it included "The Pagoda", "The
Chinese House", "Tottering Towers" and "Crazy Manor". It was a wild gingerbread house-style affair with a five-storey (64-foot) tower with a viewing platform. Every dormer was in a different pattern and style, every chimney stack was highly elaborate and
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The house became the farmhouse to a farm of declining viability. By the 1990s, the house was poorly maintained and the steading buildings were abandoned. West
Lothian Council's newly-established Lowland Crofting scheme provided a solution, with permission for eleven new houses at Craigengall at the
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It was demolished in 1966 after a public outcry and 2500 signature petition attempted to save it (a rarity in those non-conservation-minded days) and replaced by three blocks of flats completed in 1972 ("The Limes"). All that survives on site is its boundary wall and some gateposts. However, one
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In 1842-62, James Gowans re-modelled a plain, c.1820 farmhouse belonging to his mason-father, Walter Gowans. He extended it into a tight U-plan and transformed its character. A plain roof is modulated by rows of hungry corbels, tall ashlar chimney stacks and a gradual change in stone from coarse
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house. Both the lodge and house included stones from every quarry in
Scotland plus some Chinese stones to reflect its style. It was the "embodiment of a Gothic novel". But Gowans did not see it as frivolous or extravagant: it was built on a grid system with "no desire to create novelty". It was
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the following year on 18 August, in recognition of his contribution. He was particularly involved in railway building contracts and is famed for his unusual use of multiple stone types in any one building. He was bankrupted in 1888 following the
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other end of the farm, granted on condition the house and steading buildings were released for restoration and a third of the farmland put into woods walks and wildlife for community benefit. Compare also
Blackburn House.
76:. He built "Rockville" on Napier Road for them to live in. This house was his tour-de-force and included a five-storey viewing tower. Sculpture in and around the house was by his father-in-law, William Brodie.
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New
Edinburgh Theatre, Castle Terrace (1875), converted to the Synod Hall in 1877 following its financial collapse. Demolished in 1965 for an opera house that was never built. Redeveloped in 1990 as Saltire
92:
108:'s obstruction of a quarry extension at Redhall. He was forced to sell Rockville his masterpiece home and moved to a very modest house at 1 Blantyre Terrace where he died.
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Cemetery in
Edinburgh. The grave lies against the north wall and is designed in Gowan's distinctive style. His second wife outlived him and is buried in
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It had gas lighting in all rooms and elaborate interiors to match its extravagant exterior. Above the kitchen range, it read "Waste not, Want not".
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for the
Edinburgh International Exhibition on the Meadows (later moved to Nicolson Square) (1886) note: the figure on the column is by
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Gowans had a habit of living in buildings he had built, perhaps receiving a property as part of his fee for many. His homes were:
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The steading buildings were restored in the 1990s as five houses by local architects
William A Cadell & Douglas Davidson.
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He suffered serious financial losses in 1875 due to heavy investment in his own project of the New
Theatre Edinburgh, with
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351:"Pineapple tenement" at Castle Terrace/ Cornwall Street, Edinburgh (1866) Gowans ran an office from here 1875 to 1888.
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Rockville on Napier Road as his own house (1858) demolished in 1965 to build flats (boundary walls still remain).
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https://www.westlothian.gov.uk/media/2474/SPG-The-lowland-crofting-handbook/pdf/Lowland_crofting_handbook_09.pdf
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Masons pillars and sundial for the
Edinburgh International Exhibition (1886) are still in situ on the Meadows.
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Model houses for the Edinburgh International Exhibition (1886) later moved to 157–159 Colinton Road.
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area of Edinburgh this house has been described as "the strangest house ever built in Edinburgh".
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he was the son of a local mason Walter Gowans (1791–1858) and his wife, Isabella Grott (d.1854).
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499:"Dictionary of Scottish Architects - DSA Architect Biography Report (March 28, 2016, 3:42 pm)"
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Rosebank Cottages, Edinburgh (1854) He lived here with his first wife until her death in 1858.
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Monument to his first wife in Grange Cemetery )1859) where he was eventually buried himself
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intended to create an economic and aesthetically pleasing result and certainly succeeded.
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Building of Randolph Cliff and the north section of Randolph Crescent, Edinburgh (1846)
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It sat in an acre of ground filled with statues by William Brodie his father-in-law.
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in 1885 (holding the post until 1890) and was largely responsible for organising the
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Waverley House (82 Colinton Road, Edinburgh) for the penmaker Duncan Cameron (1884)
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153:"Rockville", Napier Road, Edinburgh (designed and built for himself) (1858–1885)
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195:: "The Genius of Architecture crowned by the Theory and Practice of Art".
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1–4 Lockharton Gardens (off Colinton Road near Waverley House) (1884)
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Standing on a prominent corner at Spylaw Road and Napier Road in the
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Lammerburn on Napier Road, a miniature version of Rockville (1860)
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31 Castle Terrace (an office which he built himself) (1875–1888)
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34 Rosebank Cottages, Edinburgh (which he built) (1855–1858)
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for one-third of its build cost. He became Edinburgh's Lord
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statue was removed and now sits on the lower path in West
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Railway (1859) including the railway station in Creetown.
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He is buried with his first wife, Elizabeth Mitchell, in
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Memorial to Lord Deans of Guild, Edinburgh City Chambers
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1 Randolph Cliff, Edinburgh (which he built) (1848–1855)
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Pair of villas at 23/25 Blacket Place, Edinburgh (1859)
147:(during his railway project in Perthshire) (1855–1862?)
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International Exhibition of Industry, Science and Art
524:"Gowanbank, Dairy and Carriage House | Canmore"
176:different from the next. Its gate lodge was like a
22:James Gowans' tenement on Castle Terrace Edinburgh
568:. Edinburgh: Paul Harris Publishing. p. 60.
341:Rebuilding of Gowanbank, his father's house near
38:The grave of Sir James Gowans, Grange Cemetery
227:section of the North British line (1847–1850)
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416:from the Edinburgh International Exhibition
83:as co-investor. It was sold in 1877 to the
68:He trained under the Edinburgh architect
348:Lodge house at Redhall, Edinburgh (1863)
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259:Redhall Bank Cottages, Edinburgh (1857)
566:Sir James Gowans: Romantic Rationalist
45:(1 August 1821 – 25 June 1890) was an
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30:James Gowans' window and door detail
137:Lynedoch Place, Edinburgh 1840–1848
613:People from Falkirk (council area)
554:, by Gifford, McWilliam and Walker
481:Eccentric Edinburgh by JK Gillon;
265:Monument on his father's grave in
223:Railway contract for Edinburgh to
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547:Dictionary of Scottish Architects
461:Dictionary of Scottish architects
444:Grave of Walter Gowans, Torphicen
603:19th-century Scottish architects
552:Buildings of Scotland: Edinburgh
379:Remodelling of Drumbowie House,
131:Gowanbank, his family home near
608:Burials at the Grange Cemetery
558:Buildings of Scotland: Lothian
370:Edinburgh Corporation Tramways
361:Workmens Cottages, Drumbowie,
300:Railway (1859–1861) including
159:1 Blantyre Terrace (1885–1890)
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503:www.scottisharchitects.org.uk
248:Re-erection of statue to the
119:, Edinburgh with her father.
463:. Retrieved 6 November 2012.
424:64–66 Colinton Road (1886/7)
396:68–78 Colinton Road (1885/6)
99:in 1886. He was knighted by
81:Frederick Thomas Pilkington
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354:School and schoolhouse at
336:Perth to Inverness railway
85:United Presbyterian Church
368:Laying of tracks for the
318:Railway contract for the
307:Railway contract for the
288:Railway contract for the
49:architect and builder.
564:McAra, Duncan (1975).
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414:Brass Founders' Pillar
400:Brass Founders' Pillar
372:between Edinburgh and
302:Lochee railway station
193:Princes Street Gardens
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358:, West Lothian (1870)
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560:, by Colin McWilliam
404:John Stevenson Rhind
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242:in Edinburgh (1852).
238:at the east end of
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250:Duke of Wellington
236:Duke of Wellington
106:Caledonian Railway
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292:diversion on the
269:churchyard (1859)
234:'s statue of the
230:The pedestal for
178:Hansel and Gretel
143:Pittacher House,
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506:. Retrieved
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381:West Lothian
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598:1890 deaths
593:1821 births
338:(1861–1865)
313:Portpatrick
97:The Meadows
70:David Bryce
587:Categories
575:0904505006
432:References
356:Kingscavil
328:Dalwhinnie
267:Torphichen
170:Merchiston
113:the Grange
63:Linlithgow
332:Kingussie
199:Gowanbank
164:Rockville
59:Blackness
47:Edinburgh
508:28 March
343:Armadale
324:Dalguise
309:Creetown
133:Armadale
57:Born in
298:Newtyle
254:Falkirk
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387:Court.
383:(1873)
376:(1871)
365:(1871)
345:(1862)
320:Birnam
294:Dundee
290:Lochee
279:(1859)
277:Crieff
256:(1854)
145:Crieff
374:Leith
123:Homes
61:near
570:ISBN
510:2016
483:ISBN
412:The
326:and
53:Life
330:to
322:to
296:to
252:in
95:on
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