Bourtree Brae House

14/12/2018

A topic covered before, but worth revisiting, is the intricately designed house by James Campbell Walker shown above. It is Bourtree Brae House on Crescent Road in Lundin Links. It is now fairly well disguised with its large extension to the right and porch around the front door, however, many of the original features still remain. Lots of information about the building of this house is included in the 1868 book entitled "Villa and Cottage Architecture: Select Examples of Country and Suburban Residences Recently Erected" published by Blackie & Son. Below are the relevant pages from the book. It's fascinating detail on what was one of the few houses built under the stalled Standard Life development scheme of the late 1850s.

2 Comments

Alistair Bryden

15/12/2018 08:24:27 pm

In the costing schedule above, the Bell Hanger cost more than the painter. What did the Bellhanger do? I know that some large old houses had complex bell systems but this hardly seems large enough. I have a vague recollection that bellhangers were also associated with locks. Have an ancestor who is described in family records as a bellhanger, so this is of some personal interest...

Vintage Lundin Links

16/12/2018 01:11:22 am

The installation of a mechanical bell system was intricate work involving a system of wires and pulleys. It's also likely that high-end ornamental bell pulls were used in this house - in-keeping with the fairly ornate architecture. However, it was not a large house and so also probable that the 'bell-hanger's work' covered other elements. This could have been lock smithing and/or other metal work such letter boxes, name plates, door handles or door finger plates. Many adverts for bell-hangers of this era mention other such services.

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Bourtree Brae House

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