John Milne, Architect

John Milne was born in Fettercairn in 1822. Son of a house carpenter, he was briefly apprenticed to his father before leaving his home area in the early 1840s to move to Edinburgh.  He initially worked under John Henderson before he became clerk of works for eminent architect David Bryce, covering the St Andrews area.  For the rest of his life he lived in St Andrews (mostly at 34 Argyle Street) and he designed many buildings both in the town and elsewhere in Fife (with occasional works back in his birthplace of Fettercairn). Soon after his arrival in Fife (early 1850s) he was adopted by the Free Church of Scotland and given a succession of commissions for churches and manses.

Although his work in Lundin Links fails to get a mention in official lists of his work, this blog has established that he was architect for the 1858 Lundin Mill School and was part of the 'team' responsible for the Standard Life development of the village at that time. It is highly likely that he had a hand in other buildings erected around that time in the village. As James Campbell Walker was designing houses such as 'Bourtree Brae House' and 'Homelands', Milne might well have been responsible for other contemporary villas. It would seem likely that 'Haworth', neighbour to 'Homelands', off Leven Road could be the work on Milne. 

Looking at some of Milne's other works gives an insight to his style.  Below are images of some of his best known buildings, namely (clockwise from top left) Fettercairn Arch (1863), Fettercairn Public Hall (1891), Duncan Institute Cupar (1869), and Westerlee St Andrews (1865).  The Dictionary of Scottish Architects describes Milne as "a very competent Gothic designer", "geometrical" and "an inventive neo-Jacobean and Scots Baronial architect of the Bryce school".

His mix of Flemish, Scottish and Gothic details often featured crowstepping, crucifixes, decorative plaques and turrets. He was known for having a different window style on each floor. Below is an image of 'Haworth' and underneath that one of St Leonard's College in St Andrews (one of his documented works). The book 'Building for a New Age' by John Frew contains a chapter about John Milne.  Within this, it is noted that in the 1850s, while establishing himself in Fife, Milne undertook building and carpentry work on the buildings that he designed and that this flexibility helped him to gain commissions. He could well have been 'hands on' with several houses in Lundin Links, not just those he acted as architect on but also those designed by Walker.

John Milne, who died in 1904 at the age of 82, was a keen churchman, a member of St Andrews town council for over 25 years, and Bailie for four years. He produced over sixty buildings and was heavily involved in municipal improvements such as tree planting, the laying out of gardens, drainage improvement, road widening and installation of proper pavements. Perhaps in the latter areas he would have had direct contact with Henry Petheram - long-time St Andrews area road surveyor - who lived in Lundin Links and moved into 'Haworth' soon after its completion.