28 March 2012
Hawkhill House listed by Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland has recognised the significant heritage value of Hawkhill House, the home of Museum Services at the University of Dundee, by making it a listed building.
The 18th century villa, located to the rear of the Crawford Building and adjacent to the University’s tennis courts, has been named as a category C building in acknowledgement of its importance to the city’s built heritage.
Hawkhill House was originally built in the late-1700s, with alterations made in the middle of the next century. Significant sums have been invested in recent years, with extensive work to the building’s exterior walls and roof to ensure it remained fit for purpose as a functioning part of the estate and reflected its historical importance.
It was the childhood home of Professor Sir James Alfred Ewing, the first Professor of mechanical engineering at what was then University College Dundee and a key member of the team who helped break wartime German codes, who lived there in the mid-1800s.
Matthew Jarron, head of Museum Services, has been trying to have Hawkhill House listed for several years.
"This is wonderful news,” he said. “Ever since we moved into Hawkhill House seven years ago I've been fascinated by its history and its many beautiful architectural features. As well as being the childhood home of Professor Ewing it has many other intriguing stories - though I've still yet to see the ghost!"
The criteria by which candidates for listed status are measured include their age and rarity, architectural interest and close historical associations. Among the features of Hawkhill House noted by Historic Scotland are decorative iron railings and a fanlight above the main door.
Inside, the original room plan is largely intact, with ornamental cornicing, an Adam-style chimney piece and a curving stair with decorative iron balusters.
The listing document said, “Hawkhill House is the last surviving example of the large, freestanding villas which formerly characterised this area of Dundee in the late 18th and 19th centuries. A building at this location appears named on William Crawford’s map of Dundee of 1777.
“The building largely retains its classical profile with symmetrical principal elevation, fenestration pattern and steeply pitched roof. The interior retains an early room plan on both principal floors, and a number of decorative features survive.”
The house was later divided into two properties, with the upper section being Sir James’ childhood home. He was born in 1855, the son of Reverend James Ewing, who founded St Andrew’s Free Church.
After attending Dundee High School, Sir James studied at Edinburgh before becoming a professor at Tokyo University, where he researched earthquakes and developed new types of seismometers.
He returned to Dundee to become the first chair of mechanical engineering at University College Dundee, and also become known for social work after being horrified by living conditions in the city. Perhaps most notably, he took a lead role in improving Dundee’s sewage system.
During World War One, he was head of a famed specialist unit deciphering German naval messages. Sir James’ contribution to the University was recognised by the naming of the Ewing Building of his honour in the 1950s.
The University took over Hawkhill House in the 1960s as part of its expanded campus. It is now home to Museum Services, which cares for the University Collections, which cover a wide range of objects of artistic, historical and scientific interest and includes over 20,000 artefacts, acquired during the 125 years of the University's history.
Tours of Hawkhill House will be conducted as part of the Festival of Museums weekend on 18th-20th May. More information is available from http://festivalofmuseums.com/hawkhill-house-guided-tour/
For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07854 953277 |
