Castlemilk Stables

Newsflash!

His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales will tour this stunning building, saved from demolition as a ruin and transformed into a thriving community facility after a 10 year battle by campaigners and local residents .   During his tour of the building, Prince Charles will meet some of the architects and artisans who worked on the project . He will also plant an apple tree in the children's orchard and view a photographic exhibition.

Background  Castlemilk Stables is an important Georgian remnant of the old Castlemilk agriculture estate established in the 15th Century by the Stuart family. This extensive stable complex, dating from around 1790, surrounds an open stable yard and features a walled garden and a wildflower orchard and is topped with a startling octagonal tower with clock and onion dome. The building, which was designed to be seen across the Clyde valley from miles away, was an assertion of the importance of the old estate and the Stuart family.

This project is a perfect example of the benefits of finding new uses and life for our marvellously rich built inheritance. The building contributes to the fantastic rejuvenation of modern Castlemilk, a major housing estate at times struggling, but now with ever increasing vitality and confidence.

New uses for an old building To save a building you must find a viable and long term new use. For this building the answer was:

• offices of the local housing associations
• a children's nursery
• a base for Carr Gomm, which provides support and care in the community
• a base for Castlemilk Environment Trust
• training rooms with state of the art equipment for community, school and college use leisure space to use for meetings, clubs and countless activities and events

Any surpluses generated by the building will be ploughed back into the building fabric and support for the activities that take place.

Architect The original Architect of the Stables is not known with certainty. However, during the course of the work to the building a very exciting piece of evidence came to light. A number of architectural historians had suspected that the stable block had the trade marks of the hand of David Hamilton. Whilst the remodelling and extension of Castlemilk House in the 1830's had been attributed to David Hamilton, there was no definitive documentary evidence to substantiate that the stable block could have been an earlier project by this talented young Architect. However, a perspective watercolour signed by “D Hamilton” of the stable block with the House in the background, was made available to Cassiltoun Trust and GBPT. A number of leading architectural historians have now had sight of the painting and it is their opinion that the signature is indeedthat of this renowned Architect.

The restoration, started in 2005 and completed in July 2007, was placed in the hands of Elder and Cannon, the Glasgow-based award winning architects. They have worked to find a way of restoring the historic fabric of the Category B Listed building and at the same time give it the new floor area required for viable social enterprise. The answer has been to repair the external elevations very much as they were, and add a simple glass and steel cloister and inner foyer which allow the original fabric to be viewed whilst enabling the creation of a modern multi use space.

Highlights

Sustainable and innovative heating system : The building has a new sustainable heating system - a ground source heat pump. This makes use of renewable energy stored in the ground, providing one of the most energy-efficient ways of heating buildings. Suitable for a wide variety of building types and particularly appropriate for low environmental impact projects, the system installed in most locations uses a borehole (as in the case of this Castlemilk example) or shallow trenches or, less commonly, by extracting heat from a pond or lake. Typically they cost more to install than conventional systems; however, they have low maintenance costs and can be expected to provide reliable and environmentally friendly heating for in excess of 20 years.

Traditional skills : The main contractor for this project was Chard Construction who are increasingly involved in working on historic buildings. Complex restoration projects of this kind need traditionally skilled stone masons, lead workers and slaters, and time plus a great deal of patience! The best way to repair a building is to use the identical materials and techniques originally devised. Chard brought all this to bear to achieve a marvellous result. Perhaps the most challenging task was the reconstruction from a 1902 photograph of the original slated onion dome, with doocot, which was long gone but is now meticulously recreated.

The Battle of Orleans Castlemilk Fireplace : Once dominating the main hall of Castlemilk House and one of the few treasures saved when the house was demolished in 1969, the fireplace now takes pride of place in the main foyer of the Stables. An outstanding piece of 19th century workmanship, of great historical significance, it depicts the Siege of Orleans in 1429 where Sir William Stewart (Stuart) of Castlemilk and his brother, Sir John, both died in the service of the Dauphin who later became King Charles VII of France. Joan of Arc's victory at Orleans was her first battle within three months of her initial meeting with the Dauphin and is regarded as one of the decisive battles of world history. Carvings of the Lennox Coat-of Arms are incorporated on the fireplace to mark the connection with Mary, Queen of Scots when she married her second husband, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley.

In 1996, with grant assistance from Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Building Preservation Trust was able to remove the fireplace from the water-damaged warehouse of the former Strathclyde Regional Council where it had languished in pieces after being submerged under 60 centimetres of water when an adjoining river burst its banks. Fortunately it is made of oak and therefore still in remarkably good condition. From 2001 until 2007 it was cared for in the local Castlemilk Economic Development Agency offices until the Castlemilk Stables restoration was complete. Now in situ , a conservator is cleaning it and developing a conservation plan to protect it for future generations.

OPENING CEREMONY 31 st AUGUST 2007

The Stables were officially opened by The Lord Provost of Glasgow in the presence of Linda Fabiani MSP, Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture on the 31st August 2007. In addition the great grandson of the last Laird of Castlemilk, James Stuart- Stevenson, has travelled from Seattle in the USA, to be present at this landmark event.

AWARDS

We are delighted to announce that Castlemilk Stables has so far received the following awards :

•  2007 Georgian Group Architectural Award (Sponsored by Savills)

Best re-use of a Georgian building

•  Glasgow Institute of Architects (GIA) 2007 Supreme Medal and Conservation Award to Tom Connolly of Elder and Cannon Architects for Castlemilk Stables

•  The Civic Trust 2008 Awards

Castlemilk Stables received a national award from The Civic Trust for the "beautiful renovation and restoration of this Georgian stable block to create a valuable community resource"

•  Scottish Design Award 2008

Best re-use of a listed building

•  Royal Institute of British Architects 2008

Winner of a RIBA 2008 Award (Scotland).

•  Royal Institute ofArchitects Scotland (RIAS)

Scottish Regional Award

•  Roses Silver Award

•  Herald Society Award

Commendation

PROJECT PROFILE

Project Objectives :

Repair and conversion of Castlemilk Stables, a category B-listed late Georgian stables block, for community ownership and use as offices, training facilities, meeting spaces and childcare facility.

Owner / client for the building contract :

Glasgow Building Preservation Trust

Owner Post Contract Completion :

Cassiltoun Trust (a community ownership trust)

Design Team:

Architect Elder and Cannon, Cost Consultant Neilson Binnie McKenzie, Structural Engineer Dewar Associates, M&E Engineers Hawthorne Boyle, Access Consultant Adapt Trust, Planning Supervisor CDM Scotland, Clerk of Works Clerk of Works Inspection Services Ltd, Arborist McKay Consultants, Landscaping Kirklee Landscapes

Contractor:

Chard Construction Limited

Funders (in alphabetical order):

Adapt Trust, Architectural Heritage Fund (including:- Loan, Working Capital Grant and Project Organiser Grant), Cassiltoun Trust, Castlemilk Partnership, Communities Scotland, Cruden Foundation, Dean of Guilds Court Trust (Glasgow Merchants House), Energy Saving Trust (through Scottish Community and Household Renewables Initiative), Fresh Futures - New Opportunities Fund, Glasgow City Council (including:- Conservation Grant, Capital Receipt Contribution, City Growth Fund, South East Area Forum, Bridge Funding, City of Light Funding, Landfill Tax Credit), Glasgow Housing Association, Heritage Lottery Fund, Historic Scotland, Hugh Fraser Foundation, Leche Trust, Pilgrim Trust, Sainsbury Foundation Family Trust, Scottish Enterprise Glasgow, Scottish Power Green Energy Trust, Strathclyde European Partnership (ERDF Grant), William Grant and Sons

Total Updated Development Cost : £4,183,755

Updated works figure : £3,204,110 (this does not include cost of fire damage of £103,950)

PROGRAMME

•  Acquisition                                29th July 2005

•  Site start                                      1st August 2005

•  Original completion date       10th November 2006

•  Actual contract completion    6th July 2007

•  Official Opening                        31 st August 2007