Viewforth – Council Buildings Old and New

The original house ‘Viewforth’ was built by a Reverend John McMillan, Moderator of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Scotland, in 1787. This house was bought by Peter Drummond, the Stirling seed merchant and founder of the Stirling Tract Enterprise, in 1853. Drummond demolished the original Georgian house and employed John Hay, a notable architect from Liverpool, to design him a small mansion house in the Scottish Baronial style. The building was extended by subsequent owners and during the course of the First World War, became an office for the Ministry of National Service. It remained in use as an office after this and was purchased by Stirling County Council in 1931. It soon became apparent that the Council needed more room and the building was extended slightly in 1931. When this accommodation proved to be still too small, the same architect, James Miller, was employed to draw up plans for a major extension. Miller was a celebrated architect at this time having designed Perth, Glasgow and Stirling Royal Infirmaries and the Turnberry Hotel as well as his own house at Randolphfield, Stirling. Plans were drawn up for a large extension in the art deco style and these were accepted by the County Council in November 1934. The building was formally opened in May 1937 and cost £30,000.

By the 1960s, the County Council was again struggling for office space with local government departments being increasingly scattered around Stirling and it was decided to construct a new office block to the south of Viewforth in September 1962. The County Architect, Alexander Jamieson Smith drew up plans in 1967 and the building was opened as ‘New Viewforth’ on 29th February 1972.

‘Old Viewforth’, as the Victorian house with its 1935 extension is now known, is still used as offices and for Council meetings for the present Stirling Council. ‘New Viewforth’ was demolished in 2014.

 

Facebooktwitter