Detail of ground floor window on Montague Street showing sign beneath at Esplanade Hotel, 2, 4 and 6 High Street, Rothesay, Bute

Description Detail of ground floor window on Montague Street showing sign beneath at Esplanade Hotel, 2, 4 and 6 High Street, Rothesay, Bute

Date 29/6/2011

Collection Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu

Catalogue Number DP 106248

Category On-line Digital Images

Scope and Content Rothesay grew up around the 13th-century circular Castle, becoming a royal burgh in 1400/1. The town expanded north along the High Street until two major phases of land reclamation in the 18th and 19th century. This shifted the main axis of the town along the shoreline, with the creation of Montague Street (mid- to late 18th century) and Victoria Street (1839-40). Subsequent development of the town took place along the shoreline, particularly as the town’s popularity as a tourist destination grew during the 19th century. The town centre has developed in a fairly ad hoc manner, as with so many historic towns. This has continued into the 21st century with redevelopment of historic buildings such as the Court House and other smaller infill. The Esplanade Hotel sits on the corner of High Street/Guildford Square/Victoria Street, overlooking the ferry terminal. Although there has been a building on this site since the mid-19th century, the hotel is probably an early 20th-century creation. A large amusement arcade occupies the ground floor of the building stretching onto Montague Street. This arcade is a remnant of the last days of Rothesay's popularity as a tourist destination. Further evidence of this is seen here with the 'Rothesay it's for me' sign on the corner with Montague Street, probably dating from the 1970s. The frontage to the arcade is very large plate glass windows, but a narrow marble plinth below has 'Taylor's Amusements' in gold lettering in the centre below each glazed panel. Occupying a prime location, the Esplanade Hotel takes advantage of the views with a double-height box bay window onto Victoria Street, and a single-storeyed box bay window above its entrance overlooking Guildford Square. The hotel occupies the upper two floors of the block, and has splayed corners maximising light into the hotel, as is the case with many corner blocks in Rothesay town centre.

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/1248592

File Format (TIF) Tagged Image File Format bitmap