{"id":837,"date":"2020-03-21T16:41:18","date_gmt":"2020-03-21T16:41:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.harmonicroads.org.uk\/?p=837"},"modified":"2020-03-21T16:41:18","modified_gmt":"2020-03-21T16:41:18","slug":"hill-house-8mar20","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.harmonicroads.org.uk\/?p=837","title":{"rendered":"Hill House 8MAR20"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Taken a bit of time to get going this year but it was off for the first day trip to Helensburgh and Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s Hill House. Built 1902-1904 for the Glasgow publisher Walter Blackie, this is a fine example of Mackintosh’s work. But not without its problems. 
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It was a somewhat driech day setting off for the 90 minute drive to the house. Luckily it was a somewhat straight journey, along the M8 then across the Erskine Bridge and finally onto the house. Good time was made and there were no arguments with the satnav, unlike Google Maps earlier which had suggested coming off the motorway in the city center of Glasgow then taking the Great Western Rd. 
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On parking up and approaching the house, the first thing you see is not the house itself but the shield that has been built around it. Mackintosh’s choice of building materials was innovative at the start of the 20th century but really weren’t up to the Scottish climate. Water has been getting into the fabric of the building and the house it literally dissolving away from within. So the National Trust for Scotland have built a “box” round the house which shields it from most of the bad weather and allows the building to dry out. This has the negative point that you can’t see the building situated in the landscape but does have the positive point that there are walkways round the box and you can see the house from angles you wouldn’t otherwise see. For example. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Hill House from walkway<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Entering and climbing up onto the walkways it was fascinating to see the house from above and to see some of the upper story details up close. The box is open to the wind and it was a little chilly so I didn’t tarry long but headed in through the side door. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entrance hall was fantastic. Pure Rennie Mackintosh. Wood  paneling, a wonderful clock at the end and some rather good light fittings. To the right was the library. Something I’ve always desired in a house :-). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Hill House Hallway<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Hill House library<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The scullery was open but set out for an event and the Mackintosh shop closed so it was on to the upper story and into the main bedroom. This was a tasteful and lovingly designed space and it always strikes me that the furniture maintains a contemporary look, to the point that you could imagine it being sold today. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Hill House bedroom<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

With the building slowly drying out, many of the rooms on the first floor were not furnished but they did maintain some period features such as fireplaces and windows that would have been designed by Mackintosh. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After visiting the house itself, there wasn’t a chance for a turn round the gardens and the weather was closing in and the rain that had been threatening hit and was torrential. So it was back to the van and onward home. A lovely visit and well worth a trip of you’re in the area.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n