Craig Ailey, Category A listed villa in Cove, Scotland
Craig Ailey is a two-storey villa in Cove, Scotland, constructed with whinstone and sandstone rubble walls and incorporating Lombardic architectural style. The building features a distinctive belvedere tower and multiple rooms inside with detailed plasterwork and ornamental moldings.
The villa was designed in 1850 by architect Alexander Thomson for John McElroy, a wealthy landowner in the area. McElroy significantly shaped the development of the surrounding communities of Cove and Kilcreggan.
The building displays mid-19th century design features with rounded arch windows and cast-iron decorative details visible on its exterior surfaces. These elements give the house its distinctive Victorian character that remains recognizable today.
Access is through a narrow entrance hall that leads to a vestibule and then to several rooms with elaborate interior finishes. Viewing the building requires attention to the architectural details throughout each space.
The villa sits perched on a cliff with direct views of where the Firth of Clyde and Loch Long meet. This water perspective makes the location particularly notable from a geographical standpoint.
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