SMR 1399 / NS 8423 7206
Southfield House stands on the back road westwards from Slamannan to Lodge. A lintel datestone now incorporated into the wall above the later porch is inscribed “17 RG ♥ MA 06”. The first initials are those of Roberts Gibson who was described as a portioner of Balcastle in 1718 (Reid Notes)
The Rankine family were also portioners of Balcastle. A little before 1800 the Lands of Auldshields of Balcastle were renamed Southfield. Part of the reason for this may have been its incorporation into the Lands of Castlehill belonging to the Rankine family. They then made it their principal residence in the area and in 1860 it was described by the Ordnance Surveyors as
“A small mansion with offices attached, they are all one storey in height, slated and in good repair. Property of Provost Rankine, Auchengray.”
The map of that date shows it with a drive sweeping away to the west to meet the minor road opposite to a track running through the shelter belt to the main Slamannan to Airdrie road. Formal gardens lay to the east and a terraced platform to the south. This was clearly a private dwelling of some substance, with a home farm to the west. In 1893 it was put up for rent having six rooms and a kitchen with an excellent garden (Falkirk Herald 15 July 1893, 1). In 1899 the coachhouse was occupied by Robert Robertson who was an engineman. He kept hens and on 1 May that year one of these, along with six eggs, were stolen by a young boy named Hector Gilmour. He was sentenced to twelve stripes (Falkirk Herald 24 May 1899, 5).
In 1898 John Alston had became a member of the Eastern District Committee of the Stirling County Council. He was president of the Slamannan Cattle Show in June 1903. Southfield House was radically altered and extended that year (Falkirk Archives A867/red/1902/83) and again in 1913 (A867/red/1913/03). The occasion for the 1903 extension seems to have been John Alston’s marriage. The married couple settled in to become the patrons of many local societies and the grounds of the house became an annual destination for the picnic of the Slamannan Parish Sabbath School. The Thistle Lodge of Free Gardeners also visited.
The single-storey cottage was made of ashlar sandstone with a moulded eaves course, advanced quoins, and a plinth made of partially channelled stonework. The cellar windows here have flat arches. Above them the ground floor windows sit under hood mouldings; one to either side of the central door. The doorway also has a hood moulding and inset fluted columns with Doric capitals. It is approached by a shallow flight of four steps contained by curving wing walls, though the latter appear to be later.
The property passed to the Alston family when the heiress, Miss Rankine, married into that family. It went first to her eldest son, John, and then to James Thomson Rankin Alston who inherited the Slamannan Estate upon the death of his brother. John took up residence around 1900 and became quite active in the local community.
A large two-storey wing was built onto the east end at the north side of Southfield House. It projected slightly to the east and the resulting re-entrant angle was filled by a single storey ashlar block in a slightly pink sandstone bearing a flat roof terrace. Attached to this was a pillared porch in the form of a raised quarter circle with steps fanning out below and plain fluted columns supporting a flat lead roof – the columns reflecting the earlier ones.
The steps extend beyond the south wall of the old building and here a curving Art Nouveau wing wall matches those of the old doorway. At the same time an additional floor with dormer windows was placed on the earlier cottage. A large rectangular bay window was added with a battered base.
The Art Nouveau style more keenly seen in the summerhouse to the south of the dwelling. A series of carvings and mottoes occur at shoulder height – such as a horseman blowing a horn “BLOW/ HIS/ WRATH/ED/ HORN”.
.
During the First World War the Alstons were busy maintaining the morale of the local community. For New Year 1915 they gifted the wives and mothers of all soldiers, either in active service or in preparation for service, a present of 2 lb of tea. And each year they supplied wool for socks for the soldiers to be knitted by pupils of the Slamannan schools.
After the war a gardener was employed and the grounds continued to be used for fundraising events. Further work was done on the house in 1925 (Falkirk Archives A867/red/1925/13). John Alston was town clerk of Coatbridge, and an elder in New Monkland Parish Church. He died in September 1934 and his brother, James, inherited the Slamannan estate. He lived at Hyndford House in Lanarkshire, where he died on 23 July 1940. Southfield House was rented out. The tenant was Robert Barr of the Burnfoot Aerated Water Works in Falkirk. He and his wife remained there until 1950 when the Alston family decided to sell their Slamannan holdings, thus severing a centuries’ old connection.
Southfield House was purchased by Captain and Mrs H Crichton. Sadly, he died within three months of moving to the district and so his widow sold the house in 1953. The house passed through several hands until 1986 when it came into the custody of Elizabeth White who acquired it for conversion into a private nursing home to provide accommodation for the frail ambulant, terminally ill, physically handicapped, for long- or short-term care. Day care was also available. She was a health visitor and her husband, Joseph, was a physiotherapist. With the help of FEAT the sum of £100,000 was spent on converting the building into a 24-bed establishment and it opened in September, creating about 20 jobs.
At first the nursing home did well and in 1991 extensions were added to the north to increase the number of beds to 43. However, the Council’s policy placing patients there changed and by 1997 it was no longer financially viable. It was taken over by Swanton Care and then catered for children with special needs.
Bibliography
- Falkirk Herald 15 July 1893, 1:
SOUTHFIELD HOUSE, Slamannan – to Let, six rooms and kitchen, excellent garden. Rent moderate. Apply Wm Black & Sons, Stanrigg, Airdrie. - Falkirk Herald 24 May 1899, 5;
Boy sentenced to be birched – Hector Gilmour, son of and residing with Hector Gilmour, having(1) o 1st May, at Thrashiehill Farm, Slamannan, occupied by David Graham, sen., farmer, stolen a hen, and (2) on the 20th May, from the coach-house, part of the premises of Southfield House, Slamannan, occupied by Robert Robertson, engineman, stolen a hen, six hens’ eggs, and an imitation egg. The father of accuse … 12 stripes… - Falkirk Herald 13 June 1903, 7
John Alston, president of Slamannan Cattle Show - Falkirk Herald 31 October 1903, 5:
the tenant farmers of the estate of Messrs John M Alston & Sons met in a social capacity at Southfield. After splendid supper, Mr Wm. Scott, Town bead, presented Mr John Alston with a sporting rifle and Geo. Steel, Glentore, presented Mrs John Alston with a handsome manicure case on the occasion of their marriage. The recipients thanked … - Falkirk Herald 23 July 1904, 5:
The children attending the Slamannan Parish Church Sabbath School had their annual picnic to Southfield House, the residence of Mr Alston, on Wednesday. There was a good turnout of children, teachers, and friends. The scholars were marshalled at the church hall, and… - Falkirk Herald 10 June 1905, 5: Thistle Lodge of Free Gardeners …The brethren were again marshalled into order, and visited the residence of Mr Alston Southfield House where refreshments were served, band discoursing music during the interval. The procession being again formed, the next …
- Falkirk Herald 13 January 1906, 4:
John Alston, Southfield, – Eastern District Committee of the Stirling County Council - Falkirk Herald 22 June 1907, 3:
Free Gardeners – … processionists marched to the house of the Right Worshipful Master, Brother William Debbie, after which they paid visit to Southfield House, the residence Mr J. Alston, and hence Castlehill Park, where dancing was indulged in. Unfortunately the weather was … - Falkirk Herald 23 March 1912, 4:
SLAMANNAN. The kindness of .John Alston, J.P. Southfield House, granting permission to strikers to gather the branches-and blown-down trees in the Hillend plantations for firewood … - Falkirk Herald 15 November 1913, 5:
Mr J.M. Alston, Southfield House, has intimated his resignation, after faithfully serving the West Ward electors for a long period of years. - Falkirk Herald 18 April 1914, 7:
Angling Club… talk to John Alston, Southfield House, through whose estate most of the upper reaches of the River Avon run… - Falkirk Herald January 1915, 4:
Mr & Mrs Alston gifted the wives and mothers of all soldiers, either in active service or in preparation for service, a present of 2 lb of tea… - Falkirk Herald January 1917, 2:
Once more the generosity of Mrs J. Alston, Southfield House, has found vent in supplying another spindle of wool for socks for our soldiers to knitted by pupils of our schools. … - Falkirk Herald March 1918, 2:
The parcels of socks and other woollen comforts knitted with the wool supplied by Mrs Alston. Southfield House, by the scholars of the Public School, have, judging from many letters of appreciation received, reached their destination safely. - Falkirk Herald 26 June 1920, 5:
Mr Storrar is a gardener to trade, and for a long period of years had charge of the gardens at Balcastle House, and latterly he has been employed by Mr Alston, Southfield House. A company of over a hundred and acquaintances, including children and grand children, to the number of forty, were present… - Falkirk Herald March 1929, 6:
On Saturday afternoon a very successful whist drive was held at Southfield House in aid of funds for the Unionist Association. - Falkirk Herald 2 June 1934, 7:
Mr and Mrs John Alston have kindly opened Southfield gardens to all who are interested, during the hours from 3 to 7 o’clock pm. A modest charge for funds for the Boys’ Brigade… - Falkirk Herald 8 September 1934, 9:
John Alston, Southfield, died… Town Clerk of Coatbridge, elder in New Monkland Parish Church… - Falkirk Herald 27 July 1940, 5:
James Thomson Rankin Alston died on 23July 1940 at Hyndford House, Lanark. Aged 63 he inherited the Slamannan Estate from his brother. It came through their mother, Miss Rankin before her marriage… - Falkirk Herald 30 March 1940, 7:
BOXES FELL OFF.—Robert Barr, aerated water manufacturer, Southfield House, Slamannan, was fined £2, with the alternative of twenty days’ imprisonment, at Falkirk Sheriff Court on Monday. He pleaded … - Falkirk Herald 14 August 1940, 5:
P. Court on Tuesday with having, on Wednesday, 24th July, on the Avonbridge-Slamannan Road to the avenue leading to Southfield House, occupied by Robert Barr, aerated water manufacturer, allowed a dog owned by him to be without a collar with the name … - Falkirk Herald 28 November 1942, 1:
BARR.—At Dunrowan Nursing Home, Falkirk, on 26th November, 1942, to Mr and Mrs Robert Barr, Southfield House, Slamannan, a daughter. - Falkirk Herald 24 March 1943, 1:
having on 2nd March, while acting in concert, from a lorry on the Avonbridge Slamannan Road, near the North Avenue of Southfield House, stolen 496 lbs. of coal. They pleaded guilty. Mr A. G. Anderson Procurator Fiscal, said the accused were employed by … - Falkirk Herald 15 March 1950, 1:
.. extension of the premises. The Court unanimously agreed to grant the certificate. Robert Barr, aerated water manufacturer Southfield House, Slamannan, was granted a certificate as a new occupier of the premises at Burnfoot. It was explained by Mr Quig that … - Falkirk Herald 14 April 1951, 6:
SOUTHFIELD. With the sale of Southfield House with adjacent farms a long connection is severed between the Alston family and the village of Slamannan. The Alstons were deeply interested in everything relating to the welfare of the people of the parish, and youth organisations benefited in funds and equipment from this practical interest. The different organisations were from time to time entertained at Southfield. The earliest charter of the the family date from the 14th century… - Falkirk Herald 21 March 1953, 8:
It is learned that Southfield House has been sold. The present proprietrix is Mrs H. Crichton, widow of Captain Crichton, who died suddenly shortly after coming to the district three months ago. - Falkirk Herald 16 May 1953, 3:
DARK Oak Welsh Dresser, length, sft., height. 6ft., offers. Apply Mrs Crichton, Southfield House, Slamannan - Falkirk Herald 26 December 1953, 1:
Golden Wedding – At Rose View, Overtown, on 18th December, 1903, by the Rev. D. L. Thomson. John Allardice to Elizabeth Melville. Present address Southfield House, Slamannan
Falkirk Local History Society 