The Tontine Hotel

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The Tontine Hotel was built around 1805 when Greenock was expanding rapidly to the west of Nelson Street. Since being ‘settled’ around 1680 Greenock had grown rapidly but uncontrollably so the town planners decided that the planning control should be much stricter.

The town council decided that Greenock should grow to the west but in a planned manner in pleasant 'tree lined avenues'.

The Tontine was one of the buildings in this area (albeit at a later date).

Argowan Square had many architectural features typical of the time: buildings which although were originally

built as grand houses but later were used for other purposes such as:

The Mansion House
originally a town house for the Shaw Stewarts - an influential Greenock family. Now a series of offices.

The Greenock Club:
Now a private school.

Other houses:
Now offices for solicitors.

Interestingly the Statistical Account of Greenock published in 1840 did not list the Tontine in a summary of 'modern buildings requiring to be noted under the head of Civil History'.

By comparison it does mention the adjacent Mansion House, the new Town Hall in Cathcart Square, the Jail and the Sheriff court in Nelson Street. Amazingly it did list the Tontine in another list with the qualification ‘it does not appear to be necessary to mention particularly the erection of the Exchange Buildings, and Assembly Rooms; of the Tontine; the News-room in Cathcart Square and other public buildings of minor importance.

Architecture

The ground floor is linked in plain ashlar quadrants to single storey pavilion wings.

The upper floors of the main block have architraived windows pedimented over a minimally designed three bay centre with a Greek fret frieze.

In 1892 the proprietor of the original Tontine Hotel in Cathcart Street moved to Ardgowan Square maintaining the original name started trading from Robertson House (presumably with Robertson’s permission!). Some years later a glazed square porch was added which concealed the original door piece.

Subsequent developments over the years included a large multi storey expansion at the rear but which had minimal effect on the original attractive facade.

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