22 Park Circus, Glasgow

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22 Park Circus, Glasgow

In the West End, 22 Park Circus is a four-storey townhouse at the end of the Park Circus terrace, on the corner with Park Street South. Park Circus sits on Woodlands Hill above Kelvingrove Park, and the area is known for its high-end houses.

Construction and design
The house was built between 1872 and 1874 for Walter Macfarlane, a wealthy industrialist who founded the Saracen Foundry. The project started later than the rest of Park Circus, which was built in 1857–58. The main contractor was James Boucher, and the design was by Charles Wilson.

Renovation and features
After Walter Macfarlane’s death in 1885, his nephew Walter Macfarlane II had the building modernized by James Salmon and J. Gaff Gillespie between 1897 and 1899. They added a cast-iron conservatory and an Art Nouveau billiards room with a glass-domed anteroom. Sculptors Francis Derwent Wood, Albert Hodge and Johan Keller created wood carvings for the house, including the front door.

Italian use and consulate
In 1934 the building became Casa D’ Italia, an Italian social club. After World War II it was used as a regional Italian consulate.

Restoration and later use
In 1990 developers, with Historic Scotland, began restoring the house to preserve its period features, including fireplaces. In 1994 Glasgow City Council leased it and used it as the city’s register office for civil marriages, known as Marriage Suites. Behind the conservatory is a former Victorian Turkish bath used for private ceremonies.

Current status
In July 2013 the council’s lease ended and the register office closed. The building has been protected as a Category A listed building since 1970.