The white-washed tiers of cottage flats that form what remains of the Ellengowan Drive housing estate in Dundee conceal some quirky and colourful sheds.
Painted by graffiti artists, one celebrates the fund-raising efforts of the late Captain Tom Moore, centenarian and Second World War veteran, who raised millions of pounds for the National Health Service (NHS) during the Covid 19 pandemic, while others depict garden birds, a dragon, an angel and characters of myth and legend. Most are the work of graffiti artist Syke (aka Symon Mathieson) .
They add a splash of colour to the back gardens of the rows of flat-roofed social housing which are currently condemned for demolition after far outliving their originally planned lifespan.
The Ellengowan Drive estate, which occupied a rectangular block of land sloping down from Arbroath Road to Broughty Ferry Road, bordered to the west by Ellengowan Drive and to the east by Dalkeith Road, was built in 1925 as a temporary solution to an inter-war shortage of housing in the city.
Constructed by the Northern Housing Association and known locally as the ‘wee white houses’, the estate was intended to prevail for 20 years or so while other more permanent schemes were developed. However, over a century later, the terraces remained as homes for families, despite poor insulation and problems with damp, some of which were caused by the flat-roof design.
With the properties falling well below acceptable living standards and maintenance costs high, proposals to demolish the estate and replace it with more modern housing were first mooted in 2016. Despite strong resistence from tenants, the promise of 130 new more energy-efficient homes offered by Hillcrest Homes – sister company of the Northern Housing Company, successor of the Northern Housing Association – prevailed and, in the autumn of 2019, demolition of houses on the upper portion of the site – their tenants decanted – along with a small corner shop – the quirky little Kiosk – and rows of garages, began.
Despite delays caused by the Covid 19 lockdowns of 2020/21, Hillcrest is well on track to replace the 128 cottage flats. With 72 homes already bulldozed, the remaining blocks, along with the painted sheds, will be removed as the second phase of the redevelopment progresses.
The estate was built on the lands of Ellengowan House, a substantial but fairly bleak two-storey mansion demolished around 1960. It was latterly the home of 19th century philanthropist Miss Mary Ann Baxter, a member of the wealthy Baxter family. In 1881, at the age of 80 she founded and funded University College in the city, forerunner of the University of Dundee, to promote the education of both men and women.
Mary was the daughter of wealthy textile manufacturer William Baxter. His company, Baxter Brothers & Co Ltd, operated mills in the city and grew to become the world’s largest linen sail-cloth and canvas manufacturer. It was later a significant force in the city’s jute industry. Baxter’s son David – brother of Mary – took over running of the family’s thriving business interests and donated Baxter Park, which is located immediately to the north of Ellengowan Drive, to the people of Dundee.
If you have enjoyed this post, and others on the site, you might like to buy me a coffee which helps supports the site and funds new content…
Secret Scotland 