Reres Hill Conservation Area

Reres Hill Conservation Area

The Reres Hill Conservation Area is located in Broughty Ferry, to the south-east of Dundee, over-looking the banks of the River Tay. The name Broughty Ferry is a derivative of the earlier bruchtie derived from broch tay meaning fort on the Tay, due to a fort been present in the region since pictish times. The Ferry section of the place name is in relation to the area being the northern landing for an early ferry service. The Reres Hill Conservation Area predominantly originated during the 19th to mid 20th century’s due to the emergence of Broughty Ferry from a humble fishing village to a prosperous community and a desirable tourist destination. At this time Broughty Ferry was popular with Dundee’s numerous jute barons and merchants who moved to this suburb to escape the overcrowding of the city during the industrial revolution. The popularity of tourism within the ‘seaside resort’ boomed in the 1830’s and heightened further in 1838 when the Dundee to Arbroath railway line opened. The railway and an improved road layout between Dundee and the Ferry allowed for daily commuting thus making the suburb more easily accessible. Around this time Broughty Ferry was heavily reliant on Dundee for its service including water and trams, but it wasn’t until the 20th century when the region officially became a borough of the city.

The Reres Hill Conservation Area is Dundee’s most easterly Conservation Area and is located roughly half a mile to the north-east of Broughty Ferry castle and includes some of the main transport corridor to Monifieth; Monifieth Road. The topography of the Conservation Area is slightly declining from the north towards the coastline. This location provides prime views and panoramas of the River Tay and over to Fife. Said Estuary views are visible from many of the individual villas and also from many of the streets which sit at right angles to the Estuary.

The southern boundary of the Reres Hill Conservation Area tracks Monifieth Road between number 15, eastward to the eastern perimeter of Reres Park. The southern boundary also encompasses the older properties on the south side of Monifieth Road and runs further south, adjacent to the East Coast railway between Yewbank Avenue and Panmure Street. The easterly margin travels the easterly length of Reres Park north to 53 Reres Road. The western periphery proceeds from 15 Monifieth Road north to the corner of Whinny Brae and Camphill Road, with the exception of Rowanbank Gardens. The north of the western boundary travels along the west side of Castleroy Road terminating after number 3. The north section of the Conservation Area includes the properties along Bughties Road and Reres Road commencing with no. 53. Properties between Castleroy Road to 77 Camphill Road are also included.

The Reres Hill Conservation Area is characterised by its accommodation of a variety of architectural styles, predominantly stemming from the 19th century. Camphill Road, the ancient route to Monifieth, is significantly eclectic in terms of the architecture it houses; the range includes late Regency properties, dwellings with Greek iconic porches and neo-Jacobean painted stone properties. As well as a mixture of architectural styles the Conservation Area also contains a selection of various classes of listed buildings and includes a mixture of housing types, from large Victorian villas to town houses and detailed tenements, even though dwellings within the area are predominantly standardised in relation to 1-2 stories and south-facing.

The northerly roads within the Conservation Area are narrower than those in the south and as they are bounded by high stone walls, a prominent character element of the Conservation Area, there is an emphasised sense of enclosure. Screened behind the distinguishing tall boundary walls are substantial Victorian villas set back from the road in expansive garden grounds. The southern streets of the Conservation Area are built up with terraces and town houses, whose gardens are smaller than those properties in the north, nevertheless remain relatively generous. Monifieth Road is a main transport route within the Conservation Area and a main bus route for the suburb, thus it is more widely set than its tributary roads, yet it is still bounded by the characteristically high boundary walls of the area.

A second representative character feature of the Conservation Area is the elevated level of urban greenery. The mature greenery within the Reres Hill Conservation Area is a mixture of publicly accessible open space and private garden space. The most notable public green space within the Reres Hill Conservation Area is Renes Park that includes Reres Hill and is accessed there an elaborate archway. Reres Park is heavily planted with mature vegetation and has many footpaths that line the Hill. Orchar Park is a second example of public open space within the Conservation Area and is located to the south of Monifieth Road. Orchar Park includes a bowling green and is nicely landscaped and lined by mature trees. The private garden space within the Reres Hill Conservation Area plays a significant contribution to the green character of the area through either gaps of visibility in property boundaries or in instances where the greenery either forms part of, or overhangs the periphery.

The intermittent views visible from any high vantage point along most of the streets, public parks or from private grounds add additional elements to the collective character of the space. The views are greatest from the open parks or along the roads that are formed at right angles to the Tay or where properties are tiered on the hill side, Reres Road, for example.

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