Another Gowans Detail

I know this is not the best photo technically, it is not the one I intended to blip.

After U3A open meeting at St Cuthbert's we  went down Castle Terrace intending to take more photos of the James Gowans building with its incredible detailed architecture.

However, I saw on the side of the building, above no. 13 Cornwall Street, three dormer windows with extra detailing: on the central one James Gowans identified himself as the architect, on the left a motto ('ero spero'...possibly incomplete) and on the right the date of construction (1870).

When I looked at the enlarged photos on the monitor, and can be seen in large,  I noticed the masons' marks on many of the stones. Including those appearing on the other two dormers I counted at least 22 different marks.

There are many references to masons' marks on the web, particularly in relation to large buildings such as cathedrals or monasteries. It is less common to find them on more modern buildings. I think this is another aspect of the individual and distinctive style of James Gowans.

Edit: I have put photos of the other dormer windows, with their Masons' Marks, on this link.