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Summary

Description

18th Century with later additions and alterations (see Notes). 2-storey and basement, 5-bay, rectangular-plan, gabled farmhouse with additions to W situated on sloping ground with conservatory to garden front and full-height stair tower at rear; harled rubble with painted ashlar margins. Cartshed/granary with forestair abutting E gable of farmhouse and range of adjoining ancillary buildings extending to N and E forming courtyard. Walled garden to S.

S (GARDEN) ELEVATION: principal 5-bay section with flat-roofed timber conservatory at ground; irregular fenestration to 1st floor; pair of tripartite dormers above left. Slightly lower, single-bay wing to left with tripartite window breaking eaves. Further, single-storey section with segmental-arched doorway with astragalled side lights to left; large piend-roof section with pair of windows advanced to outer left.

N (COURTYARD) ELEVATION: advanced full-height curved stair tower to central bay with round-arched window and conical cap; porch in re-entrant angle to left; Venetian window above. Lean-to outshot in re-entrant angle to right.

CARTSHED/GRANARY: adjoining E gable of farmhouse. 3-bay, rectangular-plan structure with long timber lintel over irregular vehicle and pedestrian openings at ground. Rubble with rubble forestair at gable end rising to doorway at upper level. Graded grey slate.

COURTYARD ANCILLARY BUILDINGS: large grain store and former threshing mill adjoins W end of farmhouse extending N then E to form courtyard. Large opening to NW re-entrant angle; height drops to single-storey to right with long gabled cartshed with 4 square openings extending to N. All with grey slate. To far right (NE corner of courtyard): two single-storey out-buildings; one with grey slate; one with corrugated iron roof, forming L-plan.

WALLED GARDEN: tall, rubble coped garden wall forming square to S of house. Runs beside approach road to E with garden gate to NE corner returning to cartshed forestair.

Grey slate (some non-traditional replacement to S pitch). End and ridge stacks. Raised skews. Clay cans. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

Statement of Special Interest

Mitchelston is a good survival of a traditional 18th century improvement farmsteading. Formerly the seat of wealthy local landowner William Colvin until superseded by Torquhan House in 1823 (see separate listing), its capped stair outshot and Venetian window to rear elevation provide evidence of its earlier status. The irregular fenestration to the principal elevation (now the garden elevation) indicates an early 18th century date for the central core of the building.

Mitchelston retains significant portions of its 18th and early 19th century courtyard arrangement. Particularly notable is the 2-storey cartshed adjoining the E gable with prominent rubble forestair to the E gable end. The long and tall rubble garden wall that lines the approach to the farm is also a significant element that helps define the individual character of the steading as a whole. A 45ft high, late 18th or early 19th century tower-mill used to stand behind the W range of ancillary farm buildings. It was taken down in the 1970s to make way for new sheds.

Plans for proposed alterations and additions by Dick Peddie and Kinnear of 1902 include the S elevation conservatory and adapting the single-storey farm building adjoining the E gable to form part of the house, although this work was not completed and possibly not carried out by that eminent practice.

Many farmsteadings throughout the region underwent improvements between 1750 and 1850 along the lines the courtyard plan model to keep abreast of increasing industrialisation of agricultural methods.

Change of category from B to C(S) and list description updated at resurvey (2009).

References

Bibliography

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