Description
David Rhind, 1852. 2-storey. with attic breaking eaves and basement with service wing to N. Asymmetrical, rectangular-plan. Scots Baronial terraced mansion. Broad terrace surrounding with balustrade and entrances on W and S. Squared and snecked honey-coloured sandstone; ashlar dressings. String courses; hoodmoulds.
S (MAIN) ELEVATION: horizontal emphasis broken by round 3-stage entrance tower at centre. Tower door at centre with moulded architrave; square plaque above lintel with armorial escutcheon and feather carving. String course rises to form architrave for 1st floor window. Initials TH (Thomas Hutchinson) and date 1852 above. Blind arrowslit opening at E side of tower. At 3rd stage narrow windows to E and W. Platform towerhead with heavy. arcaded ashlar balustrade with dividing pilasters on deep corbelling; cable moulding above corbelling and as handrail to balustrade. Round stair turret in left re-entrant angle, corbelled above ground with roll and cable moulding, gives access to 3rd stage and platform. 2 stages to turret, upper jettied on corbel course, arrowslit windows. Candle-snuffer roof on deep corbelling. Slender round tower set deep in right re-entrant angle terminating just below 1st floor string course; 2 blind narrow arrowslits. 2 windows flanking entrance tower at each side at ground; to right 6-pane with stone mullions. 2 windows to right at 1st floor have cornice supported by tiny scrolls. Window to 1st floor left. Corbelled parapet above. Pedimented, diminutive turret at centre; roll and cable moulding below line of corbel table; gablet coping, scrolled skews, finial; small window at centre. Rooflight to right. Taller attic store. to right; gabled dormer window at centre with arrowslit in gablehead and ball finial; lower gabled ashlar dormers to right and left; slender round-headed arrowslits at centre; thistle finial on dormer to left, ball finial to right. All 3 dormers have minute crowstepped gables. Bartizan on roll moulded corbelling to corner right; small window at centre to corner. Billetted eaves cornice, candle-snuffer roof and finial.
N (REAR) ELEVATION: crowstepped M-gabled with apex stacks; recessed N return of E elevation to left, single- storey office range to right. 3 regularly-disposed barred windows at basement level. Blind lancet to outer left at ground and 8-pane sash to outer right. Large tripartite stair window with stone mullions and transoms at centre between gables, coloured border glazing. Gablehead and chimney breast to left jettied on roll moulded corbelling. Blind arrowslit to outer left, blind lancet to outer right.
E ELEVATION: lop-sided M-gabled; raised basement; band course; barred windows at basement. Glazed porch at outer left entrance; stone perron stair with ashlar coping leading to entrance. Door to basement at N return of stair. 6-pane sash to outer right; string course above. Round turret on roll and cable moulded corbelling at centre between 1st floor windows; rises between gables; arrowslit windows; corbelled eaves cornice and candle- snuffer roof. Shaped string course to left and right, to right deeply moulded; string course continues along N return. Recessed bay to outer right, small barred basement window, centre 8-pane sash, dormerhead window at 1st floor.
W ELEVATION: asymetrical; 3 bays of main terraced block, lower 3-bay range to left and single and attice office block advanced to left. 3 bays of main block terminated by 4-stage, slender, corner tower with candle-snuffer roof to left; door below terrace level at N side of tower; windows to outer right bay at ground and 1st floor with decoratively jettied gablehead with paired apex stacks. Centre bay with window at 1st floor in advanced corbelled panel over tall arrowslit at ground, and breaking eaves as engaged tower with window and balustrade detailed as entrance tower. Lower wing to left, projecting gable off-centre right. Crowstepped aproned gable with blind lancet in gablehead, ball finial. Small dormerhead window by re-entrant right; ashlar coping, fleur-de-lis finial. Dormerhead window to outer left. Still lower service range in front of block. Advanced crowstepped gable to outer left; ball finial. Paired windows at ground, single window in gable head. Barred window at ground right, pedimented dormerhead above, thistle finial. Crowstepped gable at S return, window to right and left flanking centre gablehead blind lancet. Single storey, T-plan office range to N. Crowstepped gables with blind arrow loops in gable. Barred windows at ground; dormerheads on N elevation. Piend, louvered ventilation stacks on ridge.
8-pane sash and case windows. Grey slate roof, tall coped end stacks. Delicate crowstepped gables.
INTERIOR: impressive interior; mosaic floor in round tower entrance; narrow vestibule leading to central saloon galleried at 1st floor level; coved structural ceiling with top-lighting; grand staircase with twisted iron balusters. Structural ceilings with pendants in all main ground floor rooms; plain marble chimneypieces.
TERRACE: squared and snecked retaining wall; ashlar coping, several flights of ashlar steps; balustrade throughout.
GARDEN WALLS AND WALLED GARDEN: long rectangular garden bounded by wall to N. Walled garden to W of house, random rubble wall with semi-circular coping. Glasshouses on N side of the garden.
TOOLSHED TOWER: at S corner, to SW of W elevation is a squat round tower serving as toolshed. Squared sandstone on base course and battlemented parapet; door in W side of tower.
LODGE: (to SW of house) 1873 with later addition to E. Single storey, T-plan, (originally L-plan) gabled block. Stugged, squared and snecked sandstone with ashlar dressings, base course, chamfered arrises. Blind arrow- slit lancets in gablehead. Stugged quoins.
S ELEVATION: entrance in S return of W projecting gable; plain door (modern) with 2-pane letterbox fanlight. Advanced gable to right. Window at centre at ground, blind lancet above; escutcheon in gablehead. Pedestel to apex thistle finial inscribed 1873.
N ELEVATION: asymmetrical, 1-bay older block to W, 3-bay rendered addition to E. Gently bowed window to left of stack, piend slated roof; billet moulding under eaves; lugged and moulded architrave to window with marriage lintel inscribed D.M.-I.M. BLISSIT BE GOD IN ALL HIS GIFTIS 1611. Rendered block to left. Door at centre, flanking windows.
6-pane sash and case windows, 4-pane sash and case for later addition. Grey slate roof, roof light on S slope of W projection. Square, coped stacks, 1 on former end gable to E; droved arrises.
GATEPIERS: stugged piers with swept-up ashlar cap for thistle finial.
STABLES: (W of house beyond wall of garden.) Circa 1870s, single store. with hayloft attic, L-plan stable range. Stugged, squared and snecked sandstone. Margined windows and doors, chamfered reveals.
W ELEVATION: broad advanced gabled wing to left; 2-bay at ground floor, barred window to right, blocked window to left. Round headed hayloft opening in gablehead; boarded door; remains of hoist mechanism to left. Door on S return. Long range to right, barred window at ground left; crowstepped gable dormer with thistle finial above. 2-leaf coach-door to right.
S and N gables have barred window at ground, round- headed hayloft door at upper level.
12-pane sash and case windows. Grey slate roof; crowstepped gables; finials. Square, coped, sandstone ridge stack.
COTTAGE: (immediate NW of stables). Circa 1870s, stugged, squared and snecked sandstone. Ashlar margined windows, chamfered reveals. Rectangular-plan with entrance wing to S.
S ELEVATION: gable with window at centre at ground; lancet in gablehead. Door in E return; 4-panelled with 2-pane letterbox fanlight, window to right.
E ELEVATION: gable with lower lean-to bay to right. Window at centre of gable with door in lean-to bay to right.
N ELEVATION: lean-to bay against gable, window off-centre to right.
12-pane sash and case windows. Grey slate roof, crowstepped gables; square coped end stacks to N and W.