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Summary

Description

Before 1804, probably incorporating 18th century fabric, altered. 2-storey with attic and raised basement, 3-bay, symmetrical, rectangular-plan house with 2 shallow-bowed bays flanking oversailing stair leading to arched doorway, and single storey wing, set at right angles to street within large walled garden. Harled with ashlar margins. Eaves cornice. Stone mullions.

S (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: centre bay at ground with stairs and flanking ironwork railings leading to 4-panelled timber door with sunburst-astragalled fanlight, single window at 1st floor and small semicircular-pedimented dormer window above, further deep-set door at basement level opposite rubble and brick vaulted cellar under oversailing stair, possibly with stair down to earlier fabric. Flanking bays each with full-height (including basement) bowed bay incorporating wide tripartite window, slightly smaller, conically-roofed, bowed tripartite dormers above. Recessed lower wing (Plas Newyd) adjoining at right, and further wall abutting at left.

N ELEVATION: asymmetrically-fenestrated elevation incorporating vertically-boarded timber door and decoratively-astragalled fanlight to centre bay at ground with later piended outshot above. Lower wing at outer left.

E (BARCLAY STREET) ELEVATION: low gabled elevation with deep-set bowed tripartite window at centre, and taller blank gable of house behind.

Multi-pane glazing pattern to original and restored timber sash and case windows. Grey slates. Dominant harled gablehead stacks with polygonal cans; ashlar-coped straight skews.

INTERIOR: fine decorative scheme in place including decorative and plain moulded plasterwork cornicing; fluted clustered column mullions; dog-leg staircase with turned timber balusters. Drawing room with carved timber fire surround incorporating classical detailing and delicately carved urn, swags and paterae to overmantel with decorative iron grate; ornate cast-iron Baroque fireplace with timber surround to attic bedroom; further timber fire surrounds with fluted detailing and horseshoe grates. Bathroom timber-lined.

GARDEN WALL AND GATE: coped rubble garden walls with 2-leaf wrought-iron gate.

ANCILLARY BUILDING: piend-roofed, harled former stable. Vertically-boarded timber door and early lock. Interior timber-lined with polygonal pier and evidence of former loose boxes.

Statement of Special Interest

Invercowie House is a distinguished and commanding villa, appearing on Wood's Town Plan of 1823 with a large formal garden to the south and west, and brewery immediately to the north. It was however, built at a somewhat earlier date than this, and certainly by 1804 when records show that it was occupied by William Nicol, Surgeon in Stonehaven, and his wife Mrs Margaret Dyce and their seven children. An article in the Stonehaven Journal (undated) records that William was born in 1765 and died in 1827. After university he became a naval surgeon before settling at Invercowie. His grandson was Sir Dyce Duckworth Bart. The house was owned in 1869 by John Dove Wilson Esq, Sheriff-Substitute of Stonehaven, and by 1873 had passed to John Watt Thomson, manufacturer, and father of 'Thomson the Tyreman', inventor of the pneumatic tyre. John Watt Thomson also owned Carronside Woolmill and shops at 21 and 23 Market Square, and a house and garden at 22 Market Square. Internal alterations have included raising the hall floor and blocking access to an early cellar. The lower east wing, now known as Plas Newyd, is a converted coach house.

References

Bibliography

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