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Summary

Description

1860, with alterations of circa 1920. Laird?s house on site sloping down to SE comprising mid-19th century 2-storey 3-bay haa with contemporary single storey over laigh floor former trading booth parallel and adjoining to SE; latter converted circa 1920 to wing with symmetrical verandah and gazebo arrangement to SE elevation. Harled and cement-rendered and lined rubble walls with droved sandstone ashlar margins and dressings. Projecting cills to windows.

SE (SEAWARD) ELEVATION: near-symmetrical 4-bay elevation of booth wing; laigh floor comprises vertically-boarded timber doors in bays to outer left and to right of centre, hoppered 4-pane glazing to other bays; inner bays partially obscured by projecting 2-storey canted gazebo, open at laigh floor, glazed at principal floor with tripartite window to SE facet, glazed angle facets, and 2-leaf glazed doors in side facets; crenellated parapet breaking eaves with beach stone finials; gazebo flanked by timber-balustraded steel balconies with beach-stone-finialled piers to corners, N balcony returned at gable with open timber stair; single window at principal floor to left of gazebo, tripartite timber glazing to right. Haa elevation of 3 widely-spaced bays rising behind; centre bay obscured by single storey link block, vertically-boarded timber door with 2-pane fanlight offset to right, windows at ground in outer bays; regular fenestration in bays at 1st floor.

SW (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: 2-storey 2-bay end gables of haa and booth wing to left and right respectively, each with window at upper floor in bay to right only; single storey link block recessed between gables with beach-stone-finialled and shallow-gabled entrance porch in re-entrant to right.

NW (REAR) ELEVATION: near-symmetrical, 4-bay (grouped 2-2) elevation with smaller window flanking centre at ground, larger window in bay to outer right, lean-to store in bay to outer left; regular fenestration at 1st floor; 4-flue wallhead stack breaking eaves at centre.

NE ELEVATION: 2-storey 2-bay end gables of haa and booth to right and left respectively, blank gable end to haa advanced at right, square window with 2-light timber glazing to left in booth wing gable; window to single storey link block recessed between gables.

12-pane timber sash and case glazing to haa and link block; modern glazing to booth wing. Shallow-pitched roofs to haa and booth wing; former with corrugated sheet cladding, latter with mineral felt. Harled gablehead stacks to haa and booth wing, all coped with circular cans.

OUTBUILDING: monopitch store aligned with shorefront to SW of house; S elevation of 2 widely-spaced bays with modern glazing to windows, crenellated parapet with beach-stone finials to merlons, modern door to W gable and roof, E gable integral with steps wall.

BOATHOUSE AND SEA WALL: single storey mono-pitch L-plan former boat store, built into bank at sea-front; 4-bay elevation to shore (SE) with boarded window to outer left and right, vertically-boarded timber doors in centre bays, gable of return advanced at right, integral with sea wall extending along to end of terrace at right, and slip at left.

PIER, NOOST AND SLIP: grass-surfaced pier extending SE into water; noost area between pier and boathouse; random rubble slipway, extending into water from boathouse, parallel with pier.

ENTRANCE GATES AND GATEPIERS: harled square piers with copes and beach-stone finials; plain 2-leaf iron gates.

BOUNDARY, GARDEN, AND SEA WALLS, GATES AND GATEPIERS, TERRACE AND STEPS: garden layout comprises drive sloping downhill to house from W; walled garden to N of drive and W of house sloping down to retaining wall enclosing area adjacent to NW elevation; concrete-surfaced rubble terrace to SE front of booth wing, extending N as grass avenue terminated to N by timber gate with beach-stone-finialled rubble gatepiers; W side of avenue bounded by rubble retaining wall with regularly-spaced beach stones on low crenellations and terminated in sea to E of N gate; E side of avenue bounded by boathouse; wide sandstone ashlar steps rising to W at N and S gables of booth wing; S steps bounded on S side by partially harled rubble retaining wall with beach-stone-finialled piers opposite S gable of haa, wall continuous uphill to entrance gates; N side of drive bounded by harl-pointed rubble wall with rubble cope terminated to E at S gable of haa with pedestrian gate to walled garden (adjacent to left) comprising wrought-iron gate and square harled piers with beach-stone finials.

Statement of Special Interest

The design of this house is very unusual, being a late example of a merchant haa with a remarkably shallow roof that appears to have been tarred like later croft houses in Shetland. The booth is also remarkable, being in such close proximity to the former entrance elevation of the house. The quirky early 20th century alterations that transformed the house into a seaside villa are in a distinctive style that extends to the ancillary buildings and garden walls.

References

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