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Summary

Description

Late 19th century. 2-storey, 3-bay asymmetrical Scots Jacobean former town house with crowstepped gables, full-height square 2-light bay to left and advanced gabled porch to centre, built on raised ground set back from road. Stugged red sandstone ashlar with cream ashlar dressings. Base course; band course between floors in bay to left; cornice and blocking course to square bay. Chamfered reveals and long and short margins to windows; stone mullions; aproned cills; stepped hood mould over door. Long and short quoins.

E (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: stone flight to roll-moulded architraved doorpiece in advanced ball-finialled gabled porch in bay to centre; replacement 2-leaf timber panelled door; inscribed ('Town House') rectangular fanlight; window set back at 1st floor above. Window at ground in bay to right; window to fleur-de-lys-finialled gablet at 1st floor above. Bipartite window at each floor in advanced bay to left; ball-finialled gable above.

S (SIDE) ELEVATION: 3-bay elevation. Timber panelled door with fanlight at ground in bay centre; window at 1st floor above. Window at ground with finialled gablet to window at 1st floor above in bay to right. Advanced gabled bay with pitched addition at ground to left; window at 1st floor; gablehead stack above.

N (SIDE) ELEVATION: 2-bay. 3-light piended bay at ground to advanced gabled bay to left; blocked window at 1st floor; gablehead stack at lst floor above. Blank bay to right; tall wallhead stack. Flat-roofed addition at ground between bays.

Predominantly 12-pane timber sash and case windows. Grey slate roof; slate to additions; lead covering to flat-roofed addition; coped ashlar ridge, gableheads and wallhead stacks; uPVC rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: architraved timber panelled doors, timber skirtings; timber panelled shutters; decorative cornices in each main room at ground (including egg and dart, dentilled, floriate); etched vestibule door, 'CBS Ltd'. Main (NE) room at ground converted as banking hall: floriate ceiling rose; fitted timber-based bank counter with steel grille above; Greek key upper border to grille; floral carving, moulded steel pen-holders and timber leaflet recesses to customer's side; graded drawers to cashier's side; cupboard safe behind 2 timber panelled doors, internal door reinforced and bearing large steel lock; timber shelves within concrete-lined recess. Central timber stair; cast-iron barleysugar banisters; timber handrail. Orkney Islands Council meeting room to SE bearing ornately carved chair, dated 1903.

BOUNDARY WALLS, GATEPIERS AND RAILINGS: stugged and snecked ashlar boundary walls; ridged ashlar cope; square-plan ashlar gatepiers with shallow pyramidal caps and ball finials; cast-iron gates and oversailing arch; decorative cast-iron railings along boundary walls and along flanking steps to central door.

Statement of Special Interest

Ceased functioning as the Commercial Bank of Scotland in 1960 when the building was purchased by the Town Council and occupied by the Burgh Surveyor, Burgh Treasurer and Town Clerk. Continues to be used as Council offices. The Orkney Islands Council meets there regularly.

References

Bibliography

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