Documents

There are no additional online documents for this record.

Summary

Description

Built in 1895, with extensions of 1910. 2-storey, irregular-plan Old English house, now a hotel. Rendered and painted brick, with half-timbered upper floors, tile-hung gables and tall brick stacks.

Northeast (principal) elevation: 3-bay block to right, with advanced gable to outer right, first floor advanced on decorative timber brackets, comprising entrance porch centred at ground with pair of small-pane bipartite windows, vertically-boarded timber door to left return; pairs of segmental-arched windows to left and right at ground; tripartite leaded window centred at first floor; tripartite window with decorative upper panes in advanced gabletted dormerhead breaking eaves to left; tripartite window centred in gable to right, flanked by pairs of painted terracotta roundels depicting cherubim; gable projecting from gable to left, with pair of segmental-arched windows to centre and left at ground, pair of tripartite windows flanking centre at first floor; single bay gable adjoining to outer left, with glazed timber door to right, comprising 4-light canted window at ground; first floor advanced on decorative timber brackets above, with tripartite window centred at first floor; return to left with bipartite window to left of centre at ground, 4-light window centred at first floor; 3-stage battered Germanic tower to outer left in re-entrant angle, comprising glazed timber door to left of centre at southeast face, window between ground and first floor at northeast face, window to southeast face of first floor, windows at southeast, southwest and northwest faces of second floor. Flat-roofed addition adjoining to left (see below).

Southeast (entrance) elevation: 2-bay single storey and loft coach house to left; vehicular slapping to left at ground with 2-leaf, vertically-boarded sliding timber doors, vertically-boarded timber hay-loft door in red tile-hung gabletted dormerhead centred and breaking eaves above; advanced flat-roofed addition to right, with recessed modern glazed door to left; recessed timber door with glazed upper panels and 4-light window with multi-pane upper panels to right, adjoining tower in re-entrant angle to outer right (see above).

Southwest elevation: 5-bay block to left, partly-obscured by flat-roofed addition at ground, comprising advanced single bay cat-slide roofed projection to left, with 4-light window centred at ground, with 2-light window to left of centre at first floor; irregular fenestration to remaining bays at first floor, with window in third bay from right in dormerhead breaking eaves; L-plan flat-roofed addition comprising modern timber door at re-entrant angle and irregular modern glazing to northeast and southwest faces; blank gable to coach house, to outer right.

Northwest elevation: 2-bay gable; stepped central flue advanced from ground through gablehead; 5-light rectangular window advanced to outer right at ground, with lean-to tiled roof; window to left at ground; windows in bays at first floor.

Rosemary tiled roofs, with terracotta ridges; some exposed rafter ends; tower with pyramidal roof surmounted by metal weathervane and weathercock finial. Shallow rectangular cat-slide dormers. Cast-iron rainwater goods. Red brick decorative gablehead stacks and stacks breaking pitch; corniced, with circular cans.

Interior: not seen, 1999.

Statement of Special Interest

Navaar House Hotel with its charming gabled appearance is of interest for the survival of its Arts and Crafts detailing, and its unusual situation amongst the sober villas of suburban Penicuik.

It was commissioned by Professor J. Cossar Ewart (1851-1933), Regius Professor of Natural History at Edinburgh University, who lived at the house from its completion in 1895 until 1905. At this time the building was known as 'The Bungalow'. Whilst living at 'The Bungalow' Professor Ewart bred hybrid zebras in enclosures within the grounds as part of his 'Penycuik Experiments' into heriditary traits and hybridisation.

Updates to Description and Statement of Special Interest sections in 2017.

References

Bibliography

About Listed Buildings

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Listing is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for buildings of special architectural or historic interest as set out in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997.

We list buildings which are found to be of special architectural or historic interest using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Listed building records provide an indication of the special architectural or historic interest of the listed building which has been identified by its statutory address. The description and additional information provided are supplementary and have no legal weight.

These records are not definitive historical accounts or a complete description of the building(s). If part of a building is not described it does not mean it is not listed. The format of the listed building record has changed over time. Earlier records may be brief and some information will not have been recorded.

The legal part of the listing is the address/name of site which is known as the statutory address. Other than the name or address of a listed building, further details are provided for information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland does not accept any liability for any loss or damage suffered as a consequence of inaccuracies in the information provided. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing. Even if a number or name is missing from a listing address it will still be listed. Listing covers both the exterior and the interior and any object or structure fixed to the building. Listing also applies to buildings or structures not physically attached but which are part of the curtilage (or land) of the listed building as long as they were erected before 1 July 1948.

While Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating listed buildings, the planning authority is responsible for determining what is covered by the listing, including what is listed through curtilage. However, for listed buildings designated or for listings amended from 1 October 2015, legal exclusions to the listing may apply.

If part of a building is not listed, it will say that it is excluded in the statutory address and in the statement of special interest in the listed building record. The statement will use the word 'excluding' and quote the relevant section of the 1997 Act. Some earlier listed building records may use the word 'excluding', but if the Act is not quoted, the record has not been revised to reflect subsequent legislation.

Listed building consent is required for changes to a listed building which affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest. The relevant planning authority is the point of contact for applications for listed building consent.

Find out more about listing and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.