Description
J B Dunn of Dunn & Findlay, 1906. 2-storey on basement with attic, multi-bayed, asymmetric-plan Scottish Domestic country house with Arts and Crafts detailing. Coursed local whinstone rubble (from many quarries) with polished sandstone window dressings and canted bays; rock-faced ashlar quoins to NE elevation with sandstone tooled to resemble coursed whinstone. Partially skew-gabled with gablet finials and ball putts; irregularly massed roofline with swept eaves. Terraced whinstone garden walls with central flight of ashlar steps leading to (former) entrance. Red brick garden walls with timber and glazing greenhouse.
SE (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: symmetrical elevation with (now glazed) segmental-arched verandah to centre with lean-to roof, bipartite window with arch-headed surround (containing thistle and rose motif) and smooth wing walls breaking eaves to centre of 1st floor, attic window. To flanks, advanced gables with canted bays to ground floor (containing tripartite window to front and single window to sides) with corniced wallheads; ground floor angles of main walls terminate in pyramidal caps with angle becoming canted at 1st floor, central tripartite windows with moulded cornice above lintels; gablehead with gablet finial and ball finials in lieu of putts, swept wallheads of canted sides adjoining main gable.
NE ELEVATION: L-plan with steps leading to canted entrance tower in re-entrant angle: polished ashlar surround with recessed moulded panel with roll moulded edge framing door, holes for original bell pull to right, carved lintel with initials JKB 1906 (within diamond terminating in fleur-de-lis) HK, shaped moulded cornice surmounting; aligned window to 1st floor with window to right cant, high wallhead to top of tower concealing balcony for attic storey and window. Blind wall of house projecting to left. Gabled end with rock-faced quoins adjoining tower to right: slightly recessed to left with low eaves and narrow window to ground floor (single window to left return); advanced main gable with steps leading to door in left of ground floor with small window to left; slightly advanced upper storey on roll-moulded band course with bipartite window to centre of 1st floor with stone mullion. Rear elevation to right return.
NW (REAR) ELEVATION: blind to extreme right and left with 5 windows off centre left (for kitchen) and single window near centre (for butler's pantry); to 1st floor, much later central cover link to former rear extension (small lean to survives), pair of windows to left and 2 smaller windows to right. Central platformed attic floor with tripartite window to left, single window to centre and bipartite window to right; higher gabled wallhead adjoining right of attic containing small window; lower roof adjoining to left of attic with flat-roofed wallhead dormer breaking eaves.
SW ELEVATION: central door (with smaller door to left) at basement level; to right, advanced canted bay with window to each side at basement and ground floor (no central window to ground floor), advanced stack rising from bay and adjoining squared gable, small window to flanks at 1st floor. To left, quadripartite window to ground floor with projecting cornice; corbelled bipartite window with arch-headed surround (thistle and rose motif) and smooth wing walls breaking eaves at 1st floor; smaller bipartite window off centre left; single rooflight to attic. Garden terrace wall adjoining right of basement.
12-pane leaded casement windows to most; 20-pane fixed window to centre of principal bay windows flanked by pairs of 10-pane timber casement windows; some 12-pane glazing in timber sash and case windows to basement and rear; later roof lights; Arts and Crafts design leaded windows to entrance tower. Pitched, piended and platformed slate roof with stone ridging and lead flashing and valleys. Painted cast-iron rainwater goods (some squared downpipes, decorative hoppers with rose motif). Tall coursed ashlar stacks (rising from roofline or wallhead) of varying widths on plinths, all terminating in square diagonally-set stacks, all with shaped neck copes and plain terracotta cans.
INTERIOR: fine semi-hexagonal entrance hall with ornate plastered domed ceiling and tiled floor (Allen and Son); timber panelled passage leading to oak panelled hallway (Robert Hall and Co) with plaster frieze depicting birds, fruit and vine leaves and large Hopton stone fireplace. Dining room with Adam-style plaster ceiling (Leonard Grandison, Peebles) and ingle-nook; fixed buffet unit by J.B.Dunn leading to oak panelled sitting area with original stone and timber fire surround and mirrored over-mantel. Oak staircase matches hall with decorative carved panels and heavy carved grotesque bird newel posts (similar design to those in other Ballantyne villas); plainer stair with thistle finials to attic floor. Original cast-iron bath and marble tiles to 1st floor bath room. Plaster ceiling roses to major bedrooms.
STEPS AND GARDEN TERRACE: coursed whinstone rubble wall to front of house terminating in sloped buttresses with plain copes; central flight of terraced steps with low wing walls following ascent; similar set to E entrance. High whinstone terrace wall adjoining S angle of property.
GREENHOUSE AND GARDEN WALLS: stepped red brick garden wall to rear of property (now divided in two due to former extension) with plain stone copes and red brick buttresses; stepped section to E following decent of hill. Timber and glazing lean-to greenhouse on brick base.
Statement of Special Interest
Until the middle of the 19th century, the only trace of habitation in this area was Caberston farmhouse and steading. The village grew up around the textile mills of Tweedvale and (later) Tweedholm of Henry Ballantyne the founder of the village. He was also responsible for the earliest workers' housing and laying out the village we see today. By his death in 1865, Walkerburn was a flourishing manufacturing village with a population of just under 800 people. The company and the welfare of its staff were passed to his five sons until 1870 when 3 of them left to run a mill in Innerleithen. David and John Ballantyne remained in charge of the Walkerburn mills and set about improving not only their own housing, but also the amenities of the village. So far, all Ballantyne houses stood grouped together on this side of the road with George's villa, The Kirna being to the west of the village (all listed separately). This site is to the east of the village and was built to be the house of J.K Ballantyne and his wife Hilda Moritz. He was the grandson of Henry, and was part of the mill owning dynasty. Early pictures survive of the construction of the house. The terraced gardens were designed by Dunn and still survive. (Originally, there was an open verandah in the main elevation where the conservatory now stands). Inside, many fine features remain, including a cast-iron bath, many tiles, wood panelling and most importantly the buffet unit in the dining room. The house remained in private hands until 1957 when it was first used as a country house hotel. There was a large later annex to the rear, which was damaged by a fire toward the end of the 20th century and subsequently pulled down. At present, the current owners are returning the house to how it was originally found in the early 20th century.