Documents

There are no additional online documents for this record.

Summary

Description

Dated 1855. Single storey and attic, 5-bay T-plan gardener's cottage and bothy (now converted to single dwelling). Narrow coursed squared and stugged sandstone; droved ashlar belfry and dormers; droved ashlar dressings; tooled quoins with droved rybats. Gabled dormers; diamond-pane leaded windows; overhanging bracketed eaves; heraldic carving to S.

S (GARDEN FRONT) ELEVATION: symmetrical elevation. Central advanced gable; ground floor 4-light canted window, moulded openings; hoodmoulded and architraved window above. Raised-carving monogram and date 'GWMH / 1855' set in shield to gablehead; finialed gable. Flanking recessed bays, gabled and finialed porches to re-entrant angles with chamfered and hoodmoulded door openings. Ground floor windows and gabled dormers breaking eaves with heraldic carving of naked fist holding flower and albatross to outer bays. Cast-iron rooflight to left of right-hand dormer.

E ELEVATION: plain gable.

N (REAR) ELEVATION: central slated lean-to shed (former outside toilet) with timber boarded door to right return. Timber panel and glazed door to right, another door opening to far right blocked with timber and glazed panel. Tripartite window to left of shed, window to far left. 2 breaking eaves gabled dormers to centre; flanking small Velux roof-lights.

W ELEVATION: corbelled canted lancet-arched belfry to attic floor with cast-iron bell, fleur-de-lis finial above.

Diamond-paned leaded windows with timber cross-mullioned frames (most lower window panes replaced with plate glass); modern timber glazed doors. Pitched roof; graded grey slates; narrow bargeboards, deep bracketed eaves; corniced ashlar gablehead stacks, central corniced ashlar ridge stack; circular clay cans.

INTERIOR: no outstanding original features noted.

SUNDIAL: freestone column with stepped base and table dial.

FOUNTAIN: late 19th century circular ashlar coped fountain trough; cast-iron figures of 3 Graces to centre set on cast-iron pedestal, central Corinthian column, surmounting gadrooned bowl with decorative finial.

GATEPIERS (to NE of house): 18th century large square-plan vermiculated and droved ashlar gatepiers, with vermiculated stepped caps.

Statement of Special Interest

A-Group with Fordell Castle (see separate listing). Formerly the gardener's house and bothy for garden workers of the Fordell Estate, the house was built on land formerly occupied by Pitadro Cottages. The name Pitadro House is taken from the former mansion house belonging to the Moneypenny family which once stood nearby. The lands of Pitadro were acquired by the Hendersons of Fordell in the late 17th to early 18th century and it was probably after this date that the original Pitadro mansion house became disused. George William Mercer-Henderson (1823-1881) was probably responsible for the later 19th century improvement to the late 18th century garden and a good number of glasshouses and ancillary structures were added as well as the substantial and finely decorated gardener's cottage, it is his monogram on the cottage. Fordell estate was divided up in 1953 by Sir John Hampden Mercer Henderson (died 1963) and the gardens were developed into a commercial nursery. Prior to the cottage being converted into a single dwelling, sleeping accommodation for garden workers was provided in two thirds of the upper level to the W and access was via a back stair, now removed. A workers' common room was located at the ground floor to the W. The rest of the house was occupied by the head gardener. An article appearing in the Gardeners' Chronicle of 1887 refers to Mr Ramsay as head gardener. The diamond window panes were typical of the old houses in the mining village of Fordell (mostly demolished in the 1940s), also owned by the Hendersons. The fountain, appearing on the 2nd edition OS map, is said to have come from Fordell House. The gatepiers are not in their original location, although they were originally set in an unknown location on the Fordell Estate.

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.