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Summary

Description

Circa 1749 for Charles Stuart, 5th Earl of Traquair (11th Laird). Single storey, 3-bay rectangular-plan former gardener's cottage with rustic timber gabled porch and attached rectangular outbuilding (possibly another cottage) sited at right angles and projecting to rear. Random whinstone rubble, harled and painted to principal elevation of cottage and sides of outbuilding. No window dressings as such.

NW (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: single storey, 3-bay elevation with entrance to centre: open timber rustic porch with rough logs supporting corners and sides in-filled to below half-height with weather-board, upper section with diagonal timber in-fill (see NOTES), later entrance door within; plain window to flanks.

SW ELEVATION: whinstone rubble end of cottage with small central window.

SE (REAR/GARDEN) ELEVATION: slightly altered 3-bay fenestration with window to left, pair of late 20th century semi-glazed French doors off centre right with square window to extreme right; pair of long single pane roof lights to attic. Regularly fenestrated single storey former outhouse attached and projecting to right with multi-paned timber and glazing door to right of left return.

NE ELEVATION: single storey, 3-bay elevation with entrance to centre with later multi-paned timber and glazing door, windows flanking to outer bays. Advanced rubble wall adjoining at extreme right and projecting to form one half of entrance to grassed area near craft workshops (listed separately).

12-pane glazing in timber sash and case windows (some modern in similar style to extended area); multi-paned glazed doors to rear entrances. Piended slate roof with lead ridging and flashing; later single pane Velux window to lesser roof elevations. Painted cast-iron rainwater goods. Near central harled roofline stack with pair of plain cans.

INTERIOR: extended into adjacent building and modernised to form a tea room with modern timber planked interior and kitchen / food preparation area.

Statement of Special Interest

A-Group with Traquair House, Exedra, Bridge on East Drive, East Lodge, Walled Garden, Office, Craft Workshops, Summerhouse, Garden Cottage, Bear Gates and Avenuehead Cottages. The walled garden and former gardener's cottage was added during the tenure of the Charles Stuart, 5th Earl of Traquair. He was a Jacobite and was imprisoned in the tower following the 1745 uprising. He was released in 1748 and undertook substantial improvements on the Estate. He redecorated the main House and was responsible for the construction of many of the small estate building adjacent to this garden, as well as the lodges adjacent to the bear gates. He was also Factor of Traquair Estate during the latter years of his father, the 4th Earl's life and may have commissioned some of the work that was done in the earlier period. This garden was constructed to the south of the formal drive and was well used and had already been remodelled by the beginning of the 19th century. It is not known what originally stood on this site but a tree nursery was recorded at Traquair in 1709 and due to the nature of the site, this may have been where it was sited. The garden is walled on only 3 sides, the SE side being bounded by a beech hedge. Formerly a walk ran SE towards Hollilee Park, and it was here that the summerhouse (listed separately) was originally sited. In 1841, J.C. Loudon commented "We went through that curious old place, Traquair, where the kitchen-garden walls are 18ft high, and were coped with turf now bearing a rich crop of grass and weeds, the seeds of which were nearly ready for being distributed over the garden by the winds." The Gardener's Magazine of 1842 notes its tremendous fruit crops, particularly the strawberries. The 1st Edition OS map shows a quite detailed layout to the garden with a tree lined avenue bisecting the main area and smaller squared areas to the south, each surrounded by fruit trees. The 2nd Edition map shows a more open plan with fewer trees, but the central avenue remaining. The garden remained in estate use until 1938; in 1939 it was let as a market garden which ran successfully until the 1950's where upon it was grassed. It is now open to the public with this former Gardener's Cottage now in use as the Tea Room. It is partially sited in the walled garden so the gardener would have been able to keep watch over the stock of fruit and vegetables as well as being accessible from the driveway. The rustic porch is similar in style to those found on the terraced cottages in Traquair Village and it appears it is a style favoured by the estate. The area nearest the tea room is in use for recreational purposes (picnic and seating area) whilst older fruit trees and a greenhouse can be found adjacent to the west wall. The pheasantry no longer exists, but was latterly used to rear trees for the estate (circa1987-1993). An incomplete 19th century sundial can also be found within the garden. This building is listed due to its important role as an integral part of the development of Traquair Estate.

References

Bibliography

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