Documents

There are no additional online documents for this record.

Summary

Description

Traditional early to mid 19th century house. Long and narrow single storey range consisting of central, south-facing, 3-bay house (centred door, small flanking windows, single rear window and gable apex stacks) with byre/shed attached at either end. Wooden barrel sitting on circular stone plinth to left of entrance door to collect rain water. Rubble flagstone to walls with angled quoin to E gable-end of house (abutting shed/byre); pitched stone slate roof with aisins and patched repairs in corrugated asbestos. Flagstone path infront of house. Typical interior with flagstone floor, fireplace with timber overmantle and adjacent inbuilt cupboard, box bed and timber combed ceiling.

Almost unique to Orkney, however, is the garden which has been created along the Burn of Russadale to the south of the house.The burn has been diverted to feed a series of ponds, falls, sluices and water wheel (housed in a generator shed which retains some machinery and which provided power for the house). The garden and glade contains specimen trees, some have been planted to produce tree-lined walkways. The riverside walk has been ornamented with stone built features such as a small waterfall decorated with stone ball and pyramid, stone steps, footbridge which arches over the river, decorated with pebbles and topped with a stone fleur-de-lis. Some rubble stone walls including large Caithness stone slabs bound part of the garden.

Statement of Special Interest

The house is a good example of a well preserved, traditional rural Orcadian house. Buildings such as this, which have been little altered, are becoming increasingly less common on the Mainland. The house, until recently (2003) had been occupied by Mr Edwin Harrold who, over a period of 60 years, cultivated the garden (known locally as Happy Valley) to create a unique and attractive environment which is also enjoyed by locals.

The choice of what will grow in Orkney is limited because of the soil type, drainage and exposure, however, Mr Harrold successfully managed to grow trees and shrubs such as yew,

European lime, monkey puzzle and fuscia. Although the house merits listing at category C(S), the garden, which is rare to Orkney, is of great significance.

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.