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Summary

Description

Early 19th century with possible earlier fabric, asymmetrical 2-storey, 3-bay rectangular-plan traditional house with single storey wing to SW and late 1980s single storey and attic extension to rear (NW). Coursed rubble, brick to rear NW of single storey wing, dressed margins to openings. Pitched roof, raised ashlar skews and gable apex stacks to house, piended roof to single storey wing, mansard to rear extension, all with red pantiles. Door to principal (SE) elevation offset to right, small window above, regular fenestration to ground and 1st floor in outerbays, irregular fenestration to other elevations, modern conservatory to entire ground floor at rear (NW). Small flight hole with landing ledge setwithin SW gable. Modern door with 12-pane timber sash and case replacement windows to principal elevation, modern windows and doors elsewhere.

INTERIOR: completely modernised at time of refurbishment in late 1980s.

Statement of Special Interest

The house is associated with the remains of a 17th century waulk mill which stands to the adjacent NE, it probably provided offices and living quarters for the mill workers. The principal elevation of the house remains relatively unchanged being a good example of a traditional local building, it is of interest to note that the flight hole in the gable has remained. A writer in 1828 described the mill as a handsome building where cloth of all kinds was wrought, wool corded and blankets scoured ? David R Smith. The mill was in ruins by the 1850s and it is reputed that the house was turned into a laundry. The 2nd edition Ordnance Survey map indicates that the mill was rebuilt and was operating as a saw mill in 1908, it is currently used as a garage (2004). The house became derelict in the 2nd half of the 20th century being restored in the late 1980s. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries the whole area around the house was thriving with local industry including iron, textile and flour mills lining the banks of the River Esk. All these enterprises, including the waulk mill, were water powered by one single lade which ran above the river along the Esk Valley towards Dalkeith, the lade passed directly to the rear of the house. With the closure of the mills along this part of the Esk during the 20th century the lade was dismantled, with only the sluice and operational wheel remaining as a reminder. However stone from the lade was salvaged and was used to build the modern extension to the rear. Originally the single storey wing to the SW was brick, at the time of refurbishment in the 1980s it was rebuilt using salvaged stone from the lade save the NW wall which remains as brick. To the rear of the house in the garden is a spring known as the 'White Spring', [in 1825 it is recorded that the Dalkeith Town Trustees decided to draw water from it and built a stone wellhead (the wellhead subsequently has been slightly raised) ? David R Smith]. An engine in the waulk mill pumped water from the spring into pipes conveying it to the reservoir in Buccleuch Street. The spring no longer serves the mains water supply however it is still very much active.

References

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