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Summary

Description

John Smith of Darnick, 1823 with later additions (see Notes). 2-storey and basement, 3-bay rectangular-plan Classical house with tripartite windows recessed in tall relieving arches to ground and shallow piended-roof. Buff-coloured coursed ashlar. Base course, string course. Regular fenestration to front; irregular fenestration to rear. Glazed, timber porch with pierced parapet; single-leaf, 6-panelled timber front door with astragalled sidelights and fanlight. Large triple-arched conservatory style window to W elevation. Mid 20th century, lower 2-storey, flat-roofed addition and garage to E.

Predominantly 12-pane glazing in timber sash and case windows. Pair of coped and corniced ridge stacks with octagonal clay cans. Grey slate. Cast-iron rain water goods.

INTERIOR: central vestibule and staircase hall with pattern tile floor accessing public rooms. Bow-ended dining room to right and drawing room to left both with marbled timber fireplaces. Long stone stair with quarter-turn at upper level leading to open-well landing at 1st floor; narrow mahogany handrail with pierced iron balusters. val cupola above. Principal ground floor rooms with beaded timber panelling. Some original plasterwork. 6-panel timber doors.

STABLE BLOCK: Single-storey whinstone stable block with red sandstone ashlar dressings to N forming courtyard to rear of house; central high pedimented archway, now with timber slated double door. Stable door to left and window to outer left.

GARDEN WALL: Curving rubble garden wall situated to W of house with garden room to NE corner with Gothic window.

LODGE AND GATEPIERS: well-detailed, single-storey whinstone rubble lodge with overhanging gabled eaves with bargeboarding and timber pendentives. Canted window to road (S) elevation. Predominantly 8-pane glazing to timber sash and case windows. Square-plan ashlar gatepiers with chamfered angles and pyramidal caps. Decorative cast-iron gates.

Statement of Special Interest

Allerly is a fine example of a late Georgian Classical Villa and is a good example of the work of John Smith of Darnick who was employed by Sir Walter Scott at Abbotsford and who also built and extended many other houses, villas and manses for professionals in the area including the adjacent Abbotsmeadow (see separate listing).

Situated facing S on rising ground within extensive garden grounds, the house was built for the scientist Dr David Brewster, an expert in optics who invented the modern kaleidoscope and the lenticular stereoscope. Exhibiting the Classical square-plan form, the house has a single-storey extension to the E carried out in the earlier 20th century; the large conservatory style windows to the NW corner were also added at that time. The interior features a good staircase and large cupola. The lodge, stable block and garden room with its distinctive Gothic window all add to the wider interest.

References

Bibliography

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