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Summary

Description

Circa 1809 (see Notes) with alterations circa 1885 and 1892. Single storey, 3-bay, single-room summerhouse with pedimented entrance bay (W ELEVATION) and canted to rear with round-arched window, located on a promontory above the River Tweed to the N of Old Melrose House. Freestone rubble with pale ashlar dressings. Cill course; eaves course and moulded cornice. Margined quoins. Projecting lintel over doorway with ball-finial to moulded pediment above. Tall, coped wallhead stacks to N and S elevations.

INTERIOR: fine, high Victorian interior decorative scheme with timber coved ceiling (fallen in, 2009). Roll-moulded canopied chimneypiece with scrolled cast-iron ornament; tiled floor and glazed tile walls. Timber panelled shutters and window surrounds.

Statement of Special Interest

Part of a B-Group comprising: Ravenswood House; Ravenswood, North Lodge Including Gates and Railings; Ravenswood, South Lodge; Ravenswood, Stables; Ravenswood, Summerhouse.

The summerhouse at Old Melrose, part of the Ravenswood estate, is a distinctive and distinguished example of its building type. Although currently in a semi-ruinous state (2009), the structure is complete to wallhead and retains many of its architectural details including pedimented doorway, tall chimney stacks, moulded fireplace, round-arched window to rear, and much of the heavily tiled interior decorative scheme of 1885.

Stained glass was introduced to the window heads and a pair of tall chimney stacks were added by John Starforth circa 1892 and the building was comprehensively photographed by Henry Bedford Lemere in 1893 (see references).

The doorpiece contains a stone dated 1575, inscribed with the sacred monogram HIS and the initials of Robert Ormiston, who probably built a house at Old Melrose in that year. It is likely the summerhouse is predominantly constructed from stone from the earlier house, adding further to its historic interest.

The policies of Old Melrose were laid out in 1809 by Thomas White for the owner at that time, Colonel Lockhart. White's plan indicates the position of the summerhouse suggesting a probably construction date around that time. The building is positioned so that the large round-arched window would take in views of the River Tweed below (sight lines are currently obscured by tree growth, 2009).

References

Bibliography

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