Description

Thomas Hamilton, 1831. 2-storey and basement, 3-bay, rectangular-plan classical villa with imposing Doric portico and overhanging eaves. Squared coursed tooled stone. Ashlar base course, band course and eaves course. Raised and chamfered ashlar window margins, long and short surrounds to openings, raised ashlar vertical margins.

NE (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: symmetrical elevation. Single storey raised portico to central entrance bay; 3 steps to raised platform, paired Doric columns and pilasters supporting corniced entablature, door set back. Flanking near full height windows at ground (left window blind) with sloping hoodmoulds supported by stylised console brackets with drop pendants. 1st floor windows with panelled aprons, arranged above openings below (left window blind).

SE (GARDEN) ELEVATION: symmetrical 3-storey, 4-bay elevation with windows at each bay. Evenly spaced basement windows; (left window blind), iron bars to remaining. Piano Nobile windows with hoodmoulds as NE elevation. 1st floor windows with panelled aprons.

SW ELEVATION: double height bowed window to 3rd bay at basement and ground floor. Basement; door to left, window to centre, window to bowed 3rd bay, iron bars to windows. Ground floor window to left and centre, 3 Piano Nobile windows to bow. 3 evenly spaced windows at 1st floor arranged above ground floor windows, (right window blind).

NW ELEVATION: basement well to left; window to centre, door to right. Modern lean-to to off-centre right, inserted window to far left at ground floor. Single bay, stugged ashlar, flat roofed outshot to far right. Tall, centred rectangular 1st floor stair window, small inserted window to upper left.

Timber panelled door with inserted upper glass panels, 8-pane letterbox fanlight. Predominantly 12-pane timber sash and case windows. Overhanging eaves with exposed brackets, piended roof, grey slate, central platform with square cluster of 16 polygonal stone cans.

INTERIOR: pilasters and cornicing to vestibule, stone flag floor, narrow arched roof to corridor leading to main hall. Panelled architraves to doorways with carved roundels to upper corners, timber panelled doors. Drawing room; original white marble fireplace, large bow window to SW, detailed cornice, anthemion and honeysuckle motif. Dining room; original black marble fireplace, detailed cornice, rinceau motif. Wide dogleg stair to central hall rising to 1st floor, painted cast-iron decorative balusters with timber handrail. Geometric stair window with coloured glass.

BOUNDARY WALLS: random rubble walls enclosing house and grounds.

Statement of Interest

NOTES: Previously listed as Seabank Hotel. The house is attributed to Thomas Hamilton and is in the vein of the bold classical manner he favoured in the 1830s. Hamilton had already visited Aberdour in 1826 when he was asked by the Earl of Morton to design a steeple for the local parish church on the High Street, (now the church hall, 2002, see separate listing), the steeple was never executed. Seabank House was built as the dower house to nearby Fordell Castle for the Henderson family. It is one of the largest and most impressive houses in Aberdour and dominates the shoreline with its prominent position and monumental appearance. The 1841 census records that a Miss Henderson was in residence with 9 servants in attendance, one of whom was a footman. The house became disassociated with the Henderson family in the mid 19th century. During the late 19th and part of the 20th century the house was a hotel offering accommodation to the large number of tourists who came to Aberdour, the stretch of shoreline running immediately to the SE ensured its popularity. The house is now owned privately, (2002).

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17575171

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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