Description

Circa 1785. Row of six single-storey, 3-bay limewashed weavers cottages, three to right with gabled timber porches. Harled rubble with freestone dressings. Some openings enlarged. Canted bay addition to far left (Birkenbush). Variety of rendered brick, stone and timber single-storey additions and dormers to rear (predominantly late 20th century).

Variety of 19th century traditional glazing patterns to timber sash and case windows. Grey slate. Ridge stacks with clay cans. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIORS: variously altered but broadly characterised by original layout to ground with kitchen and former workroom flanking a through passage opening off the front door.

Statement of Interest

part of a B Group comprising: Row of 6 Cottages (Ferndale, Houlet, Amulree, Finlaggan, Blinkieknowe, Birkenbush); Carlops, Row of 3 Cottages (Ashley, The Biggin, Weavers); Carlops, Carlops Church; Carlops, Pentland and Elphinstone; Carlops, Allan Ramsay Hotel; Carlops, Row of 4 Cottages (Springbank, Carberry, Langskaill, Jess (see separate listings).

This linear run of 6 single-storey cottages, built to house cotton-weavers, are good representatives of their traditional building type. Set close to the roadside, they substantially retain their original scale, massing and traditional glazing patterns to street elevation, all adding significantly to the essential character of the village of Carlops which is largely defined by this building type. Their value is increased by contextual association with the buildings in the above grouping.

The ground floor plan-form of each cottage is identical, with kitchen and workroom flanking a through-passage opening off the front door. Both rooms to ground floor would have been fitted with box beds and wide lintelled sandstone fireplaces projecting on rounded corbels in the kitchen although none now survive. The partition walls of some of the cottages are constructed from solid timber frames with rubble infill.

The village was established in 1784 by Robert Brown, the laird of Newhall, who layed out linear rows of cottages on each side of the main Edinburgh to Biggar road. As the textile industry declined towards the end of the 19th century, the picturesque village found a new role as a health resort for summer visitors from Edinburgh and remains a centre for day visitors and Pentland Hill walkers. The village retains its traditional character due in part to the linear nature of the surrounding geography.

List description updated at resurvey (2010).

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17842086

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.

Recommended Books

• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• 
  Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990