Description

Late 18th to early 19th century; possibly George Fortune, architect, Duns, alterations and embellishments 1894. Asymmetrical single storey, single storey with attic and 2 storey, 4-bay former estate dwelling with later lean-to addition recessed to outer left. Harled; sandstone ashlar dressings (droved in part). Crowstepped gables; rounded angles; stop-chamfered sandstone margins; flush sandstone cills.

NE (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: central 2-bay gabled wing comprising boarded and studded timber door in bay to right; decorative iron hinges; 2-pane fanlight; architraved and corniced surround with ?A.S A.D 1894 I.F.L? embossed in lintel. Single window at ground in bay to left; crowstepped gabled wallhead dormer with scrolled beak skewputts to attic above. Lower, gabled single storey wing slightly recessed to left with single window off-set to right of centre; later lean-to addition recessed to outer left. 2-storey piend-roofed wing slightly advanced to outer right with stone mullioned bipartite window at ground; window aligned at 1st floor; engaged square-plan sundial on S corner with carved motifs and metal gnomons.

NW (SIDE) ELEVATION: stone mullioned bipartite window at ground; single window aligned at 1st floor.

Lying-pane timber sash and case window to central block; 6-, 10- and 15-pane glazing in remaining timber sash and case windows (4-pane upper, 2-pane lower timber sash and case window to single storey wing). Graded grey slate roofs; crowstepped skews; beak skewputts; sandstone ridging. Cast-iron rainwater goods. Rendered apex stack to central block; corbelled wallhead stack to rear 2-storey block; circular cans throughout.

INTERIOR: not seen 1997.

Statement of Interest

A well detailed lodge with the majority of its original features still intact - the sundial, crowstepped gables and corniced doorpiece being particularly noteworthy. The initials A.S and I.F.L stand for Andrew Smith (who purchased the nearby Whitchester House and its surrounding estate in 1878) and his wife, Ida Frances Landale. At one time known as 'Forester's House' and depicted in Smith's book of plans (see above) it is thought that the book?s draughtsman and local architect, George Fortune, may have been responsible for changes made to the cottage in the late 19th century - these presumably including the crowstepped gables and skewputted dormer. Fortune's elevations on these plans however, differ slightly from the present built form - his 2-storey tower being surmounted by a crenellated parapet, and not by a plain piended roof. As Fortune's drawing is dated 1901 and the late 19th century embellishments are dated 1894, it may be that the crenellated parapet was built, but subsequently replaced by that which remains today. Both Woodside Cottage and Ellem Old Inn opposite, are today owned by the health care service, Care For Mission, the headquarters of which are based at the nearby Ellem Lodge (see separate list entry). All three properties are contained within the boundaries of the designed landscape at Whitchester (see INVENTORY).

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q56618220

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

• 
  The Victorian House Manual (2nd Edition): How They Were Built, Improvements & Refurbishment, Solutions to All Common Defects - Includes Relevant ... ... Properties (Haynes Manual) (Haynes Manuals)
• 
  County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hampshire: South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)