Description

2-storey mansion comprised of late 17th century range to E abacked to W by mid 18th century range; early 19th century bowed addition and doorway to E. Earlier fabric incorporated and dated panels re-sited. Stugged rubble sandstone, heavily pointed, with ashlar dressings;

rusticated quoins to N; base course and cavetto cornice; chamfered arrises to some earlier openings.

E ELEVATION: early 19th century 2-storey bowed bay at centre with 3 tall windows to each floor, conical roof with ball finial; early 19th century round arched doorway to outer left with impost blocks and keystone; tripartite door with lintel ornament and decorative radial fanlight; decorative leaded glazing pattern to door panels and flanking lights. Segmental pediment panel inserted above keystone, bearing date 1643 and monogram MOC/KI. Stone mullioned bipartites inserted to outer right. 2 1st floor windows to outer left, 1 to outer right; regrettable modern dormers.

W ELEVATION: 7 bays, grouped 2-2-2-1; ground floor windows enlarged; stair windows in paired bays to right with scrolled cill brackets and Gibbsian keystones, flanking armorial dated 1682.

N ELEVATION: rectangular 2-storey, flat-roofed porch projecting off-centre to right with rusticated quoins and cornice, windows to N with oculus at ground, window to each floor on E return and door on W return; blocked opening at ground to left and at 1st floor at outer

left, flanking windows; former M-gable joined with flat- roof and with 3 attic windows.

Former service buildings adjoined to S elevation, not included in current listing.

12-pane and plate glass glazing patterns in sash and case windows. Grey slates. End stacks.

INTERIOR: 2 different levels between E and W at ground; much altered in late 19th century. 18th century stone, scale and platt staircase with barley-sugar timber balustrade and dado panelling; 19th century Jacobean oak chimneypiece, and another in later 17th century style.

Decorative plasterwork to entrance hall, corridor drawing and bowed rooms.

RETAINING WALLS AND PIERS: stugged, squared and snecked rubble sandstone with ashlar coping. Ashlar gatepiers to W with chamfered arrises and pyramidal caps. 2 sets of banded an corniced ashlar gatepiers flanking drive to NW, with rubble coped rubble walls. Corniced ashlar gateway with blocking course on roadside to SE, with

chamfered arrises and house name inscribed on lintel.

Statement of Interest

Earliest building was built as the manse for Adam Colt, Minister, from 1597, but little of this date can remain. His son, Oliver Colt, also a minister of the parish, continued the work, and included his initials and those of his wife on the dated panel (Master Oliver Colt and Katherine Logan). The armorial of 1682 belongs to Sir Robert Colt, Oliver's son. Cromwell is reputed to have stayed in the manse of this date, and a tunnel is said to have been rediscovered in 1780 containing the body of a cavalier. The service buildings to S have been considerably altered and are not included in the current listings. In the garden are the remains of a Roman bath house (see RCAHMS INVENTORY No 125).

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17808735

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

• 
  County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)
• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hampshire: South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6
• 
  Old House Handbook 2 Books Bundle Collection (Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair,Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability)
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2