Description

Circa 1710. 2-storey 3-bay house with single storey
wings and porch added later. Harled with painted ashlar
dressings; chamfered arrises.
N ELEVATION: gabled ashlar and harl porch at centre;
2-leaf panelled doors; windows in flanking bays and to
each bay at 1st floor. Slightly recessed outer wings,
each with window, flat roof to W wing, piend roof to E.
S ELEVATION: door at centre; windows in flanking bays
and each 1st floor bay. Modern conservatory addition to
W wing, door and window to E wing.
E AND W ELEVATIONS: single storey wings abutting
retaining walls at ground, with door and small window in
E wing; curvilinear gables with ashlar coping and
scrolled skewputts; 2 1st floor windows to W gable, and
attic window to both.
12-pane glazing pattern to sash and case windows. Grey
slates, swept eaves; slate hung swept dormers to S,
added circa 1950, with casement windows; skylight to
both pitches. Corniced end stacks with cans retained.
INTERIOR: stone scale and platt stair with wrought-iron
balustrade to upper sections; ashlar door surround with
chamfered arrises at foot of stair. 18th century dado
panelling; decorative plaster cornices.
RETAINING WALLS, GATEPIERS AND GATES: rubble walls
retaining island site, with stretches of ashlar coping;
ashlar gatepiers. Wrought- and cast-iron gates with
simple overthrow bearing lamp bracket.

Statement of Interest

Built by Alexander Weir, Edinburgh lawyer, on site of

former cottage of Musselburgh's town herd, hence the

name. Owned by the Handyside family in the 19th century,

who also owned the single storey cottages to the NW, and

who probably added the billiard room, since replaced by

the conservatory on the S elevation. The house was

flatted during this century, but was restored as one

after 1958. The stable block enclosing the garden to E,

and linking Crookston Road, is now in separate

ownership.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17808923

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

• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of History Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)