Description

Mid 19th century, possibly re-fronted later 19th century. Single storey 3-bay cottage. Squared and stugged coursed pink sandstone with red ashlar dressings. Inscribed stone panel to right of door (see Notes). Tabbed openings; long and short quoins to right. Cast-iron lights to roof.

Plate glass in timber sash and case windows. Corniced end stacks with octagonal and circular cans. Grey slate roof. Saw-toothed skews.

ANCILLARY BUILDINGS: red sandstone pump housing adjoining retaining wall to rear; recess with copper boiler. Curved stone steps leading to slated pitch-roofed stone building with finialled gable and saw-toothed skews (see Notes). Small slated, pitch-roofed stone building (former piggery) with plain stone skew; slated brick privy adjoining.

INTERIOR: enclosures for box beds. Stone cantilevered stair to attic.

Statement of Interest

Listed for historical interest and for the unusually intact interior and the survival of ancillary features such as the pump housing and the piggery. Stone panel inscribed 'In this house Joseph Thomson the Explorer was born on the 14th of February 1858.' After studying at the University of Edinburgh Thomson explored routes in Kenya and Tanzania, in Nigeria and in

Morocco; Thomson's Gazelle is named after him. Thomson's father was a stone mason, and the stone detailing of the cottage is of unusually high quality. The stone building adjoining to rear is said to have housed the arms of the local militia and still contains the racks which housed these (unseen 2002). Up-graded C(S) to B March 2002.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17792302

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

• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)