Description

John Henderson, 1842-4, extended late 19th century (possibly 1897) and 20th century. 2-storey gabled Tudor style manse converted to residential home for elderly. Dominant full-height stack with incised cross, buttressed angles. Squared and snecked rubble, polished and droved ashlar, long and short quoins; hoodmoulds, chamfered arrises and stone mullions.

E (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: projecting single storey pointed-arch entrance at centre crossing gabled bay to left, with deep-set wide panelled door and glazed fanlight below hoodmould with label-stops, narrow window on return to right; window with hoodmould and label-stop to right and dry-dashed extension to outer right; gabled bay to left with narrow window with hoodmould and diamond label-stops in slightly advanced stack with raked batter to left and angled buttress to outer left. 1st floor with small window at centre, window to right with gabled dormerhead breaking eaves and blind oculus in gablehead; incised cross with hoodmould in 2nd stage of advanced stack on gable to left of centre.

S ELEVATION: advanced gable at centre with tripartite window with hoodmould and diamond label-stops at ground, clasping 2-stage buttresses to flanking angles and window with hoodmould in recessed face to right; 1st floor with window with hoodmould in advanced gable, window to right with dormerhead breaking eaves and blind oculus in gablehead, and window on return to left. Lower, recessed 19th century extension to left with window to right and tiny window to left, 1st floor with window to right with dormerhead breaking eaves, window to left also with dormerhead breaking eaves but altered to incorporate 20th century extension.

N ELEVATION: largely obscured by 20th century addition. 19th century extension to outer right with window at both floors and further 20th century addition clasping outer corner.

8-, 12- and 16-pane and plate glass glazing pattern in timber sash and case windows. Graded grey slates. Coped ashlar skews and ashlar coped shouldered stacks with moulded cans. Cast-iron downpipes with moulded gutters and decorative brackets.

INTERIOR: entrance vestibule with decorative floor tiles and dado rail; some decorative cornicing, window shutters and bar sash lifts. Variety of moulded timber and marble fireplaces, 1 with Art Nouveau tile slips, maids room in 19th century extension with decorative cast-iron fireplace and tile slips. Spiral stair with decorative cast-iron balusters and timber handrail.

STABLES/GIG HOUSE AND BOUNDARY WALL: heavily dressed stone stables and gig house with droved long and short quoins with wide timber door to right of centre and further timber door to outer right, small window to left and timber door to outer left, gabled dormer opening above (hayloft) with new timber door; adjoining extension at left corner.

Statement of Interest

Built as the Parish Church manse and known as Little Dene, the house was supplied by the railway company who purchased the old manse (probably William Burn's Forth Hotel in Forth Place) to allow for redevelopment due to expansion of the railway. Rev Fraser says, "the former manse of the parish was a plain but commodious building, which stood to the west of the Church in the vicinity of the harbour; a few years since the construction of the new pier rendered another manse requisite. The building (...) was therefore erected, and in its external appearance it presents a most favourable example of what the minister's residence ought to be, and is highly creditable to the good taste of the heritors".

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q56628536

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

• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East: Norwich and North-east v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hampshire: South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)