Description

1771. 2-storey and dormerless attic, 5-bay classical house with Roman Doric-columned doorcase. Squared and coursed rubble with raised ashlar margins and quoin strips; harl to rear. Moulded eaves cornice. Elliptical-arched pend entrance (converted), and pointed-arch attic window.

SW (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: doorcase with deep cavetto splay and 2-leaf panelled timber door with plate glass fanlight to centre, windows to flanking bays at each floor, those to 1st floor taller; blank attic wall above (see Interior) with 2 modern rooflights to left.

SE ELEVATION: window to right of centre at ground and broad arch (former cart entrance) to outer right; windows off centre right and to outer right at 1st floor, and to centre and outer left (tiny) at attic; small pointed-arch window above abutting broad gablehead stack.

SW (WEST QUALITY STREET) ELEVATION: advanced, harled wall of restaurant entrance at ground; windows to left at 1st floor and to centre at attic.

NE ELEVATION: swept roof over projecting bay to left (former covered carriage entrance) adjoining single storey extension. Low extension of Masonic Hall (listed separately) abutting at ground right; recessed face with window at 1st floor and elliptical-arched dormer windowhead breaking eaves above.

4- and 12-pane glazing patterns in timber sash and case windows. Graded grey slates. Cavetto-coped, panelled ashlar stacks with full complement of cans; ashlar-coped skews.

INTERIOR: decorative plasterwork cornicing to 1st floor, plain to ground; panelled shutters. Dogleg staircase with timber balusters (2 per tread) and handrail; Doric column with abacus to 1st floor landing. 1st floor drawing room with keystoned niche with scalloped shelves; fireplace with panelled pilasters, fluted frieze and dentilled cornice; dado and picture rails. Attic floor with good exposed timbers; fireplace with cast-iron register grate.

BOUNDARY WALLS, GATEPIERS AND GATES: high harled and rubble boundary walls. SW (Rectory Lane) quadrant gateway, early 19th century, with base course, square-section ashlar outer piers and pilastered entrance with stone lintel (moulded?) and 2-leaf boarded timber doors with decorative iron hinges.

Statement of Interest

Built by James Reddie, merchant, after purchasing the land from James Scott Weaver in 1771, the house was occupied by both James and John Reddie, his nephew, in 1804. Becoming the property of George Beveridge, shipowner, in 1820, it was sold to the Earl of Rosslyn in 1857, and provided housing for a succession of ministers. It was purchased in 1950 by the then resident, Catherine Henderson, who ran a washing house until 1966 when Andrew Cunningham converted it to a restaurant. Thornton Shiells of Shiells & Thomson drew plans (now lost) of Rectory House in 1870. The land, given to the clergy of nearby St Serf's before the Reformation, was itself known as the Rectory.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17806883

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
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  For the Record
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)