Description

James Brewster, dated 1838. Large Italianate residential institution with 3-storey, 5-bay central block and 4-storey towers and extensive, symmetrical 2-storey wings. Stugged sandstone ashlar to front elevations, squared and snecked to rear. Deep rusticated base course and ground floor cill band course.

S(PRINCIPAL ELEVATION: entrance block; oversize pilastered, bracketed and corniced doorpiece forming porch with round-arch doorway set within, keystone dated 1838. Radiating fanlight with opening central pane and 2-leaf panelled doors. Stone-mullioned tripartites at 1st and 2nd floors above. 2 bays flanking with round-arch windows at ground, those at 1st floor with deep bracketed hoodmoulds. Blocked round-arch tripartites at 4th floor of towers. Flanking, symmetrical 2-storey wings; single bay with round-arch window at ground, projecting gabled section with paired windows, those at 1st floor with round-arches. Piended roof section terminating elevation set-back with paired round-arch windows at 1st floor and later flat-roofed ground floor addition beneath.

E ELEVATION: N facing return of gabled section to left, 3 bays with door at 1st floor, later ground floor addition and steel fire escape beneath. 5-bay piended roof wing to right with 4-light canted window to left at ground.

W ELEVATION: mirror image of E elevation but without fire escape.

N ELEVATION: asymmetrical. 2-storey pitched roof section running E-W and forming part of main central block. Piended roof wings to right and left forming U-plan with main block with various gabled and piended, 1 and 2-storey, projections and wings set within. Pitched roof single storey, 3-bay wing to centre with canted projection on gable end extends to N.

Timber sash and case windows, plate glass. A multiplicity of grey slate roofs, those to front and to principal blocks with deep overhanging eaves and painted timbers. Finials terminating ridges of piended sections. Corniced ashlar stacks with polygonal cans to main block and at wall heads of piended wings to E and W.

INTERIOR: generally mid and late 20th century interior arrangements.

BOUNDARY WALLS, GATEPIERS, GATES AND RAILINGS: low, coped ashlar walls to (S) terminated by capped square section piers, with 4 similar gatepiers and cast-iron gates aligned with entrance front. Rubble stone walls with brick coping enclosing gardens to N, E and W.

Statement of Interest

Originally built as a poorhouse by local benefactor Mr Dorward, it later became an orphanage and since the 2nd World War it has been a home for the elderly.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17780517

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

• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Sheffield and the South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  For the Record
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)