Description

Circa 1903. Interesting Free-style Edwardian villa, with mock half-timbering, stylised Gibbsean doorpiece, timber verandah and balcony, and V-section oriel windows on timber brackets. 2-storey and attic, stepped asymmetrical plan. Harled and painted with contrasting ashlar dressings. Deep rock-faced rubble base course. Long and short quoins. Keystoned and voussoired Venetian window. Stone mullions.

S (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: recessed gable to left of centre with doorpiece set diagonally in SW re-entrant angle, comprising doorpiece with 2-leaf part-glazed timber doors with vertically-boarded lower panels and decoratively-glazed oval upper panels and flat-roofed, decoratively-glazed, canted window above; single windows to outer left at ground and 1st floors, and 4-light V-section oriel window to centre of gablehead above. 3-bay advanced gable at right with tall bipartite window to left at ground and small broad tripartite above.

W ELEVATION: timber verandah at ground comprising 4-light bow-window within at right and 6-light near rectangular-plan window with V-section centre lights, advanced in bay at outer left. 1st floor with full-width timber balcony incorporating decoratively-turned balusters, irregular fenestration within under swept slated roof, and Venetian window at outer left.

E ELEVATION: variety of elements to gabled 5-bay elevation including V-section windows to gableheads.

INTERIOR: not seen 2005. Almost complete, including high quality panelling and beamed ceilings.

Variety of small-paned timber sash and case, and casement windows. Grey slates with terracotta ridge. Coped, whitewashed stacks with cans. Plain timber bargeboarding with exposed rafter ends.

SUMMERHOUSE: not seen 2005. Timber summerhouse with door and 3 windows.

BOUNDARY WALLS AND GATEPIERS: semicircular-coped rubble boundary walls with ball-finialled square-section ashlar gatepiers.

Statement of Interest

The interest of this finely-detailed period design villa is enhanced by the unusual appearance of mock half-timbering, a rarity in Stonehaven. It is set within fine elevated grounds high above the Cowie Water. The Hermitage was built for David Greig and the Misses Elizabeth and Jane Greig. Greig the baker (a bachelor) was Provost from 1913-21. The house was known locally as 'Scone Palace' owing to the nature of the family business.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17779409

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

• 
  Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments