Description

Dated 1792. 2-storey, 9-bay, gabled hotel prominently sited at the heart of Carlops village. 5-bay section to left with dated, pedimented doorway with scrolled brackets to centre; further 4-bay addition extends to right with stone forestair rising to door at 1st floor. Stugged pale sandstone ashlar with smooth ashlar dressings.

Predominantly 4-pane glazing to timber sash and case windows. Grey slate. Ridge and end stacks with clay cans. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

Statement of Interest

part of a B Group comprising: Row of 6 Cottages (Ferndale, Houlet, Amulree, Finlaggan, Blinkieknowe, Birkenbush); Carlops, Row of 3 Cottages (Ashley, The Biggin, Weavers); Carlops, Carlops Church; Carlops, Pentland and Elphinstone; Carlops, Allan Ramsay Hotel; Carlops, Row of 4 Cottages (Springbank, Carberry, Langskaill, Jess (see separate listings).

A prominent landmark on the Edinburgh to Biggar road and a good example of a late 18th century traditional building. The pedimented doorpiece and stone forestair characterise the external appearance of the building which may have originated as a wool store and base for the organisation of the handloom weaving industry within the village. It has been an inn since at least the middle of the 19th century following the decline of the textile business in the area.

Due to its picturesque qualities and relatively close proximity to Edinburgh, the village found a new role as a health resort for summer visitors. An advertisement for the Allan Ramsay Hotel in 1880 notes Mrs Veitch as the 'proprietrix' and the hotel boasting two halls, posting, stabling, garaging and motor char-a-bancs twice daily in season from Edinburgh. The Hotel is named after the 18th Century poet whose 'The Gentle Shepherd' featured the surrounding North Esk scenery.

The existing village of Carlops was founded in 1784, when Robert Brown, the laird of Newhall, began to establish a cotton-weaving industry there, laying out linear rows of weavers cottages on each side of the main Edinburgh to Biggar road. As the textile industry declined towards the end of the 19th century, the picturesque village found a new role as a health resort for summer visitors from Edinburgh and remains a centre for day visitors and Pentland Hill walkers.

The village is predominantly characterised by its rows of single storey former cotton-weavers cottages and largely retains its traditional character due in part to its linear geography.

List description updated at resurvey (2010).

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17842322

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

• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
• 
  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)