North West Range, Steading, Manse, Polwarth Church, Polwarth, Scottish Borders

Description

Possibly later 18th century in origin with substantial earlier 19th century additions and alterations; further additions at rear. 2-storey, 5-bay classical former manse (grouped 2-1-2) with shallow bows and single storey, single bay flanking pavilions; 2-storey range centred at rear forming near T-plan; various single storey additions. Coursed cream sandstone ashlar to front and sides; channelled at ground to front; harl-pointed rubble sandstone at rear with tooled rubble dressings. Raised base course to front; raised string course; corniced eaves to front and sides; parapets to flanking pavilions; panelled aprons beneath windows; corniced surrounds at 1st floor; narrow side-lights to tripartites. Rubble quoins and long and short surrounds to rear; projecting cills. Single storey, U-plan steading to NW forming rear courtyard. Walled garden to SW. Bridge and gatepiers to NE.

MANSE, SE (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: symmetrical front comprising timber panelled door centred at ground; border-glazed fanlight; doorpiece with engaged, fluted columns, plain frieze, heavy cornice; tripartite window aligned at 1st floor (narrow side lights with painted imitation glazing). Full-height, 2-bay flanking bows with single windows in all bays at both floors (painted imitation glazing in outer bays at 1st floor). Tripartite windows centred in single storey pavilions recessed to outer left and right.

SW (SIDE) ELEVATION: 2-storey, 2-bay house with painted imitation windows at both floors in bay to outer right; projecting single storey pavilion adjoined at ground to left (later facade protrudes to right); single window at 1st floor. 2-storey, 2-bay wing recessed to outer left with single window at ground off-set to right of centre; single windows in both bays at 1st floor.

NW (REAR) ELEVATION: 2-storey wing projecting at centre with single window centred at ground. Small-paned door in bay recessed to right; 6-pane fanlight; bowed projection in re-entrant angle to right; single storey piended pavilion advanced to outer right with lean-to addition off-set to right. Single storey additions recessed to left of centre; single window at 1st floor. Single storey, 2-bay piended range adjoining taller pavilion to outer left.

NE (SIDE) ELEVATION: 2-storey, 2-bay house with painted imitation windows at both floors in bay to outer left; projecting single storey pavilion adjoined at ground to right (later facade protrudes to left); single window at 1st floor. Lower single storey range adjoining pavilion to right. 2-storey, 2-bay wing recessed to outer right with modern tripartite window at ground to left; single storey addition to right; single windows in both bays at 1st floor.

Predominantly 12-pane glazing in timber sash and case windows. Grey slate piended roofs; cast-iron rainwater goods. Corniced ashlar ridge stacks centred in main block; tall, stepped ridge and apex stacks to left and right pavilions respectively; later brick-built ridge stack to rear wing; predominantly circular cans.

INTERIOR: vestibule with patterned tile floor; 2-leaf, part-glazed timber panelled inner doors. Stair with timber treads, decorative iron uprights, timber handrail. Ground floor cornices adorned with foliate, egg-and-dart and key pattern motifs. Remainder not seen 1998.

STEADING: harl-pointed red rubble sandstone; tooled rubble dressings. Droved quoins; long and short surrounds to openings. NW RANGE, SE (COURTYARD) ELEVATION: 4-bay. Modern, small-paned tripartite door in bay off-set to left of centre; boarded timber door in bay off-set to right; single windows in outer bays. Gabled ranges projecting to outer left and right with boarded timber doors centred at ground; square-headed pigeon opening beneath apex to left; gablehead stack to right. NW (REAR) ELEVATION: piended wallhead dormer off-set to left of centre (blocked); 2 stable doors off-set to right; small opening set between. NE RANGE, SW (COURTYARD) ELEVATION: part-ventilated window to outer right. NE (REAR) ELEVATION: 2-bay. 2-leaf, segmental-arched, boarded timber cartshed door in bay to left. Part-glazed, 2-leaf, square-headed, boarded timber door to right. SW RANGE, NE (COURTYARD) ELEVATION: 3-bay. Boarded timber doors in 2 bays to right; single window in bay to left. SW (REAR) ELEVATION: small opening at centre. Small-pane timber casement glazing; small rooflights. Grey slate piended roofs; stone ridging; cast-iron rainwater goods. INTERIORS: stables and byres with cobbled floors; rubble walls (whitewashed in part); open timber roofs; predominantly modern stalls. Remainder not seen 1998.

WALLED GARDEN, SUNDIAL AND GARDEN WALLS: coped, harl-pointed rubble walls enclosing near square-plan walled garden to SW of house (lower wall to SE). Square-plan sundial dated 1786 (?) set within. Heavily pointed rubble terrace wall forming ha-ha to front of house; stone steps linking upper and lower levels.

BRIDGE AND GATEPIERS: heavily-pointed, red rubble sandstone bridge forming part of drive, spanning Kirk Burn. Squared rubble coping; small round-arched openings. Square-plan, coursed red sandstone droved gatepiers adjoining bridge with chamfered angles; shallow pyramidal caps; gates missing.

Statement of Interest

An impressive, well-detailed former manse, prominently sited to the NW of Polwarth Church (see separate list entry). The 1845 STATISTICAL ACCOUNT refers to the building as "...an old house with additions, part of which were made at the expense of the present incumbent." The most obvious of these additions was the creation of a classical facade, enveloping the older structure and in places, particularly from the sides, appearing 'stuck on'. On a visit to Polwarth in 1852, the Berwickshire Naturalists saw nothing on their walk from Polwarth to the church "...but a manse out of place, and out of proportion to the living." Differing in colour from the bowed facade, the heavy columnar doorpiece is not thought to be its contemporary. The walled garden, U-plan steading, ha-ha, bridge and gatepiers help further the significance of the site.

External Links

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