Tower, Stables Court, Marchmont House, Polwarth, Scottish Borders

Description

Predominantly 17th century with later corner tower (possibly 18th century); 19th century additions and alterations; The Old Coach House added and range reconstructed by Sir Robert Lorimer circa 1915. Courtyard comprising L-plan range of single, 2- and 3-storey buildings with Stables House and squash court forming 2-storey range to NW; 2-storey former generator house linking single storey stables range to SW; 3-stage, circular-plan Gothick-detailed tower adjoined to S; separate single storey with attic, T-plan Arts and Crafts style garage with accommodation above to SE (The Old Coach House). Low rubble wall enclosing courtyard to NE.

STABLES HOUSE AND SQUASH COURT: predominantly harl-pointed sandstone rubble; cream and red sandstone dressings. Rubble quoins; long and short surrounds to openings (rake-jointed in part); some chamfered margins; flush cills. SE (COURTYARD) ELEVATION: 2-storey, 4-bay block (incorporating squash court to right) with central forestair accessing 1st floor entrance off-set to left of centre; round-arched doorway at ground. Blind elevation to squash court; chamfered angle corbelled to square to outer right. House to left with part-glazed timber door off-set to right of centre; single windows at both floors in flanking bays; corbelled to square to outer left. Single storey, 3-bay range linking Stables House and former generator house with part-glazed timber door in bay to outer left; single windows in remaining bays to right. NW (REAR) ELEVATION: 2-storey range to left with blind elevation to left of centre (squash court); single windows at both floors in 2 bays to right; chamfered angles corbelled to square to outer left and right. Timber-mullioned tripartite window in single storey linking range recessed to right. 3-bay former generator house to outer right. NE (SIDE) ELEVATION: timber door at ground; clock face aligned above; ball-finialled bellcote surmounting gablehead. Timber sash and case windows; large rooflights to squash court. Grey slate roofs; sandstone ridging; crowstepped skews; moulded skewputts. Coped sandstone stack; circular cans. Cast-iron rainwater goods. INTERIOR: not seen 1998.

FORMER GENERATOR HOUSE: squared and snecked tooled sandstone rubble; sandstone ashlar dressings. Ashlar quoins; long and short surrounds to openings; flush cills. NW (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: part-glazed boarded timber door centred at ground; flanking single windows; decorative pediment surmounting single window centred at 1st floor; forestair recessed to outer right. SW (SIDE) ELEVATION: single window at ground to right; forestair to left (corbelled to square); finialled pediment surmounting part-glazed timber door breaking eaves at 1st floor off-set to right of centre. Single storey stable range adjoined to outer right. 6- and 12-pane glazing in timber sash and case windows. Grey slate roof; crowstepped skews; moulded skewputts. Cast-iron rainwater goods. INTERIOR: not seen 1998.

STABLES: heavily-pointed sandstone rubble; predominantly droved sandstone dressings. Rubble quoins; long and short surrounds to openings; flush cills. NE (COURTYARD) ELEVATION: originally 9-bay. Part-blocked, originally 2-leaf, round-arched carriage opening off-set to left of centre; single windows in flanking bays; blocked openings in subsequent bays to left and right. 4-bay range to right with blocked doorway off-set to left of centre; single windows in remaining bays to left and right. SW (REAR) ELEVATION: 8-bay. Square-headed openings in 3 bays to left of centre. Part-blocked, round-arched carriage opening off-set to right of centre; blocked single windows in remaining bays to left and right; 2-leaf boarded timber door to piended wallhead dormer to outer right. Windows missing 1998; small rooflights. Grey slate roof; stone ridging; cast-iron rainwater goods. Coped brick ridge stack.; cans missing. INTERIOR: not seen 1998.

TOWER: heavily-pointed sandstone rubble; ashlar dressings. Raised base course; moulded string courses dividing floors; corbelled eaves; crenellated parapet; chamfered margins to pointed-arched openings. SE (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: boarded timber door centred at ground; Y-traceried fanlight; single windows at both floors aligned above. NE (SIDE) ELEVATION: single windows at all floors (part blocked at ground and 1st floors). SW (SIDE) ELEVATION: single windows at all floors. Y-traceried upper, timber sash and case windows. Grey slate conical cap. INTERIOR: not seen 1998.

THE OLD COACH HOUSE: probably Sir Robert Lorimer, circa 1915. Harl-pointed, squared and snecked cream sandstone rubble; sandstone dressings (rake-jointed in part). Overhanging bell-cast eaves; droved quoins; droved long and short surrounds to openings; flush cills. SE (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: 6-bay front. 2-bay wing advanced at centre with steeply pitched piended roof breaking eaves; part-glazed boarded timber door at ground to right; small window to left; timber-mullioned bipartite dormer centred above. Single windows in remaining bays recessed to outer left and right; timber-mullioned bipartite dormers set between. NW (REAR) ELEVATION: 6-bay. Square-headed modern garage doors in each bay; regularly spaced concrete cantilevers above (roof missing); piended bipartite dormer at centre. Timber sash and case windows at ground; timber casement windows in dormers. Grey slate roof; stone ridging; cast-iron rainwater goods. Coped sandstone stacks; circular cans. INTERIOR: not seen 1998.

SETTED YARD: remains in part. Rubble-coped, rubble wall incorporating small gabled shed encloses yard to NE.

Statement of Interest

B Group comprises Marchmont House, Adam Bridge, the Cottages near the Remains of Redbraes Castle, the Dovecot, Gamekeeper's Cottage, Ice House, The Kennel House, 1 & 2 Marchmont Estate Cottages, Redbraes, Stable Courtyard and the Walled Garden (see separate list entries). An interesting group of buildings set to the SE of Marchmont House, said to mark the site of Redbraes Castle - the ruined remains of which can still be seen to the N. The range was reconstructed by Sir Robert Lorimer around the same time as he remodelled Marchmont House for its then owner, Robert Finnie McEwen (1914-1920). The Lorimer work here makes strong reference to John Kinross' earlier stable designs for Altyre and Ingleston, exhibited at the RSA. The Old Coach House appears to be by Lorimer, as does the nearby, similarly detailed Redbraes (Marchmont's former laundry). Stables House occupied 1998; remainder empty/for sale June 1998.

External Links

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