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Summary

Description

W R Lethaby, dated 1902. Substantial extension to and remodelling of former croft. 2-storey L-plan main block with smaller single storey orignal range incorporated at S end of S wing. Arts and Crafts house with crowstepped gables, wide low 1st floor windows at eaves and distinctive chimney stacks with deep coping slighly tapered above band course to main block. Harled with stone dressings. Overhanging eaves to main block. Stone cills extended slightly to either side of windows. Coped gable to earlier block.

N (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: 4-bay. Entrance with gabled rectangular-plan porch to left of centre (diamond-shaped plaque to gable carved with date '1902' and initial 'M'); entrance set back with panelled part-glazed timber door. Small flanking windows; wide low window above. Windows to each floor to flanking bays (those to 1st floor low/wide). Window to outer right bay to ground floor.

S ELEVATION: 9-bay. Gable end of S wing projects to outer left. Narrow window to left of single storey original range; 4 windows (grouped 1-3) to right return. Gable end of S wing of main block set back; 2-bay right return; 2 small windows to left of ground floor; one to right; low wide window to each bay to 1st floor. 8-bay section set back to right. Gabled bay to centre; entrance with glazed 2-leaf timber door to ground floor; breaking eaves dormer above; carved rectangular plaque to gable. Window to each floor to flanking bays (4 to left, grouped 2-2; 3 to right, grouped 2-1); those to 1st floor low and wide, apart from 2 narrower ones (to central bays to left).

E ELEVATION: central window to each floor of gable end.

W ELEVATION: gable end projects slightly to outer right; window to each floor. 3 service entrances set back slightly to right of S wing of main block; 2 to left with boarded timber doors; 2 to right with 4-light rectangular fanlights. Low wide window above that to centre. Stair window to left. Single storey original range adjoins to right. Projecting gabled bay/porch to left of centre; central window; entrance with boarded timber door to right of right return. Narrow window set back to right.

Mainly 12-pane timber sash and case windows and 8-pane casements. Stone (Caithness) slate roof. 3 ridge stacks and one gablehead stack to main block; all with with deep coping slightly tapered towards apex above band course; round cans.

INTERIOR: good interior with chimney-pieces. Plasterwork cast from moulds used at Melsetter House, although less elaborate.

GARDEN WALL: coursed rubble wall with rubble coping encloses garden area to SE of house. Pair of square-plan gatepiers with slab coping immediately to E.

OUTBUILDINGS TO SW: small single storey, rectangular-plan outhouse (originally containing store rooms) immediately to W of 2-storey rear wing. Coursed rubble with stone slate roof. Entrances to N and S gable ends; one to right of E elevation; all with boarded timber doors. Window to right of E elevation. 3 windows to W elevation. Larger outbuilding with loft to SW; rectangular-plan with small outshot with catslide roof to outer left of E elevation. Formerly stable/coach house. Coursed rubble with stone slate roof. Large entrance with plain 2-leaf timber door to right of E elevation; window to left. Entrance to right return of outshot to left. Entrance to right of W elevation; timber door with glazed diamond-shaped panel; flanking windows (that to right small); large entrance with sliding timber door to left. Loft door to N gable end. Entrance to outshot to right of S gable end.

Statement of Special Interest

A very fine house incorporating vernacular and free Arts and Crafts features by one of the most prominent exponents and promoters of the Arts and Crafts movement. The distinctive chimney stacks with their deep tapered/stepped coping and the low wide attic windows are very much of his style and are found on other buildings of his at Melsetter, e.g. the former factor's house (now The Estate Office) (see separate list descriptions). Lethaby worked on a number of buildings in the parish for Thomas Middlemore, a Birmingham industrialist, who purchased the estate of Melsetter (at that time including the entire island of Hoy) in 1898. Lethaby made every effort to ensure that his buildings were in keeping with the local landscape and traditions and often, as here, incorporated earlier structures into his designs. Rysa Lodge was built for Middlemore as a lodge for guests who wished to go shooting. Only the original croft appears on the 2nd Edition OS Map of 1902.

References

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