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Summary

Description

Early 19th century with later additions. Single storey, 2- and 3-bay, row of traditional cottages with single and bipartite windows; later extensions and boxed and piended dormer windows to rear. Steeply sloped garden ground to rear. Painted rendered rubble stonework; mixture of droved sandstone and concrete margins. Nos. 1, 3, 5 and 9: 2-bay with bipartite mullioned windows. Nos. 7 and 11: 3-bay, centre door flanked by single windows. Plain W gable with window to right and gateway in adjoining boundary wall surrounding gardens to rear.

2- and 4-pane timber sash and case windows and panelled timber doors with fanlights to Nos. 7 and 11. Later 20th century 4-pane timber sash and case windows and part-glazed doors to Nos. 1, 3, 5 and 9. Some stone skews and square plain ridge stacks with circular clay cans; small grey slates; cast-iron and aluminium rainwater goods.

Statement of Special Interest

Tea Street lies at the heart of the Old Town of Galashiels near the Market Cross where the settlement developed in the 17th century. The terrace of cottages makes an important contribution to the area and is a significant survival as much of the older building stock in the vicinity was lost in the 1960s as part of a comprehensive redevelopment scheme. The cottages are of simple vernacular composition and construction forming a long low elevation to the street. They are said to have had thatched roofs at the beginning of the 20th century, the gardens to the rear being used as cottars' yards.

Alterations circa 1970 involved widening the windows in numbers 1, 3, 5,and 9 and the removal of chimney stacks and skews towards the W end of the row. A carved stone balustrade in the garden of number 7 was possibly salvaged from the nearby New Gala House (demolished 1984).

The cottages were downgraded from Category B to C(S) in February 1999.

References

Bibliography

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