Description
Early 18th century, including 17th century fabric, with 19th century alterations and additions, and with fine 18th century interior decoration. 2-storey, attic and basement, irregular plan town house created from 2 connecting houses. Sandstone; squared, rubble and part harl, stugged ashlar to gabled entrance front. Plain and raised margins, chamfered to entrance front.
S ELEVATION (IN DOIG'S CLOSE): 5-bay wing with raised principal floor; central panelled door with large 9-pane fanlight, window centred above at 1st floor, 2 symmetrical bays flanking at principal and 1st floors. Basement window to right, paired basement windows to extreme left. Single bay link section to left of 5-bay wing with window at principal and dormer-headed window at 1st floor.
E ELEVATION: gabled entrance spanning and terminating close; 6-step flight with cast-iron railings to raised principal floor, 2-leaf panelled doors, 2-pane rectangular fanlight with decorative wrought-iron screen, flanking narrow windows, window centred above at 1st floor. Steps down leading to entrance in basement with door to left and window to right.
N ELEVATION (IN DOIG'S CLOSE): single storey, basement and attic, short 2-bay wing. Door to right, window at ground and basement to left.
N ELEVATION (IN CLOSE 168 HIGH STREET): rubble stone gable end to right, rear of 5-bay wing to left, irregular fenestration.
W ELEVATION: 7-bay garden front; bays grouped 5-2, doorway to centre of 5 bays, rectangular fanlight. Regular fenestration, windows at principal (1st) floor larger. 2 gableheaded dormers, 3 modern skylights.
S ELEVATION (GARDEN): gable end to left; window to right at basement and principal floor, window in gablehead. 2-bay wing to right, window to left at ground, door to right, 2 gable headed dormers.
4, 8 and 12-pane timber sash and case windows. Grey slate pitched roofs to W and S, corrugated iron roof to N wing, stone skews, brick gablehead stack to S, brick ridge stack to SE.
INTERIOR: exceptional and intact early 18th century panelling throughout all wings on principal floor, plasterwork and panelled doors to match. Interconnecting rooms supplemented by mid? 19th century hall running N-S, this created at same time as gabled entrance front. Staircase to centre of 5-bay wing gives evidence of extensive alterations including probable changes in floor levels. Stone staircase to S probably part of 19th century alterations. Fall of ground from High Street to Basin causes basement in Doig's Close to become ground floor on garden front. Ground floor kitchen; flat arch of 17th century fireplace rang along N wall. Drawing Room; full-height early 18th century panelling, lugged doorcases, full-height fluted and reeded pilasters dividing picture panels, ovolo-moulded caps, later Georgian, circa 1800-1830 chimneypiece with roundels flanking moulded frieze and plain central tablet (white painted black marble beneath). Dining Room; panelling continues, fluted pilasters, reeded to dado and with elaborate William Adam style Corinthianesque capitals, lugged doorcases and dentil cornice, simple early 19th century black marble chimneypiece in N wall, entrance from hall via stone bolection moulded doorpiece, originally external before 19th century additions. Study; panelling continues, deep bolection-moulded chimneypiece with panelled stiles and triple keyblock at centre to S side.
BOUNDARY WALLS: rubble stone boundary walls enclosing garden to rear (west).