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Summary

Description

Early 19th century incorporating earlier fabric and with later additions and alterations. 3-storey, 3-bay building in terrace. Painted harl with painted ashlar (now rendered) dressings; painted harled additions to rear. Base course; long and short quoins; eaves course.

SE (HIGH STREET) ELEVATION: Tuscan columned heavy doorpiece, statue of greyhound above (see Notes), to centre at ground with door flanked by lights; window to each floor above. Window to each floor of flanking bays with oculus to left of bay to right at 1st floor. Line-rendered later raised wallhead above eaves course with coping.

NW ELEVATION: full-height projection with further 2-storey and single storey additions.

Plate glass timber sash and case windows. Concrete platformed roof with slate roof to rear additions. Mutual coped stacks.

INTERIOR: not seen fully, 1995. Much altered. Ornamental cast-iron balustrade with timber handrail to 1st floor. Hall at 1st floor much altered.

Statement of Special Interest

See also 1 High Street. Formerly known as the Grapes Inn (shown as such on Wood?s map; 1st edition OS shows it as County Hotel). According to the present owner, the building was badly damaged by fire circa 1795 and had to be virtually rebuilt during the following years. The life-sized statue of Red Dog Souter, a famous local greyhound on the doorpiece was formerly positioned above the kitchen door to the rear. The hotel was frequented by Sir Walter Scott, amongst others, and was the meeting place of the Forest Club. It was a coaching inn, with a fine 18th century stable courtyard to the rear which has been partly demolished (due to unsafe condition) and much altered in recent years. A photograph taken in the later 1880s by AR Edwards (NMRS) shows the inn without the oculus to right of centre, SE elevation. The roof was platformed at around the same time as that of the Cross Keys, by the brewers, Scottish and Newcastle. In December 1856 the Hungarian leader, Kossuth, came to Selkirk and Galashiels to raise money for the Hungarian fight for freedom. He spoke from the County Hotel.

References

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