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Summary

Description

Late 18th to early 19th century. Single storey and attic, 3-bay, cottage with fine classical buffet niche formed from box bed. Squared and snecked sandstone rubble to street (N) elevation, remaining elevations rubble. Ashlar margins.

FURTHER DESCRIPTION: principal (N) elevation with central door obscured by later flat-roofed timber porch with entrance in re-entrant angle. Flanking window bays. Small box dormer above porch and further gabled dormer to right. Large 4-light French window to left of rear (S) elevation.

Predominantly 12-pane timber sash and case windows. Pantiled roof. Ashlar gable end stacks with cans. Ashlar-coped skews. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: Fine timber, classical, possibly 18th century (see Notes), former box bed re-used to form buffet niche, comprising depressed segmental arch with fluted mouldings and keystone flanked by fluted pilasters with foliate capitals, completed by a carved cornice. To the left panelled cupboard and to right 6-panel timber door.

Statement of Special Interest

Sited just outside the city walls Rathelpie Cottage is a good example of the local sandstone and pantile building tradition. It is of particular note for its rare reuse of an exceptionally fine timber box bed.

The box bed, probably dating to the 18th century ('Box Beds in Eastern Scotland'), is of particular interest. Architectural drawings by Palladio influenced Edinburgh wrights' during the 18th century and resulted in a fashion for classical styled box beds. Apprentices often constructed box beds as an 'essay piece' to show their skill.

The box bed in eastern Scotland typically followed a segmental arched pattern but this example is particularly elaborate. Jones notes that good quality box beds were occasionally reused as the case here. In this instance it was adapted to form a buffet niche.

Category changed from B-C(S) in 2007.

References

Bibliography

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