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Summary

Description

1724, with additions of circa 1820, and alterations of circa 1905 by John M Aitken of Lerwick. Classical country house comprising 2-storey and attic, 7-bay principal block of rectangular double-pile plan, with later porches projecting at centre of W (principal) and side elevations; principal front enclosed by walled garden, bounded to W by screen wall with classical gate at centre, terminated to N and S by pavilions, each with symmetrical 3-bay W elevation.

PRINCIPAL BLOCK: harled walls with stugged and droved red sandstone dressings and details. Eaves cornice, margined windows, long and short V-jointed quoins at corners.

W (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: symmetrical, 7-bays, grouped 1-5-1. Fine ashlar porch projecting at ground in centre bay; shouldered and corniced architrave to 6-panel 3-leaf timber door; round-arched timber sash and case windows in side elevations. Regular fenestration in flanking bays and at 1st floor. Wallhead raised over centre 5 bays wide corniced pediment above; windows in centre bay and centred over flanking bays.

S ELEVATION: asymmetrical, single storey porch with cornice, blocking course, and block pediment, centred at ground; modern conservatory advanced at left behind screen wall extending to S; blank in bay at right. Windows at 1st floor in centre and right bays; blank in bay to left.

E (REAR) ELEVATION: asymmetrical elevation of 3 widely-spaced bays; blank at ground in centre bay, windows flanking in bay to right, window and door with 6-pane fanlight flanking in bay to left. Stair window at 1st floor in centre bay, windows in outer bays.

N ELEVATION: porch matching that to S projecting at ground in centre bay; single bay piend-roofed wing advanced in bay at left; above both obscured to N by large lean-to timber utility area. Small window at 1st floor offset to left of centre, rectangular fenestration in bay at left, blank in bay at right.

Timber sash and case windows; 15-pane at ground and 1st floors of principal elevation, 12-pane at 2nd floor. Grey slate piended platform roof with cast-iron gutters and downpipes; dormers of 1905 with gabled ashlar dormerheads breaking eaves at side and rear elevations. Tall multi-flue ashlar stacks with circular cans rising through platform.

INTERIOR: many period details surviving, much from circa 1810, and from 1905 at 2nd floor. Drawing room centred at 1st floor with timber panelling of circa 1750.

GARDEN AND BOUNDARY WALLS, PAVILIONS, GATES, AND GATEPIERS: formal arrangement comprising tall rubble wall enclosing garden to W with round-arched opening centring S wall; classical screen wall bounding to W with central gate comprising horizontally-channelled piers with engaged columns rising to frieze and bold cornice surmounted by ball finials; decorative wrought ironwork over 2-leaf vertically-boarded timber gates; flanking harl-pointed screen walls terminated to N and S by 3-bay pavilions comprising 3-centred arch with 2-leaf vertically- boarded timber doors at centre; outer bays slightly advanced with blind round-arched recesses, and stepped blocking course at wallhead; rubble outbuildings behind flanking courtyards.

Statement of Special Interest

In 1799 Elizabeth Nicolson, wife of Thomas Mouat of Garth (Delting) inherited Gardie from her uncle James Henderson. Gardie then passed to her brother-in-law John Mouat in 1819. The house and its policies are a central feature in the view of Bressay from central Lerwick, and it appears much as in Skene's view of 1812 showing the form of the house prior to Aitken's alterations. The fine timber panelling in the 1st floor drawing room matches that of drawing rooms at Haa of Sand (1753) and Busta House.

References

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