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Summary

Description

Circa 1830. 2-storey villa built into sloping site and adjoining terrace to N: 2 principal elevations to S and W (see notes). Soft cream stugged coursed sandstone (badly weathered) with polished ashlar dressings to S and W; long and short quoins; rendered to E and N. Base course, dividing and eaves band courses; deep cornice; blocking course; quoin strips; architraved windows.

S (HIGH STREET) ELEVATION: appears as single storey and basement; 3-bay. cast-iron balusters to steps to central entrance; pilastered doorpiece (rendered repairs); deep set panelled door; umbrella fanlight. Tripartite windows in flanking bays. Single windows to basement.

W (THORN STREET) ELEVATION: 2-storey, 3-bay. Central architraved and corniced doorpiece, boarded door; letterbox fanlight; single window at 1st floor above. Single windows in outer bays to left and right.

E ELEVATION: single window to each floor.

N (REAR) ELEVATION: droved red sandstone dressings to windows at ground and 1st floors. Secondary entrance and single window set in depressed arch at return to adjoining terrace.

12-pane sash and case windows. Grey-purple slate piended roof; panelled and corniced stacks; tall moulded octagonal cans; some original rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: glazed tripartite 2-leaf vestiblue door set in depressed arch with umbrella fanlight; moulded door and window frames; panelled doors and shutters; decorative plasterwork; cast-iron balusters and timber handrail to central stairwell; marble chimneypieces, cast-iron grate; depresssed-arch passage running W to E beneath 1st floor of adjoining property to N.

CARRIAGE AND PEDESTRIAN GATEWAYS AND BOUNDARY WALL: segmental arched carriage gateway through high coped rubble boundary walls; corniced red ashlar pedestrian gateway to SW. Spearheaded iron gate and railings surmounting boundary wall to SW; white marble drinking fountain set in wall to S "to the memory of John Young, Doctor in Earlston 1884-1934". WASHHOUSE AND STABLE BLOCK: ranged along N boundary wall: single storey and loft. Timber doors; brick piers and S elevation probably rebuilt in early 20th century, slated piended roof.

Statement of Special Interest

The house stands on ground formerly known as Thorn Park on account of an ancient thorn which once grew there. The site is thus marked on the Ordnance Survey maps. In 1825 the land was feued to one "John Spence, writer in Earlston", who subsequently built the house and other outbuildings. Presumably the house was designed so that Spence could conduct his business from offices entered from the W, whilst the private living quarters were entrered from the S. For many years the house was owned by doctors who operated a similar arrangement.

References

Bibliography

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