Carronbank, 85 Cameron Street, Stonehaven

Carronbank is a substantial classical house likely designed by John Smith of Aberdeen and built in 1835-6. It may have been extended at a later date. The house is single-storey with a raised basement and has three bays, topped with a piend roof. A later, pedimented open porch, an elegant bowed window, and a cupola add to its architectural appeal, and it is set within a fine terraced garden with a distinguished pattern of glazing. The walls are harled with narrow, finely droved margins. A deep sandstone base course is visible on the southeast elevation, although it is currently rendered due to its condition. Decorative console cornices are present on both the northeast and southeast sides.

The northeast (principal) elevation features a broad, open porch with fluted timber columns and pilasters, leading to a six-panelled timber door with flanking lights and a decorative, astragalled fanlight. Original windows are positioned above basement windows with semicircular light traps. The southeast elevation has a prominent bowed bay with three full-height windows above smaller basement windows, with further windows in the flanking bays. The southwest elevation presents a tall window within an advanced gabled bay, a set-back bay with steps leading to a French window above a basement window, and a further window over a full-height basement opening with a glazed door. The northwest (rear) elevation is possibly a later addition, incorporating a pavilion porch on the right and a full-height basement containing a panelled timber door and fanlight.

Original eight and ten-pane margined glazing is present on the northeast, southeast, and southwest elevations (excluding basement openings), with smaller-pane glazing patterns elsewhere, all within timber sash and case windows. The roof is covered in grey slates, and there are coped harled stacks topped with cans. Overhanging eaves are also a notable feature.

The interior retains fine decorative detailing and a good decorative scheme, including plain moulded cornices, fluted architraves, six-panelled doors, deep skirting boards, working panelled shutters, and marble and timber fire surrounds. The front hall has a slate kerbing, while an inner hallway features decoratively-capitalled pilasters and a circular cupola. A dog-leg staircase has decorative and plain ironwork balusters. A dining room once connected to a conservatory by steps, but now has simpler ironwork steps. The drawing room boasts an imported marble and slate fireplace. The kitchen retains some flagstones and a blocked dumb waiter, and a wine cellar is also present. A door under the staircase may have previously led to a well.

The terraced garden is enclosed by high, harled, buttressed terrace walls to the northwest, coped rubble terrace walls with staircases to the southwest, and high, coped rubble boundary walls elsewhere. Tall, pyramidally-capped, square-section ashlar gatepiers support decorative ironwork gates.