Old Montrose House With Gatepiers And Wing Walls To East Drive

Old Montrose House originated as a late 18th century rectangular plan red sandstone house, extended circa 1840 by an L-plan addition to the E and single storey office range to the N of the original house, forming a narrow courtyard; these are distinguished by crowstepped, finialled gables and some hoodmoulded windows. A couple of canted bay windows to the ground floor were added in the mid 19th century and a corbelled-out pyramidal roofed tower to the S elevation and a lean-to addition to the N elevation were added in the later 19th/early 20th century. The house is approached by two curving drives which skirt round a large walled garden to the N.

Description:

The oldest part of the house is largely concealed when approaching the N entrance front, which is dominated by a double gabled elevation with a projecting central single storey porch with a roll-moulded doorpiece. The single storey office wing is set just forward of the main house, to the W.

The S elevation displays clearly the three phases of building; the 18th century wing, which became a service wing when the house was extended, is 5-bay, with 3 heavy shouldered ridge stacks (partly rebuilt). The rear elevation of this wing has very few openings, as was normal for N elevations of that period.

The square-plan tower, with a slightly bell-cast pyramidal roof, overlays the junction between the 18th century wing and the 2 bay M-gabled 1840 extension, of which the left gable is advanced with a canted bay window to the ground floor.

Materials: mainly random red sandstone rubble with ashlar detailing; much reused stone with red brick pinnings to the 18th century wing;stugged snecked sandstone to the tower. Timber sash and case windows, mainly 12-pane glazing, but with some variations, including horizontal panes to the N elevation and modern 8-pane timber top hung casement windows to 1st floor to E and S elevations. Pitched graded slate to 19th century sections, built of corniced ashlar with octangular cans.

Interior: former school room with ornate stone chimneypiece. There are other chimneypieces (not all original); some plasterwork; cast-iron balusters to stairs; etched glass skylight above. Some late 19th century / early 20th century domestic fittings, including stone shelving and large Belfast sinks, remain in the office wing and W wing.

Gatepiers And Wall: at entrance to E drive, square-plan ashlar gatepiers with pyramidal caps, flanked by short curved brick wing walls. W drive gatepiers listed separately.