Straton House, 10 Castle Place, Montrose

Straton House is a substantial house dating back to 1762, incorporating earlier fabric and subsequent additions. It is an L-shaped building of two and three storeys, including an attic, and stands on stone foundations of a previous building. The walls are constructed of brick with stone dressings, featuring a stone and rendered base course, raised stone quoins, long and short margins, and relieving arches.

The west (entrance) elevation has an irregular arrangement of windows. A doorpiece with a curved canopy supported on wrought-iron brackets shelters a pair of panelled doors and a three-pane fanlight. A window is positioned above the doorpiece at the first floor, with another window to the right at first floor level. Further windows are found to the right at ground floor and at the extreme right of the elevation.

The south elevation faces an entrance courtyard and has three bays. A doorway at ground floor level has a narrow rectangular fanlight, and a tall stair window rises through the first and second floors. Two bays to the left exhibit a symmetrical arrangement with windows at ground, first, and second floors. A gable end of the main wing sits to the right, with a window at first floor level and a small window in the gablehead.

The east elevation presents a symmetrical five-bay garden front. A nine-step stone flight leads to a full-height doorway and a window with a curvilinear head, behind which are two-leaf glazed doors. A timber dentil cornice sits above, and a large stained glass window with leaded lights is positioned above. Stone-mullioned tripartite windows flank the entrance at ground level. Two windows are placed above at the first floor, and a canted dormer is situated above the outer bays. A later dormer is located centrally.

The majority of the windows are 12-pane timber sash and case windows. The roof is covered in grey slate, featuring decorative terracotta ridge tiles and coped skews. Substantial brick gablehead stacks are present on the north, south, and west sides.

The interior features a rubble cellar belonging to the original house, containing notable brickwork and lined wine bins. A stone-flagged entrance hall leads to a broad, dog-leg staircase with a wrought-iron balustrade, each baluster incorporating leaf and flower designs. 19th-century stained glass adorns the landing window. Principal rooms on the first floor include one to the right with fluted Corinthian pilasters, decorative cornices, a frieze, and a ceiling. A room to the left features a round-arched, full-height niche and a decorative cornice. The rooms within the west wing are smaller, with a bedroom on the second floor featuring deep coving. 18th-century two-panel doors are preserved throughout the house. The kitchen, located at a lower level in the west wing, includes an exceptional keystoned range against the west gable, with a semi-circular oven flue projecting on the exterior of the west gable.

Brick and rubble boundary walls enclose the rear (east) and side (south) of the property.