Tealing House

Tealing House is a large, classically detailed mansion house with a complex building history, likely beginning around 1600 with the southern part of the main double-pile central block. A further storey, an advanced pedimented central bay, and a major extension to the north were added in the early 18th century. William Burn, under the supervision of James Black of Dundee, made significant alterations between 1827 and 1829, including the eastern service and nursery wing, the western wing, and a southern entrance porch (which involved re-harling). The central block is two storeys and has a basement; the eastern service wing is single-storey and has a basement; and the nursery wing is single-storey, with a basement and attic. The house is constructed of harled rubble with a slate roof. Windows have ashlar margins, with some moulded sills on the north elevation, and are plate glass sash and case windows with a 12-pane pattern in the service wing. Margined angles are visible on the east and west wings, and the roof features coped skews and corniced stacks.

The south elevation of the main block has four bays. The two central bays are advanced and pedimented, featuring an oculus and a tall gablehead stack; these windows are keystoned. A later porch has been added, advanced at the outer left, with a moulded doorcase, cornice, and balustrade (much of which is broken). The steep, M-roofed main block has gablehead stacks, a large kitchen stack to the east, and blocked small square attic windows in the gables.

The west wing is linked to the main block by a recessed single bay with windows and a piended dormerhead. A tall bipartite window is at ground floor level on the south elevation, with a single blinded window above. The west elevation features a corniced, canted ashlar bay at basement and ground floor level, centrally placed, and three single windows on the first floor.

The north elevation features the west wing and linking block, which are similar to the south elevation. Other details include a single and bipartite window at basement level, a band course, a tripartite window with a piended dormerhead (altered by Burn), single windows, and a dentil wallhead course. The rear elevations of the service and nursery blocks, situated at the far left, form a courtyard, and include two subterranean barrel-vaulted cellars.

On the east elevation, a shallow two-bay, single-storey, basement and attic block abuts the main house centrally; a two-bay, gabled nursery wing is attached and in a similar style, advancing to the right; and a further L-plan service block is attached and advanced to the outer right.

The interior features a monumental ashlar entrance stair and a polygonally-arched, moulded chimney piece with patterned tiles. There is 18th-century-style timber panelling in the central ground and first-floor rooms of the original house. Simple plasterwork is found in the drawing and dining rooms. The drawing room has a white marble chimney piece, and the dining room has a black one. Decorative cast-iron balusters ascend the upper floors, and various chimney pieces of dilapidated ranges are present. An ashlar-lined strong room with a metal door is located in the basement, and the upper floors have collar beam roofs with some numbered beams.