Town House, High Street, Montrose

This is a substantial, three-storey, five-bay town house located on High Street, Montrose. It dates from 1763, and incorporates a two-storey building from 1818. Originally conceived as civic chambers in a shallow L-plan, the building is constructed of sandstone ashlar to the front elevation, with squared and snecked stone to the rear.

The front facade exhibits classical detailing, featuring a tall, ground-floor arcade with shallow keystones and banded rustication. Band courses divide the storeys, topped by a mutuled cornice and balustrade. Rusticated quoins accent the corners, and architraved margins frame the windows.

The north elevation is symmetrical, with corniced windows on the first floor, featuring consoles to the central and outer bays. A wallhead pediment, featuring a clock within its tympanum and topped with an urn finial, is a prominent feature. A balustrade with urns punctuates the elevation, flanking the pediment and at the ends throughout.

The west elevation features three bays of the ground-floor arcade, now partially infilled with low walls, glazing and an entranceway. The cornices and consoles to the first-floor windows have been truncated. A wallhead pediment, displaying a carved armorial panel within a roundel, sits above the arcade, with an urn finial and a continuous fluted balustrade.

The south elevation shows two windows and a door to the left at ground level, with two windows at first floor level centrally and to the right. A single, small window sits at the second floor to the extreme right. A section to the right is set back, incorporating a round-arched pend at ground floor level, opening to the ground floor and containing two bays above it. A tall window at first floor level illuminates the staircase.

The east elevation adjoins 119 and 121 High Street, with a two-bay wing projecting to the left. A round-arched opening at ground floor level is screened with decorative wrought iron, featuring radial patterns in the leadwork. A boarded opening is situated in the re-entrant angle. An ashlar flight of 14 steps leads to a doorway beneath, with a fine cast-iron banister.

The interior has been partly converted for office use. The first floor includes an Old Council Chamber with Corinthian pilasters flanking a blocked fireplace and a Corinthian cornice to the ceiling. A Committee Room features fielded panel shutters and moulded panel decoration. The second floor contains a Council Chamber with panelled shutters and a cornice, along with a Ballroom boasting a deep, coved ceiling, two ceiling roses open to a central cast-iron decorative grille, a cast-iron fireplace, and blocked minstrel's gallery behind the east wall, with panelled shutters. Rooms to the southwest corner are arranged in a way mirroring external elevations. A corniced doorpiece with a wrought-iron fanlight and flanking windows fronts the north elevation, while the east elevation features a central window and the west follows the external elevation.

The building is equipped with 12-pane timber sash and case windows. A grey slate roof with asymmetrical piended and pitched sections is topped by ashlar stacks with polygonal cans.