28 Craigmore Road, Orcadia, Craigmore, Bute

Possibly John Orkney; dated 1860. Pair of 2-storey, 2-bay classically-detailed villas forming symmetrical 4-bay block; advanced Alexander Thomson-style gabled bays to outer left and right; pitched entrance porches recessed at sides. Coursed and squared rubble sandstone; polished ashlar dressings. Raised, polished base course; modillioned eaves to ground floor bows; raised cill course at 1st floor; overhanging timber eaves. Round-arched openings set in 5-light bows; shouldered and architraved surrounds to ground floor bipartites (ashlar mullions); round-arched bipartite windows at 1st floor (columnar mullions to outer left and right); channelled voussoirs. Harl-pointed sandstone rubble to sides and rear.

E (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: recessed porches to outer left and right comprising replacement 2-leaf doors; blocked round-arched fanlights; flanking cast-iron columns supporting round-arched timber canopies. 5-light bow windows at ground in advanced bays to outer left and right; bowed cast-iron balustrade beneath bipartite windows centred in apex above. Bipartite windows at ground in recessed central bays; corbelled window-boxes beneath bipartites aligned at 1st floor; armorial panels above ("JO" embossed to left of centre; "1860" embossed to right); corbelled round-arched timber canopies breaking eaves.

2-pane timber sash and case windows. Graded grey slate roof; replacement rainwater goods. Corniced ridge and apex stacks (rendered); stop-chamfered square-plan corniced cans to all.

INTERIOR: not seen 1996.

BOUNDARY WALL AND GATEPIERS: low coped random rubble wall to Craigmore Road; "Orcadia" inscribed within splayed round-arched surround at centre. Chamfered yellow ashlar gatepiers flanking entrances; corniced caps; gates missing No 27; decorative timber pedestrian entry gate No 28.