Schuster House, Eskdalemuir Observatory

Schuster House, at Eskdalemuir Observatory, was built in 1908 by W T Oldrieve. It is an asymmetrical, two-storey residence designed in a villa style, likely intended as two separate dwellings. The building exemplifies the Arts and Crafts movement, featuring a complex roof plan with gabled bays that extend above the main eaves, and horizontal skewings over the angles. The exterior is constructed from roughly-coursed and squared whinstone with contrasting long and short dressings used for arches and around the majority of window openings. The windows are primarily sash windows with a 12-pane glazing pattern. The south-east elevation consists of three unequal gabled bays; the bay on the left is more substantial and includes clasping angle strips and a battered, canted ground-floor window. The main roof slopes downwards to the right, covering a porch. The south-west elevation has three bays, with the left bay gabled and featuring a lead-roofed, projecting ground-floor section connected to the entrance bay via a recessed doorway. A semi-circular window is positioned at ground level, and a three-light window sits below the eaves. Shaped gutter brackets are also present. The building includes coped and battered stacks, topped with slate roofs.