Mossknowe House

Mossknowe House is a medium-scale Palladian mansion designed by William Craik of Arbigland and dated 1767. Its design is unusual, featuring a tall, narrow, three-bay centre range with a pediment, flanked by two-storey piended pavilions set on the same plane. These are connected by recessed bays, and all sit on a semi-raised basement. The north front is of stugged ashlar, while the remainder is squared rubble, with contrasting polished dressings. A painted doorway is arched and framed with architraves, and the windows are architraved with bracketed sills, mostly featuring a 12-pane glazing pattern. The north and south elevations are similar, though the north front is more elaborately detailed, incorporating a wide band that continues as a cill band at the pavilions. Balustraded linking bays connect the centre range to the pavilions on the north front, and the first-floor windows of the centre range have balustraded aprons. Steps lead to a glazed and architraved doorway featuring a pulvinated frieze and cornice. The exterior displays continuous base courses, eaves bands, and main cornices. The interior range features round-headed attic lights to the pediment, topped with acorn finials and a weathervane on the north side, and a parapet over the centre range flanks. Two axial stacks are present, and the pavilion angles furthest from the centre are quoined. Stacks over opposite flank wallheads have grouped octagonal flues. Parallel, low courtyard ranges extend to the west, connected by a screen wall with gatepiers. The south (garden) front was altered circa 1840 with the addition of a canted ground-floor window near the centre, and a French window alongside with steps to the garden. Craik's correspondence is held within the house, providing additional historical detail.