Northfield House, Prestonpans

Northfield House, Prestonpans

A late 16th-century L-plan mansion with a northwest wing and alterations of 1611, later modified in 1730 and the 1950s. The building is three storeys with an attic, constructed of harled stone with ashlar dressings and slated roofs. A crowstepped gable rises at the rear to the left.

The principal north elevation is asymmetrical across six bays. A projecting gabled bay to the right contains a lean-to vehicular addition at ground level, fitted with vertically-boarded folding timber doors and a timber lintel to the street, with a modern door centred at the return to the left. A window is centred at second floor, flanked by 3-light corbelled corner turrets. A large circular stair tower breaks the eaves at the re-entrant angle, featuring a vertically-boarded studded timber door with roll-moulded jambs at ground level and a window centred at second floor. A thumbnail-bead string course sits between the first and second floors. To the left of the stair tower, irregular fenestration includes a pair of gabled dormerheads with decorative finials breaking the eaves at second floor.

The east elevation has a chamfered angle at ground level to the right. A small single window sits at first floor to the left, with a pair of 3-light corbelled corner turrets with conical roofs positioned at the outer left and right of the second floor.

The south rear elevation is asymmetrical across eight bays. The penultimate bay from the left rises to a crowstepped gable, truncated to the left, incorporating a dovecot with four flight ports symmetrically arranged in a square opening. Pairs of 3-light corbelled angle turrets with conical roofs sit at the outer left and right at second floor. At ground level, a 2-leaf vertically-boarded timber door to the right of centre features roll-moulded jambs and incorporates an inscription reading "Excep the Lord Buld In Wane Bulds Man" (sic). The lintel is tooled with a decorative shield divided per pale bearing the arms of Marjoribanks and Simpson, the initials "IM" and "MS", and the date 1611, surmounted by a broken pediment with decorative finials. A vertically-boarded studded timber door sits in the penultimate bay from the left at ground level. Ground floor has four irregularly-spaced windows, the first floor has seven, and the second floor has five, comprising a window to the left of the gable, a small window hugging the eaves, and three gabled dormerheads breaking the eaves, with a thistle finial to the window at the outer right.

The west elevation contains three irregularly-spaced windows at first floor and a pair of gabled dormerheads with decorative finials at second floor, breaking the eaves. A pair of 3-light corbelled corner turrets with conical roofs sits at the outer left and right at second floor.

Window frames throughout are predominantly 12-pane timber sash and case, some barred at ground level. Ground and first floor windows feature chamfered margins. The roof is of graded grey slate with stone ridges and three vertically-boarded timber-fronted rectangular dormers to the south elevation. The roof sweeps over the conical turret roofs. Cast-iron rainwater goods are present. Shouldered wallhead and gablehead stacks are corniced with circular cans.

The interior contains an early 19th-century spiral stair from ground to first floor in the north stair tower, with a scale and platt stair in the main block. Renaissance tempera ceiling and wall paintings are visible, including a wall painting of a dog and painted ceiling in the principal floor bedroom. The Dining Room features a painted ceiling with foliage and fruit motifs. A Georgian ceiling and cornice have been removed. A later black marble fireplace and 1703 timber panelling are present. Partial remains of the original hall fireplace survive at first floor in the reception hall. An archway appears in the former larder off the reception hall. The north wall of the first floor corridor contains a possible window arch to a former great hall. The second floor gallery retains wall painting remains in its southeast corner and a fireplace from Woolmet House. The main block includes a barrel-vaulted kitchen with an arched fireplace and cellars. Decorative geometric patterning in the east gable kitchen flagstones is similar to the hall floor of 1548 at Tolquhon Castle, Gordon.

Boundary walls are of random rubble with semicircular rubble coping, and include a crenellated corbelled angle bartizan folly at the northwest corner. Red brick walls with semicircular rubble coping border the east. A pair of corniced square-plan gatepiers flank vertically-boarded studded vehicular gates to the left at street level, each topped with a decorative pyramid and ball finial (the east finial is missing). The same design is repeated in a pair of dividing piers within the street wall.