Newbyth

Newbyth is a mansion built in 1817 by Archibald Elliott, constructed in a Tudor Gothic style. The house is a two-storey building with a basement and a rectangular plan, joined to a single-storey and basement service court by a carved wing. The exterior is finished in droved cullaloe ashlar, with chamfered arrises to the openings, hoodmoulds, a raised base course, a dividing string course, and battlemented parapets. Three-stage turrets are a prominent feature.

The west elevation is symmetrical with three bays and polygonal crenellated angle turrets, with smaller turrets flanking the centre bay. A pointed arch triple arcade is located at ground level in the centre bay, with a gallery above featuring a balustrade. A flight of steps leads to the arcade, where a doorway with a fanlight is situated in an arched opening, flanked by arched windows. Rectangular bipartites are positioned behind the gallery. Tripartites flank the centre bay at ground level, accompanied by single first-floor windows with decorative cusped upper lights. Segmentally arched basement windows are also present. Narrow pointed arched slits are found in the polygonal turrets at ground and first floor levels, with rectangular slits above the eaves.

The north elevation has an advanced centre bay flanked by square angle turrets with detailing similar to the west elevation. Three windows are on each floor to the right and two to the left, with a circa 1900 ground floor bay inserted between the centre and left angle turret.

The south elevation is symmetrical, showcasing three regular window bays at the central section, flanked by turrets with larger turrets at the outer angles. Canted ground floor and basement windows are present with crenellated parapets and decorative cusped heads to the upper panels.

The east elevation features six regular window bays with outer angle turrets, and a curved arcade of five rectangular openings. A doorway is situated under the arcade, alongside irregular openings. This is linked to a two-stage crenellated square tower at the angle, which adjoins the service court.

The service court features a segmentally arched carriageway at the centre of the north flank, flanked by single segmentally arched windows. Single-storey square raised outer angle window bays are present, with matching windows on the returns. There’s a string course, blocking course, and parapet to the outer angles. A basement driveway is located under a bridged recess to the east.

Throughout the house, small-pane glazing is used, along with cusped pointed arch glazing bars to upper window panels and sash and case windows. Polygonal stacks are present with moulded coping.

The interior retains some original features despite a fire in 1972, which led to subdivision. The original central saloon has been reduced to a harled courtyard. A vaulted vestibule remains, as do decorative Gothic chimneypieces in the west front bedrooms, along with some original woodwork. A stair balustrade was brought from Edinburgh and panelling from Clerkington House, Haddington.

Two polygonal ashlar gatepiers with coped parapets and a partially remaining balustrade are located to the west of the house. Additional gatepiers, originally at the entrance to the former drive, are now located at a distance from the property and are listed separately.