Melville House

James Smith, architect, 1697-1701, probably using, or based on, designs by Sir William Bruce; alterations and additions by Reginald Fairlie, 1939. Large, symmetrical H-plan classical mansion house, linked by screen walls to flanking pavilions. House: 3 storeys over raised basement. Rendered and lined as ashlar, with ashlar dressings, lugged

architraves and rusticated quoins. North and south elevations are similar; 9 bays, outer 2 advanced with central entrance. Principal entrance originally on south elevation (now glazed); splayed stone steps with ornate wrought-iron balustrade; projecting pilastered and pedimented 19th century porch to north elevation. East and west elevations each have 6 bays, inner 2 slightly advanced, and pedimented with oculi. 12 or 15-pane sashes to ground and 1st floor; smaller

basement and 2nd floor windows, latter all 6-pane. Set-off at basement; continuous string between floors; eaves course and corncie. Symmetrically- placed corniced stacks with angle margins; central octagonal lantern with bell-cast roof and capping weather vane finial. Piended and platform slated and leaded roof.

INTERIOR: lavishly oak-panelled rooms with classical features; panelled doors, some corniced with pulvinated friezes, some pedimented and mostly in lugged architraves; Corinthian or Ionic pilasters flanking chimney pieces, and entablatures; raised and fielded panelling; box cornices.

1st floor saloon has carved chimneypiece in west drawing room with overmantel carved with swags, putti, Earl's coronet etc.

2 parallel pavilion blocks form courtyard to south of house; rectangular-plan blocks, each 2 storeys, harled with ashlar margins, eaves course, cornice, 2 corniced axial stacks and piended slate roofs. West block has 7 irregular bays to courtyard elevation, blind tripartites to single bay south wall; east block has 8 bays to courtyard, blind windows to 2-bay south elevation. Screen walls linking to house are harled with ashlar margins; each has altered central rectangular gate with blind oculus over, and flanking round-headed alcoves; moulded stone coping with capping urn and 4 symmetrically placed balls. 2 square lodges flank gateway to south of house; these are

both 2 storeys; harled, with ashlar margins and rusticated quoins; single, large, central rectangular ground floor opening to north elevation of each with window above; door and windows to other elevations; single wall-head stacks, and slated bell cast roof with weathervane finial inscribed 'M' and dated 1697. Low rubble wall links with squat corniced square gatepiers with diamond pointed masonry.