The Brae, North Queensferry

The Brae, North Queensferry

Two 2-storey, 3-bay traditional houses in a row, now forming a single dwelling, dated 1764 and 1791. The buildings occupy a prominent position near the centre of North Queensferry village.

The southern house features random rubble stonework to the east elevation, rendered masonry to the south, and painted rubble to the west. The northern house shows random rubble to the lower half of its east elevation with Aberdeen bond to the upper half, and rendered masonry to the north and west. Both houses retain stone cills and broached and tooled rybats to their original openings, though renovated openings have concrete margins. A marriage lintel inscribed '17 – HM 64' (with 2 initials obscured) is visible on the southern house, which also features a forestair, while the northern house has a circular forestair with decorative cast iron railings. A late 20th century cantilevered attic extension to the rear encompasses the entire roof space of the northern dwelling.

The principal east elevation displays the forestair arrangements: the southern house has a central railed forestair with a late 20th century door to the left beneath the marriage lintel, and ground floor windows to the outer bays. Above, a central 1st floor timber stable door is flanked by windows close to the eaves. The northern house has a central circular forestair with decorative cast iron railings, with the central door at ground floor and flanking windows, while the 1st floor has a central 2-leaf timber panelled door flanked by windows.

The north elevation is a plain gable with the modern attic extension breaking the roofline above the gable to the west. The west (rear) elevation of the northern house has a modern ground floor door to the right with a small square window to its left and another to the far left, plus two 1st floor windows; the southern house has a small square window off-centre left and a 1st floor window to the far left. The south elevation is 2-bay with a window to the left and a blocked gun loop to the right of the window, together with two 1st floor windows.

The windows are 12-pane timber sash and case windows with horns on the east and south elevations; late 20th century windows are present at ground floor to the west, with 4-pane timber sash and case windows with horns at 1st floor level. The roofs are pitched, with pantiles to the north and grey slate to the south. The buildings feature ashlar coped skews and coped rendered gablehead stacks; circular and octagonal clay cans are present.

Interior evidence reveals original 18th century beam construction.

The two cottages were probably originally built as single-storey dwellings and later converted into 2-storey houses. Two different types of stonework visible on the northern house, combined with a 1791 date stone located at 1st floor level, suggest that the houses were heightened at that time. An unusual feature is the blocked gun loop on the south elevation; its original purpose—whether defensive or decorative—remains unknown.

Despite the prominent attic extension to the northern dwelling, these well-maintained houses contribute significantly to the early historic fabric of the village.