Viewfield House

Viewfield House is a house of mixed origins, largely dating from the late 18th century with substantial alterations and additions by Alexander Ross in 1885-1887. Originally a 2-storey, 3-bay house with a block pediment over the central entrance, it was later transformed into a larger, asymmetrical, gabled house with a porte cochere and a square crenellated tower providing views toward Loch Portree and the Sound of Raasay. The tower includes a circular caphouse rising two stages above the roof, also added in 1885-1887. The exterior is rendered with ashlar dressings, featuring long and short detailing to the tower and windows.

The north-east (entrance) elevation features a principal entrance at the base of the tower, sheltered by a keyblocked, elliptically arched porte cochere with channelled angle pilasters and a balustrade. The south-east (garden) elevation is asymmetrical, with two canted bay windows on the ground floor and a transomed, mullioned stair light and a tripartite window on the first floor, accompanied by a shallow corbelled balustrade and iron railing. A pedimented and chamfered doorpiece marks the original entrance in the centre bay, which is raised with a wallhead gable. Two piended dormers are also present. The south-west (garden) elevation includes a single-storey, C-shaped range dating back to the late 18th century, with a gabled roof and incorporating a former kitchen, byre, coal cellar, and cart shed which has now been converted into accommodation and office space. A single-storey, piended, lean-to roof connects this range to a late 19th-century annex. The north-west (services) elevation mirrors the south-west, with access to the kitchen block via the annex connection.

The roof is slate, and most windows are single-pane or feature 6 over 6 casements. There are multiple stacks, some with decorative clay cans, along with cast iron hoppers and downpipes. The interior retains a fine, ornate decorative scheme from the late 19th century, including a carved fireplace dated 1887 in the entrance hall, along with stairs, panelling, and doors from the same period. The original 18th-century staircase remains, with alterations on the first floor to accommodate an attic stairwell. Encaustic tiles are present in the vestibule. The original room layout is largely intact, and decorative stone fire surrounds are found throughout. Decorative cornices feature in most rooms, alongside radiators with metal-grill and timber covers. Service bells from the late 1880s are in place within the kitchen block annex, and original late 1880s sanitary ware remains in the ground and first-floor toilets.

An outbuilding, also designed by Alexander Ross in 1887, stands nearby. It is a 2-storey, 4-bay, rectangular building of random rubble construction with a gabled slate roof and two stacks. Originally comprising coach houses, stables, a hayloft, doocot, gunroom, and kennels, the interior has been modernized. A lantern is located on the south gable end, and four boxed dormers are present on the eastern side. The rear west elevation features former kennels, and some non-traditional windows with varying sized openings are incorporated.