Rear Cottage, Ruard, Stafford Street, Helmsdale

This is a house, likely dating from around 1838, situated in Helmsdale. It is a two-storey and attic, three-bay building constructed from coursed rubble with tooled ashlar dressings, while the side walls are harled. The central bay is slightly recessed and features a door that is now concealed behind a late 19th-century projecting porch with a bargeboard. The windows have hood moulds and margins, and there are two late 19th-century canted dormers with 12-pane glazing. A single-storey, two-bay wing extends to the rear, and a modern glazed sun parlour has been added to the east gable. The building has corniced end stacks and a slate roof.

To the rear of the main house is a single-storey, three-bay service cottage, also built of rubble with tooled rubble dressings, a central door, 12-pane glazing, end stacks, and a slate roof. A coped rubble retaining wall is also present.

The building's context includes Helmsdale Church of Scotland (built in 1838 with alterations in 1896), which stands opposite the manse and is no longer in ecclesiastical use.