Coach House And Stables, Melville Castle

Coach House and Stables, Melville Castle

Possibly designed by James Playfair in the late 18th or early 19th century, this is a substantial two-storey, seven-bay Gothick U-plan former stable and coach house block. The building comprises three ranges arranged around a central courtyard, with slightly advanced square-plan two-bay blocks at each angle.

The exterior is constructed of droved ashlar sandstone with polished dressings on the outward-facing elevations, while the courtyard-facing elevations use coursed, squared rubble. Architectural detailing includes a base course, raised cills to windows, a string course to the ground floor that continues as hood moulds over the ground floor windows, an eaves course, and tapered square channelling to the raised quoins, which enhances the overall Gothick impression.

The east range forms the base of the U and presents a near-symmetrical seven-bay entrance elevation grouped 2-3-2. The ground floor contains windows and a part-glazed replacement door with point-arched fanlight. The western elevation is symmetrical with four bays, featuring segmental arches at ground level with windows above; the outer left arch is divided into two with boarded doors.

The south range displays a near-symmetrical six-bay elevation grouped 2-2-2, with two-bay groups slightly advanced at either end. It contains windows at each floor and a small-pane modern door with point-arched fanlight at ground level on the right. The northern courtyard elevation is irregular, with five bays incorporating boarded doors, both at ground and first floor level, and windows variously arranged.

The north range presents a near-symmetrical six-bay elevation grouped 2-2-2, with some windows blinded at ground level. The southern elevation is irregular with six bays and includes boarded doors with fanlights, windows with later ironwork balconies, and a high bulls-eye window.

The west range features a courtyard entrance with a pair of circular-plan gatepiers with cornices and flat circular caps at the centre, flanked by ashlar coped walls. Decorative replacement wrought-iron gates hang between the piers.

Fenestration throughout includes pointed-arched full-height windows to ground and half-height to first floor on the outward-facing elevations, with 12-pane timber sash and case glazing. The inward-facing courtyard elevations feature 6-, 8-, and 12-pane timber sash and case windows, while plate glass fills the segmental arches of the west elevation. Skylights puncture the roof. The building is topped with a grey slate roof featuring piended angles, with ashlar coped chimney stacks to the north arm and south end of the east block, and cast-iron rainwater goods throughout.

Classical proportions are applied to this Gothick accompaniment to Melville Castle, which lies to the northeast. The building has been recently converted to a substantial dwelling. It forms a group with Melville Castle, East Lodge, Esk Cottage, Garden Cottage, Garden Farmhouse, Walled Garden and Lodge, South Driveway Bridge, South Lodge, Walled Garden Steading, and Willie's Temple. The building is shown on the first edition Ordnance Survey map of 1854.