Cockpen Manse Stables

Cockpen Manse Stables

The Glebe House, formerly Cockpen Manse, was designed by Richard Crichton in 1816. It is a two-storey and attic building with a three-bay T-plan form. The structure underwent significant alterations and additions in 1875, possibly by the architects Peddie and Kinnear, and further repairs and alterations were carried out in 1911 by James McLachlan. The latter works followed subsidence damage caused by mineral mining underneath the building.

The house is constructed of coursed, tooled pink sandstone with droved dressings. It features a base course, projecting window cills, an eaves course, and long and short quoins. The southeast principal elevation is symmetrical, with an architraved central doorway containing a panelled timber door and regular fenestration to the first floor, with windows in the flanking bays.

The northeast elevation is also symmetrical with three bays. It includes an advanced gabled bay to the left with a window to the centre of the ground floor, and windows to both ground and first floors of the right return. The centre and right bays are recessed; the centre bay has a window to the ground floor, whilst the right bay has bipartite windows to both ground and first floors. A gabled dormer occupies the attic floor.

The northwest elevation is asymmetrical with three bays. An advanced gabled bay to the left contains a single window set within the gablehead. A glazed timber door to the ground floor and window to the first floor of the right return are present, along with windows to the ground and first floors of the centre bay. A lean-to is positioned at the right bay with a single ground floor window.

The southwest elevation is asymmetrical. A late 20th-century conservatory addition obscures a lean-to structure at ground floor level; the remainder of this elevation is blank.

The building is fenestrated with a variety of timber sash and case windows. The roof is covered with grey slate and features a lead ridge, coped stone skews, and droved, coped gablehead stacks with circular cans. Cast iron rainwater goods are employed throughout.

The stable block is situated to the northwest of the house and adopts a U-plan form, constructed of tooled rubble with droved dressings. Three large boarded timber doors occupy the centre, with bays to the outer left and right advanced. The outer left features a barred window opening surmounted by a ledge and three flight holes, with a doorway to the right return. A broad two-leaf boarded timber door is positioned to the outer right with a window opening above. A door opens to the left return. The stable block is roofed with a piended grey slate roof featuring overhanging eaves, a lead ridge, and modern skylights.

Despite the substantial subsidence damage caused by underlying mineral mining, the former manse survives as a well-proportioned building that retains much of its original character. The Heritor's Records indicate that repairs were undertaken in 1875, with accounts mentioning the involvement of Peddie and Kinnear, who subsequently worked on Cockpen Parish Church. The precise extent of their work on the manse is not detailed in the records.