Orton House

Orton House is a mansion dated 1786 and 1848, featuring northern and southern wings. It underwent significant remodelling of the main frontage in 1848, likely by Thomas Mackenzie, and had large two- and three-storey rear additions by J M Dick Peddie in 1904. The house is a tall, symmetrical classical structure facing east, with three storeys and single-storey wings that project from the north and south gables over a raised basement. It is built from mixed pinned granite rubble with contrasting tooled ashlar dressings.

The 1848 remodelled frontage includes a projecting pedimented central bay with a round-headed entrance flanked by similarly shaped side windows featuring egg and dart detailing, as well as single round-headed niches, each containing a statue. A balustraded porte-cochere is supported by four Roman Doric columns with an entablature. The pediment is adorned with a cartouche dated 1786 and 1848, and the apex and ends feature urn finials from 1848.

All front windows have moulded jambs, with the ground floor windows lugged, the first floor corniced, and the second floor smaller, all part of the 1848 updates that replaced the original tripartite windows from 1786. The northern and southern wings have bowed end gables, illuminated by wide corniced tripartites with engaged Doric columns flanking the centre light. The northern wing is currently roofless. At the rear, there is a projecting full-height canted window. While some varied glazing remains, most windows are boarded up as of 1987. The house features end stacks with flanking scroll brackets and various rear stacks, with a steeply pitched slated piended roof on the main block and piended slated roofs elsewhere.

Inside, the southern drawing-room has a panelled and reeded dado, door and window shutters, a corniced and carved overdoor decorated with crossed fronds, a carved chimneypiece, and a coved ceiling with reeded ornamentation. There is a cantilevered carved staircase. However, the rest of the interior has been gutted as of 1987.