45, Kilravock, Findhorn

This is an early to mid-18th century, two-storey, five-bay house facing south, with a rear gable positioned off-centre. The house has a gable end facing the street. The exterior is finished with modern harl, contrasted by painted ashlar margins. The entrance is off-centre and features moulded margins, a narrow rectangular fanlight, and a panelled door. Ground floor windows have checked margins indicating they would have had shutters, and some original hinges and hooks remain. Smaller windows are located under the eaves, with two later additions raised through the wallhead within small gablets. Two first-floor windows are situated in the west gable (seaward-facing) to illuminate a parlour. A substantial rear off-centre wallhead gable features an apex stack and paired ground and first-floor windows set beneath the gable; a further window has been enlarged on the ground floor at the northwest (former shop) corner.

The glazing is varied, and the house has coped end stacks with a slate roof.

Inside, a wide, sweeping staircase rises immediately in front of the main door, featuring moulded risers and turned wooden balusters. A panelled first-floor parlour is located on the west (seaward) side, with a deep, moulded ceiling cornice. A square-headed ashlar chimneypiece is present in the ground floor west sitting room, likely belonging to the merchant-owner. Raised and fielded panelled window shutters and doors are also found, along with moulded ceiling cornices in the first-floor corridor.

Findhorn was historically part of the Barony of Muirton and belonged to the Rose family of Kilravock (Nairnshire) from the end of the 17th century until 1766, when it was sold to Sir Hector Munro of Novar, whose family still owns it. The name of the house indicates its connection to the Kilravock Rose family. The shutter arrangements of the ground floor windows suggest the lower portion of the house was formerly used as an office and stores, likely connected to the commercial trading activity occurring at Findhorn harbour, which was situated close to the house until the middle of the 19th century. The wide staircase led to comfortable family quarters on the first floor, with parlour windows positioned to oversee shipping. Some parlour panelling may have originated as box bed doors. In more recent times, a butcher's shop occupied the ground floor room on the west side, continuing the tradition of commercial use. This is an unusual survival of an earlier 18th-century merchant's house with minimal alteration inside and out.