Springfield House

Springfield House is a two-storey and attic, three-bay house dated 1777, facing south. The exterior is harled with contrasting painted ashlar margins. The central doorway is masked by an early 19th century single-storey, square porch with a side entrance and front window, flanked by later-enlarged tripartite windows. There are two piended dormers, and the gable fenestration includes small attic windows. A late 18th century drawing room wing abuts the rear of the house, its west gable continuous with the main dwelling and lit by two long windows with an attic window above. A mid-to-later 18th century single-storey, three-bay wing is set back at the east. The windows are a mix of four and multi-pane glazing. The roofs are covered in slate with stone ridges, and the end and wallhead stacks have moulded mid-to-late 18th century corniced copes.

The interior includes a staircase with ornate mid-19th century cast-iron balusters and a polished wooden handrail. The rear drawing room, at a mezzanine level opening off a half landing (with a cellar below and an attic above), has two long windows in the west wall, closed by raised and fielded panelled shutters. There are raised and fielded panelled doors, a dado rail, and a decorative plaster ceiling cornice.

The front garden is enclosed by a low coped wall. The entrance is flanked by a pair of mid-19th century square ashlar gatepiers with square reeded caps, and a pair of spearheaded cast-iron carriage gates.

The history of Springfield is not well documented, although the site was occupied before 1777. The west skewputt of the house is initialled "MD" and the east is dated 1777. It is possible that the house was built by a member of the Dunbar family, who owned property in the vicinity of Forres. Mark Dunbar settled at Dalvey (then Grangehill) in the 17th century.

The single-storey, three-bay wing at the east is of a different 18th century build, possibly even slightly earlier than the main house, or alternatively intended as a kitchen or servants wing. Contemporary stables are located to the east of the house, and are in poor condition. They are not included in the listing. Springfield Cottage, to the rear of the house, is also of the 18th century, but has been considerably altered and is not included in the listing.