Springbank Cottage, Carlops

These are four, single-storey, three-bay former weavers' cottages dating to the late 18th century, with later additions and alterations. The cottages are constructed of rendered rubble with painted ashlar dressings. Some of the window openings have been enlarged, and there are single canted window additions to Springbank and Carberry cottages. A gabled timber porch addition is present on Langskaill cottage. Single-storey flat-roofed additions and dormers have been added to the rear.

The cottages have timber sash and case windows with a variety of glazing patterns. The roofs are covered in grey slate, and the end and ridge stacks have tall clay cans. Decorative ashlar skews are present, along with cast-iron rainwater goods. Springbank cottage is noted for its scrolled skewputts.

Originally, the ground floor plan of each cottage was identical, containing a kitchen and workroom flanking a through-passage opening off the front door. The ground floor rooms would have originally contained box beds and wide, lintelled sandstone fireplaces with rounded corbels in the kitchen, although these features no longer survive.

The village of Carlops was established in 1874 by Robert Brown, the laird of Newhall, who arranged rows of cottages along the main Edinburgh to Biggar road. As the textile industry declined in the late 19th century, the village transitioned to a health resort, and continues to be a popular destination for visitors and walkers exploring Pentland Hill. The village retains its traditional character due to its linear layout.

The cottages form part of a group of listed buildings that includes a row of six cottages (Ferndale, Houlet, Amulree, Finlaggan, Blinkieknowe, Birkenbush), a row of three cottages (Ashley, The Biggin, Weavers), Carlops Church, the Pentland and Elphinstone public house, the Allan Ramsay Hotel, and a further row of four cottages (Jess, see separate listing).