Abbotsknowe, Abbotsford Road, Galashiels

Abbotsknowe is a 1893 stable block, originally on a steeply sloping site. In 1934, it was converted into two private dwellings by Dunn and Martin, and in 2006, it was further converted into three dwellings under single ownership. The building is two storeys and has a symmetrical U-plan, with nine bays. It is designed in a Tudor-gothic style, featuring advanced, finialed crowstepped gables to the central and outer bays, as well as bracketed Jacobean strapwork pediments at the gable heads. A previously open central archway has been infilled to create a tripartite entrance doorpiece. The building has distinctive small, piended dormers with shouldered windows and wrought iron finials. The rear features an open cobbled courtyard, heavy, cast-iron, bracketed, timber boarded doors, and white glazed bricks. A stone corbelled Dutch dormer window and former vents are blocked, replaced by carved stone panels on the south side. Later stone flat-roofed extensions and box dormers have been added to the rear.

The exterior is constructed of snecked, stugged blonde sandstone with smooth, chamfered margins, a base course, and an eaves band course. Gable windows have pedimented crested hoodmoulds. An open corner porch with balustrade and shouldered openings is located on the north side. The windows are a mixture of 12-pane and 9-over-4-pane timber sash and case styles, with variations to the rear. Rear windows are uPVC, and a conservatory is also present. Panelled timber doors are original. The steep-pitched roof is covered in graduated slate, with triangular ventilators, truncated ridge and gablehead stacks, octagonal clay cans, and circular stone cans to the central crowstepped gable. Beaked skewputts and cast-iron downpipes are also present.

The interior of the original coachman's house on the north side retains simple turned timber stairs, diagonal timber window panelling, a stained glass panel, and cast-iron fireplaces. The dwellings converted in 1934 display detailing from that period, including grained timber staircases, marble fire surrounds, and original pitch pine saddle and bridle cases, which have been remodelled to form a bookcase.

The circa 1934 stone entrance gatepiers are square-plan and carved with faces, inscribed 'Abbotsknowe,' and topped by earlier ball finials. An ornate diamond coped pierced stone balustrade runs along the central entrance steps and upper entrance level, with ball finialed newel posts. Side steps to the south have decorative cast-iron railings. Low rubble round coped walls enclose the courtyard to the rear, with a coped retaining wall.