Chiefswood House

John Smith of Darnick, 1820 with mid 19th century additions and some late 18th century fabric to rear (see Notes). 2-storey, 4-bay, gabled villa comprising rectangular-plan 1820 Cottage Ornee to S with Doric porch and a variety of window styles; 18th century cottage and single storey outbuilding adjoining to N corner; mid 19th century double-gabled addition in re-entrant angle, forming stepped composition to W (front). Roughly-coursed squared, pink rubble with cream sandstone ashlar dressings. Fairly irregular fenestration with predominantly long and short margins; some raised ashlar margins to 1820 section; 2 flat-roofed dormers breaking eaves to S elevation. Long and short quoins.

W (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: 1820 cottage to right: timber panelled front door at ground to left with lead-roofed timber Doric porch; small pointed window above with shutters; slightly advanced bipartite, hoodmoulded window to right; shuttered window above. 2 regularly fenestrated gables stepped forward to centre and left. Single storey outbuilding recessed to outer left.

S (SIDE) ELEVATION: canted window to right, hoodmoulded window to left, dormers to attic.

E (GARDEN) ELEVATION: 1820 cottage to left: advanced bipartite bay window at ground to left; small window to right; arched window with decorative glazing above. Irregularly fenestrated narrow gable of original cottage (see Notes) to right with L-plan piend-roofed ancillary range advanced at ground, irregularly fenestrated with doors and windows. Double gable behind.

N (REAR) ELEVATION: U-plan arrangement of irregularly fenestrated buildings around service courtyard with piend-roofed ancillary building advanced to left and stone garage advanced to right.

Predominantly timber sash and case windows with lying-pane glazing to later gabled wing and small-pane glazing to 1820 cottage; timber casements to 1st floor of 1820 cottage. Coped stacks with yellow clay cans. Deep bracketed eaves; plain bargeboards to mid-19th century wing. Graded grey slate.

INTERIOR: lying-pane half-glazed timber panelled lobby door. Stone staircase through archway in 1820 wing; timber staircase in later wing. Some marble fireplaces. Alcove in entrance hall. Built-in bookshelves in back drawing room of 1820 wing. Reeded doorframes in 1820 wing. Plain Georgian cornicing.

WALLED GARDEN: to E of house. Roughly rectangular. Random rubble walls to W, N and E; round-arched gateway to E wall. Low coped wall to S with decorative cast-iron railings. Simple ashlar gatepiers at SE corner of house.

BRIDGE: single arch bridge to SE of house. Random rubble with ashlar arch. Low coped parapet with plain 20th century railings.

MONKS WELL: to SE of house by burn. Small well with cusped window head from Melrose Abbey forming wellhead