Ravenswood House

John and Thomas Smith of Darnick, 1824; additions 1864 for Admiral Sir Henry Fairfax; further alterations and additions 1900 for William Young; reconfigured internally 1961-3 (see Notes). Extensive, 2-storey and basement, asymmetric, castellated mansion in Neo-Tudor style situated beside the River Tweed on the historic estate of Old Melrose. Long rectangular-plan. Pale sandstone ashlar with moulded string course between 1st and 2nd floor. Irregular fenestration. Turreted towers to corner angles; castellated parapets; crow-stepped gables; bi-partite mullioned windows with Tudor hoodmoulds; raised pointed-arch arcaded loggia to E end. Tall diamond-plan chimney flues to W end.

FURTHER DESCRIPTION: 3-3-4 bay arrangement to S (garden) elevation broadly of 1824, 1864 and 1900 dates respectively.

3-BAY 1824 SECTION: S ELEVATION: slightly advanced tower bay flanked by engaged square-plan turrets; to ground, oversailing steps to pointed-arch tripartite window; further tripartite above. Canted window to left rising through basement and ground floor with castellated parapet. W ELEVATION: engaged octagonal turrets to corner angles. Crowstepped gable to parapet with carved lion panel flanked by griffin water spouts. N (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: Later square-plan castellated porch with slit windows to centre with 1864 date panel above.

3-BAY 1864 SECTION: S ELEVATION: lower with castellated tower bay to right surmounted by pyramidal capped, glazed viewing room; carved inset panel above doorway to ground.

4-BAY 1900 SECTION: S ELEVATION: sundial inset to far right crowstepped gable; pointed-arched opening below with canted balustraded balcony at 1st floor. E ELEVATION: 3 arched arcaded loggia with octagonal-columns, returning to W ELEVATION: pointed-arch loggia opening to far left; canted oriel window to right at 2nd floor.

Predominantly plate glass glazing to timber sash and case windows. Grey slate. Cast-iron rainwater goods.