Charterhall

Charterhall

The house at Charterhall was rebuilt in 1966 by the architects Cairns, Ford & Yuill to replace an original house designed by John Lessels in 1851. The original service blocks were retained. The new house is an asymmetrical two-storey structure of seven bays with a near-rectangular plan, designed in the Scottish Arts and Crafts survival style. It features a projecting entrance bay offset to the left of centre, with a single-storey two-bay range to the right that links to the former service block. The exterior is rendered in painted harl with cream sandstone ashlar dressings. The base course is of squared and snecked, bull-faced cream sandstone, topped with a moulded eaves course. Windows have sandstone margins and flush cills, while the upper windows to the front have pedimented gableheads. To the south-west, the building is accompanied by a single-storey rectangular-plan service block (now converted to office use) and a separate single-storey cottage with attic space arranged in an L-plan, both enclosing a courtyard.

The north-west entrance elevation features a full-height gabled projection in the penultimate bay to the outer left, with a timber-panelled door at ground level set within an architraved, shouldered and corniced surround. A large stair window occupies the first floor, with a panel inscribed "A.R.T" centred in the gablehead. A sandstone plaque bearing a carved coat-of-arms is positioned at ground level in the bay recessed to the outer left, with a single window offset to the right above. Two bays to the right of the entrance contain single windows at both floors, with gabled upper windows breaking the eaves. A small octagonal light appears at ground level in the subsequent bay to the right, aligned with a single window above. The penultimate bay to the outer right has a gabled upper window breaking the eaves, whilst the bay to the outer right contains single windows at both floors, with the upper window breaking the eaves. A single-storey range adjoins to the right with a panelled door at ground level to the left and a small octagonal light to the right.

The north-east side elevation displays a tripartite window in a single-storey flat-roofed projection at ground level, with two single windows at first floor.

The south-east rear elevation contains a full-height gabled projection offset to the right of centre with a canted entrance at ground level. A tripartite window occupies the first floor, with a panel dated "1966" centred in the gablehead. Single windows appear at ground level in the remaining three bays to the right, with two single windows at first floor. Tripartite and bipartite windows are positioned at ground level in the remaining bays to the left, with four irregularly spaced windows at first floor. A modern conservatory adjoins the outer left.

The south-west side elevation features a single-storey lean-to porch addition at ground level, three single windows at first floor, and a small octagonal light centred in the gablehead. The courtyard to the front accommodates a modern car port and the L-plan cottage enclosing the south side, with the former service quarters (now offices) enclosing the north side.

The main house is fitted with 12- and 18-pane glazing in timber sash and case windows, with some timber casements and rooflights to the rear. The roof is of grey slate with a slightly bell-cast profile and iron rainwater goods. Corniced ridge stacks are present, though the cans are missing. The interior was not inspected in 1998.

Office Range

The office range dates from 1851 and is positioned to the west of the house. It is an M-gabled structure of near-rectangular plan with Tudor detailing, built in coursed and tooled cream sandstone with sandstone ashlar dressings. The north-east elevation is rendered. A raised base course is present throughout, with tooled quoins and tooled long and short surrounds to the chamfered openings, which have chamfered cills.

The north-west entrance elevation consists of seven bays. A Tudor-arched porch is positioned to the outer left with an armorial panel and the date 1851 centred in a gabletted parapet, behind which stands a timber-panelled door within a Tudor-arched surround. Two bays to the right of the entrance contain single windows. A two-bay gabled projection to the right has single windows at ground level with a narrow opening centred in the gablehead. Single windows occupy the remaining two bays to the outer right.

The south-west side elevation is M-gabled. A flat-roofed single-storey addition at the centre contains a single window in the bay to the left and a timber door to the right. A bipartite window appears at ground level in the bay recessed to the outer right, with a single window in the bay recessed to the outer left. Narrow round-arched openings are centred in the gableheads.

The south-east rear elevation contains a taller block to the right with a large opening incorporating a boarded timber door in the bay to the left, and a later opening to the right. A lower two-bay range to the left displays bipartite windows in both bays.

The north-east side elevation has a single window at ground level offset to the right of centre, with a Tudor-arched porch to the outer right.

Predominantly 12-pane glazing is used in timber sash and case windows throughout. The roofs are of grey slate with stone-coped skews. A corniced apex stack with paired square-plan flues (a modern replacement to the north) is present, with circular cans. The interior was not inspected in 1998.

Courtyard Cottage

The cottage is built in coursed and tooled cream sandstone with sandstone ashlar dressings. A raised base course is present, with tooled quoins and tooled long and short surrounds to the chamfered openings, which have chamfered cills.

The north-west courtyard elevation features a full-height gabled projection to the outer left with an engaged square-plan gatepier offset to the left of centre. A single window appears at ground level to the left, corbelled to square to the outer right. A bipartite attic window with round-arched lights is centred in the gablehead with a tapering finial above. A gabled dormer in the bay recessed to the right also has a tapering finial. Modern kennels occupy the right side, with a modern car port to the left.

The north-east entrance elevation has a boarded timber door at ground level to the right and a small-paned door in the bay to the left.

The south-east rear elevation contains a gabled bay to the right with a tripartite window at ground level (the central light being taller) topped with a stepped hoodmould. A bipartite window with round-arched lights is aligned at first floor. A single window at ground level appears in the bay to the outer left, with a small single window in a gabled dormer above and a tapering finial. The south-west side elevation has a single opening centred at ground level and a bipartite window with round-arched lights at first floor.

Timber sash and case and casement windows are used throughout. The roof is of grey slate with stone-coped skews and a sandstone apex stack with a corniced square-plan flue and a single circular can. The interior was not inspected in 1998.

Sundial

A sandstone sundial is positioned to the south-east of the house. It comprises a square-plan base, a tapering octagonal shaft, and a cross-shaped dial with inscribed concave faces, surmounted by a ball-shaped finial bearing numerical inscriptions.