Stables House, Marchmont House

Stables House, Marchmont House

A predominantly 17th-century complex with later additions and alterations, now arranged around a courtyard. The buildings comprise Stables House and a squash court forming a 2-storey range to the northwest; a 2-storey former generator house linking to a single-storey stables range to the southwest; a 3-stage circular-plan tower with Gothick detailing adjoined to the south; and The Old Coach House, a single-storey building with attic and T-plan Arts and Crafts style, added and the range reconstructed by Sir Robert Lorimer circa 1915. A low rubble wall with coped coping encloses the courtyard to the northeast, incorporating a small gabled shed. The corner tower is possibly 18th century; various 19th-century additions and alterations are evident throughout.

Stables House and Squash Court

This predominantly 2-storey block is constructed from harl-pointed sandstone rubble with cream and red sandstone dressings. The rubble quoins and openings feature long and short surrounds (rake-jointed in part) with some chamfered margins and flush cills.

The courtyard elevation is a 4-bay block with a central forestair accessing the 1st floor entrance, offset to the left of centre. A round-arched doorway opens at ground level. The squash court occupies the right section with a blind elevation; a chamfered angle corbelled to square marks the outer right corner. To the left, the house has a part-glazed timber door offset to the right of centre, flanked by single windows at both floors; a corbelled-to-square angle marks the outer left. A single-storey 3-bay linking range with part-glazed timber doors and single windows connects Stables House to the former generator house to the right.

The rear elevation shows a 2-storey range with a blind elevation to the left of centre (squash court), flanked by two bays of single windows at both floors with chamfered angles corbelled to square at the outer corners. A timber-mullioned tripartite window recesses into the single-storey linking range to the right. The 3-bay former generator house adjoins to the outer right.

The northeast side elevation features a timber door at ground with a clock face aligned above; a ball-finalled bellcote surmounts the gablehead. Timber sash and case windows light the elevation; large rooflights serve the squash court. The roofs are covered in grey slate with sandstone ridging, crowstepped skews, and moulded skewputts. Coped sandstone stacks with circular cans complete the detailing. Cast-iron rainwater goods are present throughout. The interior was not inspected in 1998.

Former Generator House

Squared and snecked tooled sandstone rubble with sandstone ashlar dressings defines this 2-storey building. Ashlar quoins and long and short surrounds to openings with flush cills are employed throughout.

The entrance elevation features a part-glazed boarded timber door centred at ground, flanked by single windows. A decorative pediment surmounts a single window centred at 1st floor. A forestair recesses to the outer right.

The side elevation shows a single window at ground to the right; a forestair corbelled to square stands to the left. A finialled pediment surmounts a part-glazed timber door breaking the eaves at 1st floor, offset to the right of centre. A single-storey stable range adjoins to the outer right.

Windows are of timber sash and case type with 6- and 12-pane glazing. The roof is covered in grey slate with crowstepped skews and moulded skewputts. Cast-iron rainwater goods complete the detailing. The interior was not inspected in 1998.

Stables

This heavily-pointed sandstone rubble structure features predominantly droved sandstone dressings, rubble quoins, long and short surrounds to openings, and flush cills.

The courtyard elevation comprises originally 9 bays. A part-blocked round-arched carriage opening with 2 leaves stands offset to the left of centre, flanked by single windows. Subsequent bays to the left and right contain blocked openings. A 4-bay range to the right has a blocked doorway offset to the left of centre and single windows in the remaining bays to the left and right.

The rear elevation spans 8 bays, with square-headed openings in 3 bays to the left of centre. A part-blocked round-arched carriage opening with 2 leaves stands offset to the right of centre; remaining bays contain blocked single windows. A 2-leaf boarded timber door serves a piended wallhead dormer to the outer right. Windows were missing in 1998; small rooflights provide ventilation. The roof is covered in grey slate with stone ridging and cast-iron rainwater goods. A coped brick ridge stack is present; cans were missing in 1998. The interior was not inspected in 1998.

Tower

This 3-stage circular-plan tower is constructed from heavily-pointed sandstone rubble with ashlar dressings. A raised base course, moulded string courses dividing floors, corbelled eaves, crenellated parapet, and chamfered margins to pointed-arched openings characterize the external detailing.

The entrance elevation features a boarded timber door centred at ground with a Y-traceried fanlight above. Single windows at both floors align above the door.

The side elevations display single windows at all floors, some part blocked at ground and 1st floor levels. Upper windows are Y-traceried; lower windows are timber sash and case. The tower is surmounted by a grey slate conical cap. The interior was not inspected in 1998.

The Old Coach House

Designed by Sir Robert Lorimer circa 1915, this T-plan Arts and Crafts style building is constructed from harl-pointed, squared and snecked cream sandstone rubble with sandstone dressings (rake-jointed in part). Overhanging bell-cast eaves, droved quoins, droved long and short surrounds to openings, and flush cills are employed throughout.

The entrance elevation comprises 6 bays. A 2-bay wing advanced at the centre with steeply pitched piended roof breaking the eaves contains a part-glazed boarded timber door to the right and a small window to the left; a timber-mullioned bipartite dormer centres above. Single windows in the remaining bays recessed to the outer left and right are flanked by timber-mullioned bipartite dormers set between them.

The rear elevation spans 6 bays with square-headed modern garage doors in each bay. Regularly spaced concrete cantilevers project above (the roof is missing). A piended bipartite dormer centres the elevation. Timber sash and case windows light the ground floor; timber casement windows occupy the dormers. The roof is covered in grey slate with stone ridging and cast-iron rainwater goods. Coped sandstone stacks with circular cans complete the detailing. The interior was not inspected in 1998.

Setted Yard

The remains of a setted yard survive in part, bounded by a rubble-coped rubble wall incorporating a small gabled shed to the northeast.