West Pavilion, Renton House

West Pavilion, Renton House

This austere classical house on a Palladian plan dates to the early 18th century, possibly 1715, with later additions and alterations. It is a symmetrical 2-storey building with basement and attic, arranged on a rectangular plan across 5 bays. The main structure is built in whinstone rubble with cream sandstone dressings; the later portico uses pink sandstone dressings. Details include a base course in part, lintel course, ashlar frieze, and concave cornice at the eaves. Rusticated quoins and plain pilasters divide the centre bays from the outer bays. Openings are defined by droved long and short surrounds, with shouldered margins at ground and first floors, shallow relieving arches at basement and ground levels, and projecting cills throughout.

Northeast Elevation (Entrance) The front elevation is grouped 1-3-1 and articulated by giant order pilasters defining the outer bays. A projecting portico occupies the centre, comprising steps to an advanced, flat-roofed porch with a round-arched opening. The porch features a balustraded parapet and a 2-leaf timber panelled door with a round-arched, stained and leaded fanlight. A single window centred in a pedimented projection is recessed at first floor level, with a bipartite window in a box dormer aligned above. Single windows at all floors appear in the remaining bays, recessed to left and right, with squat basement windows and keystoned windows at ground level. A single storey addition, slightly recessed to the outer left, has a bipartite window at its centre and is topped by a full-width balustraded pediment.

Northwest Elevation This 3-bay side elevation contains a narrow window at first floor offset to the left of centre, with single windows at all floors in the remaining bays to the right. A full-height portico recessed to the left features single windows at all floors and a round-arched window centred in a lower balustraded porch to the outer left.

Southwest Elevation The rear elevation is grouped 1-3-1 with quoins defining the outer bays. Single windows appear at all floors in all bays, with 2 bipartite windows in a central box dormer and canted dormers to left and right. A single storey addition serving as a service courtyard projects to the outer right, featuring a balustraded parapet and balustraded stair to the front with a single window to the left.

Southeast Elevation A full-width, single storey projection at basement level serves as a service courtyard, with a large, square-headed opening offset to the left of centre. The principal block set behind contains single windows at ground and first floors in a bay offset to the right of centre and a bay to the outer left; a bipartite window in a box dormer is centred above. A full-height portico recessed to the right features single windows at all floors and a round-arched window centred in a lower balustraded porch to the outer right.

Roof and Fenestration Windows throughout are 8- and 12-pane timber sash and case windows, with decorative stained and leaded windows to the porch. The roof is finished in grey slate with piend and platform forms and swept eaves. Prominent sandstone chimney stacks flank the centre of the building, topped with octagonal cans.

Interior A single stair with rolled detail to the stone treads accesses all floors. Reception rooms feature timber panelled doors, timber skirting, dado rails, and some dado panelling, with plaster cornices and various fireplaces. The remainder of the interior was not seen during the 1999 survey.

Pavilions Single storey, rectangular-plan pavilions flank the house to the front. Both are built in whinstone rubble with tooled cream sandstone dressings, moulded eaves, and rusticated quoins.

The SE Pavilion has single windows in all 4 bays on its SW elevation and in the bays to the outer left and right on the NE elevation. The NW elevation holds a single window to the left. The SE elevation features a boarded timber door to the left and a large boarded timber opening to the right.

The NW Pavilion has a boarded timber door offset to the right of centre on its SW elevation, with single windows in the remaining bays. The NE elevation has single windows in all 3 bays, though the central bay was originally a door. The SE elevation contains single windows in both bays. The NW elevation features a single window (formerly a door) to the left and a small-pane glazed door to the right, with a piended dormer offset to the left above.

Both pavilions have timber sash and case windows, grey slate piended roofs with swept eaves, and squat, brick-built wallhead stacks. Their interiors were not seen during the 1999 survey.

Associated Features A sundial of irregular composition comprises 2 circular grinding stones forming a stepped base, beneath which sits a corniced, square-plan pedestal supporting a square-plan cream sandstone ashlar block inscribed with a dial. The dial bears a coat-of-arms (Homes of Renton) and a panel embossed 'S.D R.H.I.D 1715'.

Quadrant walls in rubble with coped tops flank the entrance to the NE. Rubble walls of the site boundary are partially buttressed at the rear.