Old Gala House, Scott Crescent, Galashiels

16th century core of skewed rectangular-plan bastle with accumulative additions over 17th , 18th and 19th centuries to form asymmetrical U-plan multi-gabled mansion house with formal garden ground rising to E. 1583 2/3-storey bastle to NE with blocked and later openings and 19th century square stair tower to N; 1611 perpendicular 5-bay range with advanced gabled bay extending to SE to form L-plan; circa 1632 3-bay range to SW to form rough U-plan; circa 1830 advanced gabled bays to S, E and W corners to unify U-plan. Mixed rubble; red and yellow sandstone rubble quoins; mixture of edge-roll mouldings to earlier openings; chamfered irregular rybats and smooth and chamfered sandstone margins to later openings. Predominantly 12-pane timber sash and case windows, multipane glazed 20th century timber doors; pitched slate roofs with some overhanging timber bracketed eaves; stone skews; beaked skewputts to 1830 gables; eclectic mix of rubble and corniced ashlar, gable end, ridge and shouldered wallhead stacks.

FURTHER DESCRIPTION: 3-storey, 7-bays to garden (SE) elevation with lower gabled bay to right masking 16th century core to rear; projecting gabled bay off-centre right with advanced narrow crenellated window formation; advanced gabled and crenellated bay to left with classical doorpiece with obelisk pinnacles. 2-storey, 5-bays to entrance (SW) elevation with circa 1830 gabled corner bays flanking 1632 section with remodelled regular window formation. Prominent 3-storey rectangular 1611 stair tower to rear courtyard NW; hexagonal corbelled and square crenellated towers and lower lean-to sections.

INTERIOR: refurbished in 1988 to form offices and museum spaces, however original details survive to principal rooms including fine polychrome geometric and arabesque painted timber ceiling dating to 1635 at first floor. Large corbel lintelled fireplace, ceiling corbels and 18th century fielded panelling survive to 1583 section, (access not possible at time of survey, 2006). Circa 1860 decorative plaster ceilings depicting Persephone and the four ages of a woman in 1st floor drawing room and the plum tree and fox, symbols of Galashiels, to staircase and hall. Panelled timber shutters and window surrounds prevalent. Jacobean oak chimney piece to morning room said to originate from Mary Queen of Scots House in Jedburgh.

BOUNDARY WALLS: Coped stone rubble walls to S and E, Cast-iron railings to W. Later low 20th century concrete block wall to W bordering bowling club.