Tweed Valley Hotel, Walkerburn

Tweed Valley Hotel, Walkerburn

The Tweed Valley Hotel was designed by J B Dunn of the architectural practice Dunn & Findlay in 1906. It is a two-storey building on a basement with an attic storey, presenting an asymmetric plan characteristic of the Scottish Domestic tradition and incorporating Arts and Crafts detailing. The building is constructed from coursed local whinstone rubble sourced from many quarries, with polished sandstone window dressings and canted bays. The north-east elevation features rock-faced ashlar quoins, whilst the sandstone to this elevation is tooled to resemble coursed whinstone. The roofline is irregularly massed with swept eaves and is partially skew-gabled with gablet finials and ball putts.

The principal south-east elevation is symmetrical and features a segmental-arched verandah to the centre with a lean-to roof, now glazed. A bipartite window with an arch-headed surround contains a thistle and rose motif, with smooth wing walls that break the eaves. To the flanks are advanced gables with canted bays at ground floor level, each containing a tripartite window to the front and a single window to the sides. The ground floor angles of the main walls terminate in pyramidal caps, becoming canted at first-floor level. Central tripartite windows have a moulded cornice above their lintels. The gablehead features a gablet finial and ball finials, with swept wallheads on the canted sides adjoining the main gable.

The north-east elevation is arranged on an L-plan with steps leading to a canted entrance tower located in the re-entrant angle. The tower has a polished ashlar surround with a recessed moulded panel and a roll-moulded edge framing the door. Holes for an original bell pull survive to the right of the door. The carved lintel bears the initials JKB 1906 within a diamond terminating in a fleur-de-lis, flanked by HK, with a shaped moulded cornice above. A window to the first floor aligns with the entrance door, with a further window to the right of the cant. A high wallhead at the top of the tower conceals a balcony serving the attic storey. To the left of the tower is a blind wall of the house. A gabled end with rock-faced quoins adjoins the tower to the right. To the left of this is a slightly recessed section with low eaves and a narrow window at ground floor level. An advanced main gable features steps leading to a door set in the left of the ground floor, with a small window to its left. An upper storey is slightly advanced on a roll-moulded band course, with a bipartite window to the centre of the first floor set with a stone mullion.

The north-west or rear elevation includes blind sections to its extreme right and left. The central portion has five windows to the off-centre left (serving the kitchen) and a single window near the centre (serving the butler's pantry). To the first floor, a much later central cover link adjoins a former rear extension (a small lean-to survives to one side), with a pair of windows to the left and two smaller windows to the right. A central platformed attic floor features a tripartite window to the left, a single window to the centre, and a bipartite window to the right. A higher gabled wallhead adjoins the right of the attic and contains a small window. A lower roof adjoins the left of the attic with a flat-roofed wallhead dormer breaking the eaves.

The south-west elevation contains a central door at basement level, with a smaller door to its left. To the right is an advanced canted bay with windows to each side at basement and ground floor levels (no central window at ground floor), an advanced stack rising from the bay, and an adjoining squared gable with small windows to the flanks at first-floor level. To the left is a quadripartite window at ground floor level with a projecting cornice. A corbelled bipartite window with an arch-headed surround (again featuring the thistle and rose motif) and smooth wing walls that break the eaves sits at first-floor level. A smaller bipartite window is positioned off-centre to the left, and a single rooflight lights the attic.

The fenestration throughout comprises mostly 12-pane leaded casement windows. The centre of the principal bay windows features a 20-pane fixed window flanked by pairs of 10-pane timber casement windows. Some 12-pane glazing in timber sash and case windows lights the basement and rear, with later roof lights added. The entrance tower contains Arts and Crafts design leaded windows.

The roof is pitched, piended and platformed, covered in slate with stone ridging and lead flashing and valleys. Painted cast-iron rainwater goods include some squared downpipes and decorative hoppers bearing a rose motif. The building features tall coursed ashlar chimney stacks of varying widths, rising from either the roofline or the wallhead and set on plinths. All stacks terminate in square diagonally-set shafts with shaped neck copes and plain terracotta cans.

Interior Features

The interior contains a fine semi-hexagonal entrance hall with an ornate plastered domed ceiling and a tiled floor by Allen and Son. A timber-panelled passage leads to an oak-panelled hallway (by Robert Hall and Co) featuring a plaster frieze depicting birds, fruit and vine leaves, and a large Hopton stone fireplace. The dining room has an Adam-style plaster ceiling by Leonard Grandison of Peebles and features an ingle-nook. A fixed buffet unit by J B Dunn leads to an oak-panelled sitting area with an original stone and timber fire surround and a mirrored over-mantel. The oak staircase matches the hall with decorative carved panels and heavy carved grotesque bird newel posts, a design similar to those found in other Ballantyne villas. A plainer stair with thistle finials ascends to the attic floor. The first-floor bathroom retains its original cast-iron bath and marble tiles. Plaster ceiling roses ornament the major bedrooms.

Steps and Garden Terraces

A coursed whinstone rubble wall fronts the house, terminating in sloped buttresses with plain copes. A central flight of terraced steps with low wing walls follows the ascent to the entrance. A similar set of steps serves the east entrance. A high whinstone terrace wall adjoins the south angle of the property.

Greenhouse and Garden Walls

A stepped red brick garden wall adjoins the rear of the property (now divided in two following the former extension), finished with plain stone copes and featuring red brick buttresses. A stepped section to the east follows the descent of the hillside. A timber and glazing lean-to greenhouse stands on a brick base.