Sweethope House, Green Street, Bothwell

Sweethope House, Green Street, Bothwell

A grade B listed building dating from the late 18th to early 19th century, with subsequent alterations and additions. The original core is a 2-storey, 3-bay symmetrical house, to which a 2-storey, 2-bay addition was added to the left (east). The building is constructed on sloping ground falling to the east, with various height additions to the rear forming a courtyard arrangement. The front and sides are rendered and lined, while the courtyard elevations at the rear are of coursed and squared sandstone rubble, with the outer rear elevation partially rendered. The original block features a cornice and blocking course, with raised and painted margins to windows and raised and channelled quoins. A small square-plan outbuilding stands to the southeast.

The principal (north) elevation of the original 3-bay block features an advanced porch with cornice and blocking course supported by paired fluted Doric columns. The entrance has a replacement part-glazed door with letterbox fanlight, flanked by twin pilasters with narrow side lights, and a single window above at first floor. Windows occupy the outer bays at each floor. The later 2-bay block to the left has a ground floor window with a non-aligned dormer window above in each bay.

The courtyard (south) elevation is irregular with 5 bays, encompassing the single storey rear of the later gabled block to the right and the 2-storey part of the original block to the left. A modern timber-framed and glass square-plan porch occupies a central bay, with windows in the flanking bays. A replacement timber-panelled door sits in the left return of a lean-to addition in the outer right bay. A lean-to section extends at right angles at ground level, with a window at first floor to an advanced later bay to the outer left.

The west range has an irregular 5-bay west (side) elevation, with a slightly advanced 3-bay section to the centre, a blank bay to the left, and a blank gabled bay to the right. The centre 3-bay block has a ground floor window in the central bay and a first floor window above, with a high-set stair window in the left bay. A modern polygonal conservatory at ground floor occupies the right bay, above which is a first floor window. The east courtyard elevation is 2-storey with 2 bays, featuring a single storey lean-to section at ground with windows in each bay and a first floor window in the left bay.

The east (side) elevation presents a blank gabled wall with a redundant gablehead stack, and a single storey lean-to addition to the outer left with stairs providing access to the rear courtyard.

The irregular 4-bay south (rear) elevation comprises a 2-storey, 3-bay block to the left and a single storey block with dormer in a single bay set back to the centre. A coped wall with railing runs to the right. Modern small-pane French windows with dormer window above occupy the central bay, whilst the left bay has a ground floor window. The flanking bays have small windows at ground with large windows at first floor above.

Windows are predominantly replacement 12-pane timber sash and case with some top and bottom hoppers, and some 16-pane timber sash and case windows to the rear. The roof is grey slate with piended and platform forms, pitched double to the later addition and pitched to lean-to sections at the rear. Ashlar coped stacks with painted finish stand at the west and east wallheads, with a redundant stack to the gablehead of the later addition. Cast-iron rainwater goods are present throughout.

The interior, partially visible in 1997, contains Corinthian columns and pilasters dividing the vestibule from the hall. The hall features an egg and dart and modillioned cornice. The dining room has egg and dart cornice with bead and reel border and fruiting vine plasterwork to the ceiling perimeter. Doors are timber panelled with architraves, cornices and flattened pediments.

The outbuilding is of coursed and squared rubble with ashlar surrounds. The south elevation has a deep-set replacement timber-panelled door flanked by a bipartite window with replacement fixed 4-pane lights. The other elevations are blank. A grey slate piended roof contains skylights, with an ashlar stack to the west and cast-iron rainwater goods.