Tigh-Na-Sgiadh, Dulnain Bridge

Tigh-Na-Sgiadh, Dulnain Bridge

A large villa built in the early 1900s in the style of a late 19th century shooting lodge, which is known to have functioned as such in the mid 20th century. The building retains many fine inter-war internal features. It comprises a 2-storey and attic, 3-bay square-plan principal block on the south-east with a corner turret, and a 2-storey service wing to the north-east.

The principal elevations are faced in coursed, tooled granite with snecked rubble granite to the remaining elevations. Polished sandstone dressings are used throughout, with a battered base course and corniced cill course to the first floor of the south-east principal elevation. Timber sash and case windows with multi-paned upper sashes are set some within bipartite mullioned openings. Pitched grey slate roofs feature bracketed overhanging eaves, bargeboarded to the gables, with corniced sandstone gable apex stacks topped by circular cans.

The south-east garden elevation is near symmetrical and notably includes a narrow recessed central bay incorporating a large segmental-arched entrance with timber and glass screen, surmounted by a gabled stone dormerhead breaking the eaves. Slightly advanced gabled wings flank either side, with a tripartite mullioned box window at ground level to the left and small bipartite round-arched windows in the gableheads. A 2-storey polygonal spired turret crowns the south corner, topped with a weather-vane and predominantly faced in sandstone with a moulded geometric eaves cornice.

The south-west elevation features gabled dormerheads breaking the eaves to both the main elevation and the recessed service wing, with a crenellated porch set in a re-entrant angle, timber-boarded door with strap hinges, and a viewing panel with ornamental grille. The north-west elevation displays a bipartite mullioned stair window above the porch and a single storey gabled outshot with timber-boarded addition. The north-east elevation shows the gable of the principal range to the left with the service wing extending to the right, similarly featuring gabled dormerheads breaking the eaves. A large modern metal fire escape to the service wing provides access to a former first floor window and a dormered door at the attic of the principal block. A stone flat-roofed former larder with crenellated parapet extends from the service wing.

The interior features a main hall and vestibule to the rear with timber panelling incorporating a dentilled corniced plate shelf, a simple stone chimneypiece with an unusual panelled metal grate, and a timber dog-leg stair with timber newel posts and balusters. The principal ground floor rooms contain timber floorboards laid in geometric patterns with recessed areas for carpet, various simple 1930s stone chimneypieces, and principal window openings flanked by finialled barley-twist timber colonettes with decorative cornices throughout. Service bell-pushes are fitted to most rooms, with a service indicator board in the kitchen. The first floor contains an Art Deco green bathroom featuring a large stylised bath with matching sink and toilet, vitrolite panels to the walls with patterned decorative glass detailing framing both bath and sink, and black and white geometric patterned floor detailing remaining beneath carpet as of 2003, with black skirting boards. A stylised Art Deco timber chimneypiece with white and black inlay and brushed steel grate adorns the master bedroom at first floor, whilst bedrooms feature decorative tiled fireplaces including one with Oriental figures. The majority of grates to chimneypieces at ground and first floor are marked with the stamp of Bratt, Colbran & Co, London. Further bedrooms occupy the attic.

The south-east boundary comprises a low granite retaining wall to the roadside and a pair of capped granite gatepiers.