Juniper Cottage, Mar Road, Braemar

Juniper Cottage is a mid 19th-century single storey and attic cottage built of granite rubble, located prominently on Mar Road in the centre of Braemar village. The cottage is a three-bay structure with deep eaves and projecting rafters. The symmetrical north-east elevation, which is the principal facade, features a central two-leaf timber boarded door flanked by replacement timber four-pane top hopper windows. Two gable dormers break the eaves line, with a single traditional roof light positioned between them. The roof is covered with graded grey slates, a particularly distinctive feature as Juniper Cottage is the only house in Braemar to retain its graded Glen Callater stone slates. Gable stacks with thackstanes are present.

The cottage is accompanied by an associated 'wee house' positioned parallel to the south-west. This outbuilding dates to the later 19th century and is single storey. It is constructed partly of rubble and partly of timber weatherboarding, making it unusual compared to other examples in the village which are timber-built. The 'wee house' has two widely spaced timber boarded doors on its north-east elevation and two non-traditional windows on its south-west weatherboarded elevation. It is roofed with corrugated iron and has a pipe flue to the west gable.

The cottage displays many traditional Highland features particular to this region: the use of granite reflects Aberdeenshire's readily available building material, while the gabled dormers, timber fenestration pattern and slate roof are all characteristic of the area. The external appearance remains substantially unaltered since its construction, and its footprint is unchanged since the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey. Local tradition suggests the cottage was built using stones from Kindrochit Castle.

The 'wee house' is an unusual survival that reflects the historical development of Braemar through tourism. In the 19th century, Deeside became increasingly fashionable as a health resort, with its landscape compared to Switzerland. This perception was enhanced after the Royal Family spent time in the area from the 1840s and the Railway arrived at Ballater in the 1850s. The influx of wealthy tourists prompted residents to build 'wee houses' in their gardens, allowing them to occupy these structures during summer while letting their main cottages to visitors. The pairing of cottage and 'wee house' survives particularly well in Braemar and represents an important reflection of the area's historical and social development.

The cottage is prominently located and makes a significant impact on the streetscape. Its setting remains much as it has been historically. Interior access was not possible at the time of listing assessment in November 2005.