Thorn Cottage Including Outhouse, Main Street, Gartmore

Loch Lomond And Trossachs National Park Planning Authority

Possibly late 18th century, traditional single storey, 4-bay cottage with small detached outhouse to rear. Situated directly on the Main Street of Gartmore, it groups well with neighbouring Murray House (see separate list description) and has good streetscape and local historical value. Gartmore is a planned village, laid out by Nicol Graham of Gartmore House and his descendents in the 18th century. Despite probably being thatched originally, Thorn Cottage is one of the best surviving examples of a relatively unaltered cottage in the planned village.

Principal (SE) elevation of 4 bays with off-centre front door flanked by 2 single windows to left and 1 window to right. Attached to Murray House to left (SW). Blank NE (side) gable with narrow passage giving access to the rear garden. To rear there is a single storey extension advanced to right with small porch attached, 2 single windows to left.

Interior

The interior of the cottage has been comprehensively modernised. However, it has very thick walls and retains its original layout. The main bedroom in the NE end of the cottage is at a slightly lower level. According to the present tenant (2004), there is a thick sandstone wall between this room and the rest of the cottage, which extends right up to the roof and is topped with a stack. This would suggest that Thorn Cottage was perhaps originally built as a 3-bay cottage with an adjoining, but separate room in the NE end that served as a workroom (see Notes).

Materials

Exposed random rubble with painted margins to openings to front and NE elevations, roughcast to rear. Modern timber and half-glazed front door. Predominantly 4-pane timber sash and case windows, those to rear with horns, variety of modern glazing to rear extension. Graded grey slates to pitched roof with 1 rendered gablehead stack to NE, and 1 ridge stack, on the line of inner stone wall. Some cast-iron rainwater goods.

Outhouse

Situated in the garden, just to the NW of the cottage is a small single storey outhouse with a low wallhead and broad gable. Constructed of partly whitewashed random rubble with a pitched slated roof and various openings, it is accessed by a timber boarded door to SE. It has a gablehead stack and internally there is a fireplace, currently behind plasterboard walls. The outhouse consists of 2 rooms with a concrete floor and timber boarded ceiling. Its original function unknown.