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Summary

Description

Circa 1855-1859 with later alterations and additions; some internal remodelling by F. T. Pilkington, 1868; staircase 1906. 2-storey and basement, multi-gabled, asymmetrical-plan Scottish Domestic former mill owner's villa. Harled and painted with sandstone base course, angle margins and moulded eaves cornice; polished and droved sandstone entrance porch, 3-light canted bow and plain margined windows with chamfered arrises (some with stone mullions). Skew gable, pitched roof with projecting moulded putts.

S (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: 3-bay elevation with later central single storey, single bay, rectangular sandstone entrance porch with bipartite window to face and 2-leaf timber panelled door with architraved timber surround and 5-light geometric rectangular fanlight to right return, round brass bell push to right of door; moulded cornice with low parapet with gablet coping concealing roofline. To right of porch, tripartite window (wide central window with narrow sidelights) with stone mullions. To left of porch, projecting gable end with 2-storey, 3-sided canted sandstone bay window with base, band and eaves course (upper bay added at time of porch); slit window to attic level of main house; to centre and right of 1st floor, pitched stone wallhead dormers with painted gables and moulded putts.

W ELEVATION: former L-plan elevation to centre and right with single storey gabled extension and wall to left now forming courtyard with single storey lean-tos within. To right, projecting main house with large central window to ground floor and small window aligned to 1st floor; gable end to left return with harled lean-to with central door to ground floor and central window to 1st floor of main house. Main house to centre with central semi-glazed lean-to porch concealing former entrance, small window to left, large staircase window to 1st floor right with smaller windows to centre and left; left window partially concealed by high single storey, gabled extension adjoining to ground floor left of main house, bipartite window in right return with wall extending from SW angle of extension.

N (REAR) ELEVATION: near blind elevation with rear of single storey courtyard extension to right; 2-storey gable of main house to centre with window to ground floor right and blind return of E gable to left.

E ELEVATION: symmetrical elevation: slightly projecting bay to ground floor centre with central window flanked by narrow lights, lean-to style roof surmounting with recessed 1st floor with stone gabled wallhead dormer, small window to right (left not seen). Flanking central bay, projecting gable ends with central window to both storeys and slit window to gablehead.

Mostly 2 and 4-pane timber sash and case windows, although 12-pane timber sash and case windows to wallhead dormers of principal elevation and to E; some 6-pane windows to utility rooms. Pitched slate roof with stone ridging, lead flashing and valleys. Painted cast-iron rainwater goods; to principal and W elevations squared down pipes, matching brackets with trefoil details and decorative square moulded hoppers; some replacement round gutters to lesser elevations. Harled and painted roofline stacks with sandstone angle margins and neck copes, 3 and 4 cans.

INTERIOR: entrance hall with oak panelled walls and ceiling, semi-glazed inner door (by Pilkington). Pine staircase with decorative Florentine rose wrought-iron balustrade (Florence, 1906) and brass handrail. Much original woodwork including working shutters, skirting boards, timber-panelled doors and some classical style timber fire surrounds (dining room pine doorcase matches mantel). Plasterwork and ceiling roses by Grandison of Peebles. Brass door furniture and light switches. Oak panelled former gun room off sitting room. Basement with original stone wine cellar with stone bins accommodating 1000 bottles.

Statement of Special Interest

Until the middle of the 19th century, the only trace of habitation in this area was Caberston farmhouse and steading. The village grew up around the textile mills of Tweedvale and (later) Tweedholm of Henry Ballantyne the founder of the village. This is the house he built and lived in; it also takes the same name as his mill. He was also responsible for the earliest workers' housing and laying out the village we see today. By his death in 1865, Walkerburn was a flourishing manufacturing village with a population of just under 800 people. The company and the welfare of its staff were passed to his five sons until 1870 when 3 of them left to run a mill in Innerleithen. David and John Ballantyne remained in charge of the Walkerburn mills and set about improving not only their own housing, but also the amenities of the village. The house was periodically upgraded by the Ballantynes when the business was doing well. The entrance porch was added and borrowed the style of the ground floor bay window (which in turn had an extra storey added at the same time). The inner hall door was provided when Pilkington was adding the lodge to the entrance drive of the house; the pine and Florentine wrought-iron staircase was specially ordered and brought over in 1906 and the basement still retains its stone wine cellar. An adjacent coach house has now been converted into a garage and workshop. 3 Ballantyne houses stood grouped together on this side of the road (Sunnybrae and Stoneyhill, both listed separately). Although each had their own private gardens, a large part of the land was laid out with walks and grassed areas accessible to all properties. This house remained within the Ballantyne family until the latter part of the 20th century when it was sold. Listed as a good example of a mid-19th century villa and for its importance as the house of the man who created Walkerburn.

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