east-lothian-1924/05-192

Transcription

PRESTONPANS.] HISTORICAL MONUMENTS (SCOTLAND) COMMISSION. [PRESTONPANS.

portions being two storeys in height. At the
south re-entering angle a semi-hexagonal pro-
jection (fig. 125) houses the staircase and
the former entrance. West of the south wing
is a one storeyed outbuilding, and to the east
the remains of a second, but both these appar-
ently are additions. A boundary wall returning
from the south-west angle north and then east,
where it abuts on the west gable of the north
wing, completes the courtyard. Throughout, the
building is of freestone rubble and has been
harled. The roofs are of slate and timber,
the copes are moulded, the gables crow-
stepped. The windows to north, east and
south have chamfered jambs and lintels ; the
upper floor windows are dormers and have
triangular pediments and raking cornices sur-
mounted by a cinque-foliated finial, the
cinquefoil being the Hamilton charge. On the
south elevation however, to the high road, the
dormer pediments are elaborated and have
horizontal cornices ; the western pediment
has a scrolled cartouche bearing a shield
charged with three cinquefoils two and
one for Hamilton and flanked by the initials
I H for John Hamilton. The middle pediment
bears the date 1628 flanking the monogram
I H K S for John Hamilton and Katherine
(?) Simpson his wife. Immediately under the
apex is a cypher consisting of a capital H, one
limb of which is elevated and expanded into
opposed D-shapes and surmounted by a cross
with arms of unequal lengths. The eastern
pediment contains a scrolled cartouche like
that on the west and bears a shield charged,
three crescents on a chief, a five pointed star
at fess for Simpson ; flanking the shield are
in initials K.S. Adjoining the south wing is a
former entrance to the courtyard by a doorway
with segmental head and roll-and-hollow
mouldings of late Gothic detail.

The courtyard elevations have been greatly
altered. The windows of the east wing only
have moulded jambs and lintels, while slated
roofs replace the original dormer pediments.
The original entrance, now built up, is in the
semi-hexagonal projection at the south re-
entering angle. The doorway has moulded
jambs and lintel ; above is a horizontal cornice
continuing along the tower as a stringcourse.
A raking and broken cornice encloses a pedi-
ment enriched with carving, which contains a

104

scrolled cartouche, surmounted by a floriated
and reeded finial with moulded necking, ter-
minating in a cinque-foil. The cartouche bears
a shield charge per pale, three cinque-foils
two and one for Hamilton ; on a chief three
crescents ; a star at fess for Symson. Behind
the cartouche appears a foliaceous wreathing
with a crescent and star at either side, and be-
neath is the date 1628. Above the entrance the
first floor window jambs are moulded. The
lintel bears an index finger pointing to an
inscription in capitals :
PRAISED BE THE LORD MY STRENGTH AND MY
REDEIMER.
Above the lintel is a horizontal cornice and a
pediment enclosed by a raking and broken
cornice sur-

[illustration inserted]
FIG. 154.-Northfield (No. 159).

mounted by
foliaceous
scrolls. The
pediment bears
a cherub wing-
ed, above which
is a thistle. The
projection or
tower now has a
pyramidal slated roof which is not original ;
the stair within is modern.
Internally the house has been completely
modernised, but the ground floor chamber of
the main east wing still contains a large 17th
century fireplace. The method of supporting
the scoinson arches of the windows in this
room by corbelling is an interesting feature ; a
similar device is utilised at Redhouse (No. 7).

ix. N.W. 6 April 1920.

159. Northfield House.-Within a pleasant
garden 300 yards north-west of Prestonpans
station lies the mansion of the Marjoribanks
of Northfield, a building of the late 16th or
early 17th century (fig. 153). It is two storeys,
an attic and garret in height and is L-shaped
on plan (fig. 154). The masonry is roughcast,
but the freestone dressings are exposed; the
roof is slated. The ground and first floor
windows have backset margins; the attic and
garret windows, the former constructed in
stone the latter in timber, have simple tri-
angular pediments. At attic floor level, circled
turrets with conical slated roofs project from

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Douglas Montgomery

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