Langton House, Langton Mains

NT75SE 50 76069 52797

NT 760 527 Historic building recording was undertaken at Langton Mains between October and December 2005 prior to

its redevelopment. The site lies within Langton Estate, which has medieval origins and was altered significantly in the 18th century when David Gavin rebuilt the main house and moved the medieval village of Langton to the new village, Gavinton, nearby. The house was enlarged and rebuilt in the 1880s by architect David Bryce, famous for his Scots Baronial style; it was demolished in 1951.

The recorded group consist of two L-plan two-storey blocks, a further single-storey irregular courtyard to the N and a single building to the E (NT75SE 50.04). All are on the 2nd edition OS map and abut a large walled garden (NT75SE 50.07) to the W.

The two L-plan buildings are almost certainly contemporary and probably of late 18th- or early 19th-century date. They include a notable collection of masons' marks visible on the (originally harled) margin of every dressed stone and Egyptic dressed surrounds on the public S facade. The N of the pair was altered to become a farmhouse in the later 19th century. The other buildings include a stable, forge and workshop, and a tiled and panelled building of uncertain function; notable details include fish-scale slate, box and circular ridge vents, cast-iron finials and some latticed metal windows. At least some of these buildings are the work of Bryce's office in the 1880s or 1890s. The walled garden is particularly large, having been extended in the late 19th century. The later garden had a large greenhouse and a grand Jacobean S facade, which survives well in places.

Report to be lodged with Scottish Borders SMR and NMRS.

Sponsor: A & R Brownlie Ltd.

G Geddes 2005

3 groups of buildings, comprising 2 L-plan 2-storey buildings forming a U-plan court of harl-pointed rubble with droved and polished ashlar dressings; single storey U-plan court to N of 2 L-plan buildings, of squared and snecked stugged sandstone with rubble side elevation; single storey range of buildings to E of this group of squared and snecked stugged sandstone with stugged ashlar dressings. Piended slate roof to S group buildings with various brick stacks (wallhead stacks to E elevations of each E range). Leaded lights to windows to E of E group; slate roof with crowstepped gables and skew to left of centre; ashlar coped wallhead stack to N and to left of centre. Slate roof to N group with fish-scale slates; louvred ogeed vent to ridge and cast-iron cresting; crow-stepped gable to E, S range. The S group was probably built at the beginning of the 19th century. The S elevation of the S building was given the more ornate margins (possibly later) as it is visible when going to the walled garden to W (see separate listing). Langton House was demolished in the 1950s. In 1857, the S group had been built and the N group was a U-plan court facing S. By 1897-8, the lay-out was very much as today. (Historic Scotland)