Inverkeithing, 9 King Street, Rosebery House
House (16th Century)
Site Name Inverkeithing, 9 King Street, Rosebery House
Classification House (16th Century)
Canmore ID 51002
Site Number NT18SW 13
NGR NT 13123 82926
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/51002
- Council Fife
- Parish Inverkeithing
- Former Region Fife
- Former District Dunfermline
- Former County Fife
NT18SW 13.00 13123 82926
NT18SW 13.01 13208 82853 Dovecot
A much altered 16th century house. It seems originally to have consisted of an oblong main block, facing the street, with a pend that gave access to the courtyard behind. In the 17th century the house was partly rebuilt, while between 1705, when it was purchased by the Earl of Rosebery, and 1711 (when it passed to John Dundas) a wing, described in the latter year as 'the new jamm' was added at the back. Further alterations were made in the 18th century.
RCAHMS 1933, visited 1928
3-storey and attic (2-storeys to N) L-plan town house; 19th century ashlar single storey Gothic detailed former doctor's surgery adjoining to NW corner. Rendered; painted margins; some stone cills to house. 16th century block (parallel to King Street): vaulted ground floor with Gothic arched openings (forming 1st phase of construction); pilastered doorpiece; lean-to roof. 1705-1711, W wing (parallel to Port Street): part vaulted ground floor; crowstepped gable to S and part to N; cat-slide dormers to SW.
Possibly the earliest surviving house in the burgh, the vaulted rooms indicate a date no later than the early 16th century. Stephen speculates that the early core of the house could possibly indicate a 15th century date. The first form of the house consisted of an oblong block parallel to King Street, with an adjoining pend that gave access to a court to the rear. The unusual lean-to roof is locally known as a 'toofall´ and would also have been seen at Thomson´s House prior to the addition of a 3rd storey. The house was partially rebuilt during the 17th century and was extended to the W between 1705 and 1711 when it was owned by the Earl of Rosebery. The house was sold by Rosebery to John Dundas and Beatrice Ferguson in 1711. A garden house (demolished in the 2nd half of the 20th century) was formerly located at the end of the garden and bore the inscribed lintel identifying Dundas and Ferguson. 18th century alterations provided classical features such as the Doric doorpiece and stone spiral stair to the E. (Historic Scotland)
Field Visit (12 June 1928)
Rosebery House, Inverkeithing.
This house of three storeys and a garret is a much altered dwelling of the 16th century. It seems originally to have consisted of an oblong main block, facing the street, with a pend that gave access to a courtyard behind. In the 17th century the house was partly rebuilt, while between 1705, when it was purchased by the Earl of Rosebery, and 1711 a wing, described in the latter year as "the new jamm," was added at the back. Further alterations were made in the 18th century. The roof is unusual, being of a lean-to type, whence the old name of the house was the "Toofall" (sic). Both main block and wing are vaulted on the ground floor. The first floor of the former has a large kitchen fireplace at the north-west angle and a mural chamber at the south-east angle. A ruinous garden-house at the end of the garden bears on the lintel of the entrance 17 J.D.B.F.17., for John Dundas and Beatrice Ferguson, his wife. The Earl of Rosebery, whose name is attached to the house, disponed it to Dundas in 1711 (1). In the courtyard is a draw-well.
RCAHMS 1933, visited 12 June 1928.
(1) History of Inverkeithing and Rosyth, by Rev. William Stephen, pp. 28-9, citing "Writs of Rosebery House."
