Pitmedden House, Orchard Cottage

Chauffeur’s house built by Major Keith, c.1930s, consisting of a cottage extension erected between the B96 S pavilion and the B02 S wall of the walled garden. General exterior walling of cement-bedded granite rubblework; dressings of grainy pink cast concrete with details to match those of the adjacent pavilion – cornice, rustications, etc. On the W side the first part of the W elevation is set back from the W wall face of the B96 pavilion by 0.45m, this short 1.1m section contains an entrance. The N side of the entrance is flat against the S wall of the pavilion; the S jamb is formed of reused chamfered stones of granite (could these have come from a c.1675 entrance mirroring the form of the B86 entrance behind the N pavilion?); the lintel is of roughly, newly tooled granite. At the S side of the entrance the cottage returns to the W for 4m before angling S to the S wall of the walled garden. The southwards return contains 2 windows. On the W side windows and quoins are of rusticated pink cast concrete, as is the ogee wall head cornice; general rubblework of cemented granite. On the E elevation, which is slightly set-back from the E wall of the B96 pavilion, there is a lower level consisting of 2 work-shop-like interiors, one used as WC to N. Each has a plank and baton door, painted dark grey, and a small window. At upper level to the E there are 2 large windows off-set to the N, these each contain two vertical panels of 2x4 panes. The main entrance and approach to Orchard Cottage lie to the S. Here the B02 S wall of the walled garden has been modified. The early wall head has been raised by a short distance and the cast concrete cornice extended around from the E and W elevations; the main entrance and large window on its E side are inserted; these are detailed with rusticated dressings of cast concrete. 3 concrete steps up to the door. Upper level not accessed internally. Information from NTS (BNM) January 2014.