BSPC Property Guide FEATURE PROPERTY - Ladylaw House, Hawick

Page 10 BSPC FEATURE PROPERTY

A virtually unchanged period villa in an elevated and

Dating from around 1830, Ladylaw House isan elegant B-listed Italianate-style villa, whichoccupies an elevated and totally secludedsetting that belies its close proximity to thetown centre and provides outstanding viewsacross the town and valley. But more thanthat, it’s also an important house in Hawick’sarchitectural history.

Italianate house plans, which were first developed inthe UK around 1802 by John Nash, borrow elementsof the rustic villas of northern Italy – and Ladylawperfectly demonstrates the classical proportions andgently pitched roofs with wide overhanging eaves thatcombine to make this architectural style aestheticallybeautiful in both urban and rural settings. However,Ladylaw is outwardly unusual in that the front and backdoors both face the same way and are on the samefront elevation, with a stone wall separating the mainentrance from what would have been the tradesman’sentrance.

Built circa 1830 by John Wilson, brother of Hawick’sfirst Provost George Wilson and son of William Wilsonof Ladylaw Mills, Ladylaw House was the first villa ofits kind in the Wilton area.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries other millowners also built homes here, attracted by the area’sseclusion and panoramic views over the town.

The property was extended in 1902 to create a northwing and in 1910, Ladylaw was purchased by JamesPearson Alison, a prominent local architect who, havingsurvived a gas explosion at the house, commissioned afireplace to be built in the reception hall that incorporatesa full-height stone chimney breast bearing a Latininscription, the translation of which says: ‘By the mercyof God, praise we are not destroyed – in the month ofFebruary 1910 – While I breathe I hope’. Later, in the1950s, the north wing extension was separated fromthe original rectangular-plan house.

Ladylaw house is an architectural wonder, a single-storey symmetrical blond sandstone house withfull-height lying-pane windows overlooking maturegarden grounds, which include a private woodland,terraced lawns, patio and orchard. The propertyalso has a double garage, stores, outhouses, anda sweeping driveway off Rosalee Brae.

Internally, the layout comprises entrance vestibule(large enough to be usable as a room) with originalmosaic tiled floor and double doors into the receptionhall, drawing room, dining room, study, fourbedrooms, large dining kitchen, cloakroom andutility/laundry room where a door gives access toa cobbled courtyard and side garden.

BSPC FEATURE PROPERTY Page 11

secluded setting records a piece of Hawick’s heritage

A quirky feature, a staircase in the kitchen leads to justone room with skylight windows, now the fourth bedroombut originally it would have been the maid’s room. Givenits size and location, just off the kitchen, it would alsomake an ideal family/TV room or children’s playroom.

The interior of this beautiful home is even moreremarkable in that it has retained a wealth of originalperiod features - working window shutters, cupola,ornate plasterwork and panelling, intricately worked giltpelmets, leaded display cabinet doors, four-panel doors(some with silver-plated fingerplates), marble fireplaces– even the servants’ bell system is still in working order.The detail is outstanding, particularly in the reception hall,where an archway, supported on either side by flutedtimber Doric columns, frames the fireplace wall withits stone chimneybreast and carved inscription.

But then there are also things to marvel at elsewhere: thedrawing room has decorative wall panelling, an ornatelycarved marble fireplace mantel, inset open fire, over-mantel mirror and recessed display cabinet with ArtDeco leadlight doors.

Ladylaw House,

Hawick, TD9 7HH

Offers Around £315,000

Details on page 20

The master bedroom is quite magnificent and on ascale that almost makes a four-poster bed mandatory– and also has a marble fireplace and full-height south-facing windows with gilt pelmets and shutters.

The second bedroom, which could similarly house a four- poster bed, also has a feature fireplace. The diningkitchen has an Aga cooker and Belfast sink and a connecting hall that leads to the utility and cloakroomand back door to the courtyard, outhouses andadditional parking.

Ladylaw House is an architectural masterpiece andhopefully whoever buys this historic property will preserveits period charm and features for future generations.