British Listed Buildings

Listing Text

Mid to later l8th century, probably of slightly different builds. 2
and 3-storey, U-plan town house of considerable quality. S elevation to Boyndie Street but main entrance front reached from Kingswell Lane.
Boyndie Street elevation: 3-storey and attic, wide 4-bay S facing street frontage with doorway squeezed between bays 3 and 4. Harled, painted ashar margins. Simple corniced and moulded doorpiece; 6-panelled door. Smaller and slightly different in size ground floor windows; regular lst and 2nd floor fenestration with longer windows in lst floor and small square windows in 2nd, the outer windows close to wallhead,the inner two within centre timpan gable with small centre attic light and apex stack.
MAIN ENTRANCE FRONT: probably 1772. Harled, ashlar margins and dressings. 3-bay main front (facing W) with slightly advanced polished ashlar centre with centre door and rising as large Venetian window in lst floor below pulvinated string course and shallow pediment breaking wallhead. Long lst floor windows in outer bays.
Remainder of U-plan front of irregular plan; advanced wing at right (S) with circa 1970 harled forestair to later lst floor entrance (rear of Boyndie Street). Ranges of slightly differing heights extend and return at N. All harled with ashlar margins. Multi-pane glazing throughout in timber sash and case windows. Slate roofs; corniced end stacks, one of substantial size serving former kitchen hearth; crowstepped gable survives at E, remaining gables with flat skews and moulded run-off skewputts.
INTERIOR: main entrance/stair hall from principal W (probably 1772, Kingswell Lane entry) linked by arched lobby to entrance hall reached from Boyndie Street doorway. Fine plaster ceilings with moulded cornices and centre decorative detailing; ornate moulded and decorated small cast-iron basket grate in Boyndie Street hall with plain black painted ashlar hearth. Flanking panelled doors; stone flag floors.
Wide stone cantilevered staircase rises to lst floor landing; plain
moulded risers with cluster finial and mahogany 'stick' balusters
and polished handrail. Mezzanine landing lit by long window.
DRAWING ROOM: probably 1772, high ceilinged room lit at west by Venetian window framed by fluted pilasters with Corinthian capitals. Similar detailing to swagged corniced doorpiece with moulded door frame and raised and fielded 6-panelled door.
Corniced and swagged chimneypiece with carved thistle (R) and rose (L). Fine pale striated grey and white marble slip frame modern brick lined hearth. 18th century raised and fielded panelled doors and window
shutters.
TV ROOM: former kitchen with wide segmental-headed hearth with ingleneuk.
ENCLOSING WALLS: high rubble walls enclose grounds.

James Imlach, HISTORY OF BANFF (l868), pp 77-9, 87. A E Mahood, BANFF AND DISTRICT (1919), pp.42-3. Banff Preservation Society, ROYAL AND
ANCIENT BURGH (1975) R T Carter, BANFF TOWN AND COUNTY CLUB (1981), p.31. Nan Greatrex "The Robinson Enterprises in Papplewick, Nottinghamshire" in INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY REVIEW Vol IX No 1 (1986) pp37.56.

Home of George Robinson, circa 1743-1827, and his wife Bathia Garden
(c 1744-1825). The Robinson family also had businesses in Nottingham. His father George Robertson came to Nottingham from Inverbervie in 1737: 'a strong prejudice prevailing against the people of Scotland, he adopted the English name of Robinson, which his family have continued to use'. His son William partnered Alexander Hay's linen manufactory in Banff before 1745 but on his murder by officers of the 43rd regiment in 1771, brother George was sent to take over the Banff branch of the business which expanded to include stocking knitting, farming, salmon fishing and trading. Together with his son, George Garden Robinson, they served almost continuously as Provosts of Banff, 1790-1831.
George Robinson bought the property in l772. There was certainly one house, perhaps more on site but the present remodelling of the Kingswell Lane entrance front, the main entrance hall, staircase and lst floor drawing room can be ascribed to the early l770s.
The English rose and Scottish thistle, carved on the chimneypiece
in the lst floor drawingroom, represent George Robinson from
Nottinghan, England and Bathia his wife, daughter of a Banff
merchant.
11 Boyndie Street now serves as Banff Town and County Club.

Source: Historic Scotland

Listed building text is © Crown Copyright. Reproduced under licence: PSI Click-use licence number C2008002006.