41-43 (odd Nos) Commercial Street, Lochend House Lerwick, Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK
Listed Building Description
Text courtesy of Historic England. © Crown Copyright, reprinted under the Open Government License.
Circa 1760, with early 19th century addition. L-plan town house with shop, comprising 3-storey and attic 3-bay gabled range to SW, with 2-storey and attic range to W. Harled walls with droved ashlar and cement rendered margins cills to windows. SE (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: asymmetrical, entrance door at centre bay, narrow window adjacent at right and in centre bay to floors above; blank in bay at ground floor to right. NE (COMMERCIAL STREET) ELEVATION: asymmetrical 2-bay gable, cement rendered and lined at ground, 6-panel door in bay to left, blank at floors above. NW ELEVATION: irregularly fenestrated. SW ELEVATION: 2-storey (ground floor concealed) 3-bay asymmetrical elevation comprising 2-bay gable end of SW range at right with door at left and window at right, blank at (2nd ) floor above, small square windows flanking centre of gablehead. Predominantly 12 and 4-pane timber sash and case windows, some fixed-lights (2-pane to shop) and hoppers. Modern entrance doors. Grey-purple slate roof, harled stacks, some with thackstanes, all coped with variety of circular cans. Cement-rendered skews, W gable crowstepped. INTERIOR: many internal fittings from both original and later buildings phases surviving including cornices, panelled shutters and doors with brass rim locks. Unusual 3-panel doors to 1st floor bedroom with upper panel balustraded, flanking fluted pilasters. Substantial handrail to staircase reputedly made from ships timber. BOUNDARY WALLS: random rubble wall to Commercial Street, extending to E from NE gable; squat margined entrance gate with segmental-arched safe lintel to rear and iron hinge pins to jambs; cill centred over gate with corbels above and flanking infilled square openings. Cement-rendered rubble wall extending to W from gable, vertically-boarded timber shuttering to doorway with square opening above lintel. Retaining wall incorporating vaulted cellars to S of flagged yard, doorpiece with lugged architrave in adjacent free-standing wall. Harled wall with concrete cope bounding E side of courtyard, random rubble wall bounding garden to S.
Listed Building Statement of Special Interest
© Crown Copyright text courtesy of Historic Environment Scotland, reprinted under the Open Government License.
Lochend House was a town house built for the family of William Nicolson, one of Lerwick?s best known merchants. The courtyard was known as Bain?s Yett after the father of Gilbert Bain who purchased the house from the Nicolson family. The doorpiece built into the courtyard wall has a very similar appearance to that of the Old Tolbooth before alteration. This house is a remarkable survivor, and in combination with its similarly gabled neighbours, is an essential part of the streetscape, reflecting the traditional street pattern.
Listed Building References
© Crown Copyright text courtesy of Historic Environment Scotland, reprinted under the Open Government License.
E S Reid Tait A LERWICK MISCELLANY (1955), p4. Mike Finnie SHETLAND (1990), p14. James W Irvine LERWICK (1985) p51. James R Nicolson LERWICK HARBOUR (1966) p4 and 187.