Cromarty Archive

Oswald Lane from Seabank Cottages

Oswald Lane from Seabank Cottages

Date Added: 01 January 2003 Contributor: Alison Dunn Year: 1978 Picture No: 80

Shows the view across to Oswald Lane from the window of the cottages used for the Pottery Shop at this town. Note the small green cottage with the very tall brick chimney. This was demolished about 1997 to make way for a new 2-storey house.

Albums: Buildings

3 Comments

This wee cottage was our first home after we married, and we loved it. It was so cosy, and every time I got out of bed I banged my head on the roof because the only bedroom was in the attic! It also had a toilet with a sliding door that used to get stuck! Many a time I got trapped in there! We were really sad when we heard that it had been demolished, since we spent many a cosy winter's night in front of the coal fire at the bottom of that huge chimney stack! I wonder if anyone has any info on the history of that little cottage? Comment left on 22 August 2004 at 13:16 by Jackie Bain
The small green cottage with the tall brick chimney was purchased by my wife in the winter of 1993 /94, the entry date being 21st January 1994. The cottage was then subject to an improvement order which could scarcely have been be complied with otherwise than by enlarging and rebuilding the cottage. Further, much of the timber in the cottage was rotten and in need of replacement. We instructed an architect (Lucy Vaughan of Fortrose) to prepare plans for the rebuilding of the cottage in keeping with the surrounding 18th and early 19th century architecture. Her plans, which were carried out in the course of 1994, utilised three of the existing outside walls but provided for the extension of the cottage in the direction of Oswald Lane and for the addition of a first floor containing two bedrooms and a bathroom. That is how the present two storey cottage came into being; it is still owned by my wife. The statement above (in the description of the photo) that the little green cottage was demolished rather than rebuilt is therefore somewhat misleading and the relevant work was carried out in 1994 rather than "about 1997". Comment left on 30 January 2005 at 18:47 by Peter Harvey
Thanks for the info Peter - whilst the old cottage was very quaint and the chimney made it a bit of a landmark, there's no doubt that it was never going to be the perfect 21st century home. I personally believe that yourselves and Lucy made a very good job of new house, and I doubt very much if visitors to the town could tell that it's as new as it is. I'll take a picture from the same position and add it to the site soon, and will leave a link here. Comment left on 30 January 2005 at 22:19 by Garve Scott-Lodge
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