A modest symmetrical pair carries regimental badges and a claim to the Coldstream Guards’ 1659 headquarters, while one part now tells the town’s history.
Quick facts
- Date
- 1865
- Architect / designer
- Designer not recorded
- Type
- Symmetrical pair of two-storey rubble houses
- Designation
- Listed building, Category B (LB23113)
- OS grid reference
- NT 84307 39681
Architecture and continuing use
Each two-storey house has a door and window at ground level and a single upper opening. Twelve-pane sashes, ashlar dressings and straight skews give order to the rubble frontage; applied arms and badges emphasise regimental association.
Its story
The pair was repaired or formed in 1865 around a site associated by inscription with General Monck’s headquarters in 1659. The museum now uses number 12 to interpret the burgh and the regiment.
Why it is included
Category B listing recognises the architectural group and a highly visible local tradition linking Market Square with the formation of the Coldstream Guards.
What to notice
- Balanced doors and windows across the paired frontage.
- Regimental arms and badges fixed to wall and gates.
- Inscription naming the 1659 headquarters.
Reading the surroundings
Use the museum entrance only during published hours. Do not enter neighbouring or staff-only areas, and ask before photographing people or interior displays.
Timeline
- 1659 Local tradition places General Monck’s regimental headquarters here.
- 1865 The symmetrical two-house frontage acquired its recorded form.
- 1952 The museum property passed to the former Town Council.
- 2026 Live Borders publishes a seasonal museum programme at number 12.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
The inscription is evidence of an honoured association, not proof that all present fabric dates from 1659. Public museum use is confirmed only for the relevant portion of the pair.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Guards House and Coldstream Museum, LB23113 — Current designation status, mapped location, date, fabric and architectural or archaeological interest.
- Trove designation: LB23113 — Parallel national record identity and archival context.
- Live Borders: Coldstream Museum — Current museum identity, address, access and seasonal opening information.
- Scottish Borders Council: Coldstream Common Good property — Council record of the museum property and its 1952 acquisition history.
Location
OS grid reference NT 84307 39681 · Location confidence: High: the current national designation supplies an exact mapped National Grid Reference; public text separately states access and current-use uncertainty. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
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