An eight-bay frontage dated 1727 is pierced by a round-headed pend leading through to Low Street and a later rear wing.
Quick facts
- Date
- 1727 with a later 18th-century rear wing
- Architect / designer
- Unknown
- Type
- Large L-plan inn and tenement with arched pend
- Designation
- Listed building, Category A (LB40268)
- OS grid reference
- NJ 58883 66217
Architecture, archaeology and continuing use
The three-storey harled block has a steep slate roof, regular sash windows and an arched passage at its centre. The sloping site allows raised entries and a tall rear wing to create a substantial L-plan complex.
Its story
A dated skewputt records 1727. Expansion later in the century added the rear range, while separate doorways and the pend organised movement between North High Street, internal premises and Low Street.
Why it is included
Category A listing recognises exceptional early urban fabric, a surviving dated detail and a plan shaped by Portsoy’s steep town centre.
What to notice
- The round-headed central pend.
- The 1727 date on a skewputt.
- Stone forestair serving an upper entrance.
Reading the surroundings
Respect private or commercial premises and use only the public passage if it is clearly open. Do not enter stairs, courts or rear ground without permission.
Timeline
- 1727 A long multi-storey frontage was completed on North High Street.
- Later 18th century A rear wing enlarged the complex on falling ground.
- Continuing division Separate entrances allowed several premises to share the historic block.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
The early inn arrangements, later subdivision sequence and present uses were not independently established.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Old Star Inn, LB40268 — Designation status, mapped location, date, fabric and architectural or archaeological interest.
- Trove designation: LB40268 — Parallel national record identity and archival context.
Location
OS grid reference NJ 58883 66217 · Location confidence: High: the national designation supplies an official mapped National Grid Reference; an additional source confirms record identity and archival context. · 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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