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Summary

Description

Late 17th century. Ruins of house. Originally composed of two 2-storey rectangular-plan ranges to E and W, linked by screen walls to N and S. Remains of gabled N range and N screen wall. Rubble, originally lime-washed. Originally crowtepped and thatched. Lintelled openings with rubble surrounds. 2 compartments to interior, with larger hall to N; divided by a mid-gable, with doorway to W and fireplaces to N and S. Segmental-arched mural window recessed in E and W walls of hall, flanking mid-gable; fireplace and aumbry to N gable.

Aumbries in N and W walls of smaller chamber; window embrasure to S gable.

Remains of late 17th century N screen wall adjoined to NE. Rubble. Later weathering course and coped wallhead. Original segmental-arched opening; rubble voussoirs and sandstone blocks in jambs.

Fragmentary remains of E wall of E range.

WALLED GARDEN: 19th century. Square-plan. Rubble. Bowed projection at centre of E wall. Situated to E of Balsarroch House.

Statement of Special Interest

Balsarroch House was presumably built by one of the Campbells, who possessed the lands of Balsarroch during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The property passed to the family of Ross in the early eighteenth century; the Arctic voyagers, Rear-Admiral Sir John Ross (1777-1856) and Sir James Clark Ross (1800-1862) were descendants of the Rosses of Balsarroch. Balsarroch House was still roofed and

intact in circa 1916. A detailed description and plans are given in

Smith's "Balsarroch House, Wigtownshire". Smith states that

"Balsarroch represents the earliest surviving non-defensive/non tower-like generation of buildings associated with middle-ranking

lairds in western Galloway... this is the first that has been recognised in south-west Scotland".

A sundial from the property has been removed to Stranraer Museum.

References

Bibliography

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