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Summary

Description

Mansion; Alexander Ross, 1884-91. Some interior decoration by

John Kinross. Large, 2-storey and attic, asymmetrical,

roughly T-plan mansion, with long elevations west and south,

1 small tower and 1 prominent French main tower in south

frontage; triangular rear service court enclosed by single

storey, semi-circular range of game larders fronting steep

cliff. Sneck coursed tooled ashlar rubble, much of it

fronting concrete core, tooled ashlar dressings, rendered

rear elevations facing service court.

West entrance front, L-plan, with shallow pointed-headed

archway in NW passing under billiard room into rear court.

4-arched arcade in centre of west elevation, an idea adapted

from earlier house, as entrance loggia, leading to principal

ashlar in re-entrant angle. Round-headed, moulded and

stop-chamfered doorpiece; double leaf linenfold panelled

door.

Irregular south front with bipartites and tripartites in

ground floor; slender square angle tower rises near centre

with steep pyramidal roof; elevation terminants at SE with

substantial square 5-storey tower with steep pyramidal slate

roof with decorative cast-iron ridge brattishing.

Large piended dormers, mainly with tripartites, in south and

west elevations; hoodmoulds to some windows; mainly 2-pane

glazing.

Glazed canopy runs full length of south front, returning for

short length across west gable; cast-iron columns with

chevron moulding and with decorative paired brackets.

Tall batteries of ashlar stacks with decorative copes;

particularly tall wallhead battery rises from SE tower.

Slated roofs, with some lead flats and with various glazed

rooflights.

Interior; richly decorated principal public rooms. Main

entrance leads to lobby, and then to large stair hall with

handsome wide stair; coffered ceiling in hall and 1st floor

landing; panelled stairwell; richly carved scroll 17th

century patterned baluster with polished handrail; square

newels with urn finials. Carved and pedimented doorpieces

lead to public rooms through double leaf panelled doors.

Drawing room; raised and field panelling divided by slender

panels with carved swags; marble chimney piece with

decorative cast-iron grate with matching moulded swags in

side panels; coffered plaster ceiling.

Further public room in SW (library) with carved chimney piece

and decorated cast-iron grate; decorative coffered ceiling.

Dining room with marble chimney piece and plaster ceiling.

Clock tower; to rear of house, on cliff edge, tall square

5-storey clock tower of 1856-66. Rubble with contrasting

tooled ashlar dressings. Entrance in north elevation. Giant

angle pilasters rise to string course defining 5th storey,

and linked at lower stages by corbelled courses. Round-headed

windows with decorative lights, in 1st and 2nd floors of

south elevations; clock face with cable moulded surround;

3-arched arcaded upper storey (blind at rear) with

round-headed arches with blocked imposts. Tall pyramidal

slate roof with cast-iron finial (roof altered and raised in

1884-91).

Statement of Special Interest

Present mansion is second Ardtornish Tower on site the

smaller (1856-66) having been demolished in 1884 to make way

for larger house. The clock tower dates from earlier period.

Mansion of 1856-66 built by Octavius Smith, (possibly

designed by Alexander Ross of Inverness) and the present

house by his son, Valentine.

References

Bibliography

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