Listed Building

The only legal part of the listing under the Planning (Listing Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 is the address/name of site. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing – see 'About Listed Buildings' below for more information. The further details below the 'Address/Name of Site' are provided for information purposes only.

Address/Name of Site

ROSSDHU HOUSE WITH WALLED GARDENLB14469

Status: Designated

Documents

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Summary

Category
A
Date Added
14/05/1971
Supplementary Information Updated
13/03/1997
Local Authority
Argyll And Bute
Planning Authority
Argyll And Bute
Parish
Luss
National Park
Loch Lomond And The Trossachs
NGR
NS 36179 89506
Coordinates
236179, 689506

Description

Probably John Baxter, 1774, with contributions from Sir John Clerk of Penicuik; additions in early 19th century, alterations William Leiper and W Hunter McNab, 1910; modern additions. 3-storey, 6-bay Classical house with lower 2-storey, 4-bay pavilion wings. Pink and honey coloured sandstone ashlar. String courses; architraved windows at principal floor; corniced eaves; balustraded parapet. Pedimented portico with paired giant order Tuscan columns.

E (MAIN) ELEVATION: 2-storey, 6-bay symmetrical block with early 19th century pedimented portico at centre. Paired columns on high ashlar base, round-headed arches on return; swept stair to door at principal floor level. Tripartite entrance with Gibbsian surround, 2-leaf panelled with large fanlight, flanking windows; Vitruvian scroll band course; 2 windows symmetrically disposed at upper stage. Channelled ground floor, windows symmetrically disposed at each floor. Flanking early 19th century near-symmetrical wings, pilaster dividing bays at centre, bays nearest to house with balustraded parapet, outer bays with ashlar parapet. S pavilion with bipartite, architraved entrance at ground floor of inner bay, panelled door with blind fanlight, window to right.

W (REAR) ELEVATION: 6-bay harled block with ashlar margins and dressings. 2-bay pedimented block slightly advanced at centre, 2 windows, 1 enlarged to door at ground, windows symmetrically disposed above, ashlar transom at principal floor. 2 bay flanking blocks, windows symmetrically disposed. Modern 4-bay wing to right, added onto existing E pavilion in sympathetic style; similar arrangement on N pavilion.

S ELEVATION WITH GARDEN: original block to outer right, tripartite arrangement at ground, narrow door with flanking windows; large tripartite window above with moulded architrave. Modern piend-roofed block to outer left in sympathetic style.

N ELEVATION: tripartite window at ground, 2 openings blind. Large tripartite window at upper stage, moulded architrave. Modern block in sympathetic style to outer right.

12-pane timber sash and case windows. Grey slate piend and platform roof; broad corniced ridge stacks, decorative square cans with crenellated caps.

INTERIOR: wainscotting, panelled doors in main hall; simple cast-iron stair, probably circa 1910, William Leiper, W Hunter McNab. Chinese room to right (1950s wallpaper), now with temporary internal subdivision. Drawing room to N, domed ceiling with decorative plasterwork, cornice detail; panelled. Delicate plasterwork and column screen in S room of pavilion.

WALLED GARDEN: earlier 20th century small walled rose garden built immediately to S of house. Rubble wall with ashlar slab coping. Wall raised to arched entrance on E side, crowstepped in NE corner with raggle of former gable, armorial plaque. Curved exedra in W wall, footings of curved seats extant.

Statement of Special Interest

The house was the seat of the Colquhoun family. The original house was Rossdhu Castle (see separate listing), but Sir James Colquhoun, 1st Baronet built the present mansion in 1772. The architect was probably John Baxter, as it is known that Sir James consulted Sir John Clerk of Penicuik and Baxter had undertaken some work from him. The house was enlarged by Sir James Colquhoun, 27th of Luss in 1819. Dr Johnson and Mr Boswell were entertained at Rossdhu in 1773 on their tour of the Hebrides. Queen Victoria drove up to the house on 29 September 1875. The house is now a golf club and was substantially renovated in 1995/96, partly financed by a building repair grant form Historic Scotland. The old castle, chapel, laundry, lodges, walled garden and dairy are listed separately.

References

Bibliography

W Fraser THE CHIEFS OF COLQUHOUN AND THEIR COUNTRY (1869), Vol I, p374; Vol II illus, pp42-43. F H Groome ORDNANCE GAZETTEER OF SCOTLAND (1897) p72. F A Walker and F Sinclair NORTH CLYDE ESTUARY (1992) p52-53. Sir Iain Moncrieffe of that Ilk ROSSDHU: HOME OF THE CHIEFS OF CLAN COLQUHOUN (undated guide book). SCOTTISH COUNTRY LIFE (1928) p183. GENERAL VIEW OF THE AGRICULTURE OF DUNBARTON (1811) p26. AN INVENTORY OF GARDENS AND DESIGNED LANDSCAPES (Unpublished Survey).

About Listed Buildings

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Listing is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for buildings of special architectural or historic interest as set out in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997.

We list buildings which are found to be of special architectural or historic interest using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Listed building records provide an indication of the special architectural or historic interest of the listed building which has been identified by its statutory address. The description and additional information provided are supplementary and have no legal weight.

These records are not definitive historical accounts or a complete description of the building(s). If part of a building is not described it does not mean it is not listed. The format of the listed building record has changed over time. Earlier records may be brief and some information will not have been recorded.

The legal part of the listing is the address/name of site which is known as the statutory address. Other than the name or address of a listed building, further details are provided for information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland does not accept any liability for any loss or damage suffered as a consequence of inaccuracies in the information provided. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing. Even if a number or name is missing from a listing address it will still be listed. Listing covers both the exterior and the interior and any object or structure fixed to the building. Listing also applies to buildings or structures not physically attached but which are part of the curtilage (or land) of the listed building as long as they were erected before 1 July 1948.

While Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating listed buildings, the planning authority is responsible for determining what is covered by the listing, including what is listed through curtilage. However, for listed buildings designated or for listings amended from 1 October 2015, legal exclusions to the listing may apply.

If part of a building is not listed, it will say that it is excluded in the statutory address and in the statement of special interest in the listed building record. The statement will use the word 'excluding' and quote the relevant section of the 1997 Act. Some earlier listed building records may use the word 'excluding', but if the Act is not quoted, the record has not been revised to reflect subsequent legislation.

Listed building consent is required for changes to a listed building which affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest. The relevant planning authority is the point of contact for applications for listed building consent.

Find out more about listing and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.

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Printed: 29/03/2024 15:55