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

GORDON CASTLE, MANSION HOUSE, GATEPIERS AND CONSERVATORY/ORANGERYLB1595

Status: Designated

Documents

There are no additional online documents for this record.

Summary

Category
A
Group Category Details
100000019 - 74-77
Date Added
26/01/1971
Local Authority
Moray
Planning Authority
Moray
Parish
Bellie
NGR
NJ 35069 59570
Coordinates
335069, 859570

Description

MANSION HOUSE: John Baxter, 1769-83; repaired after fire. Archibald Simpson, 1827; remodelled in present form by Schomberg Scott, 1961-5. Substantial castellated Georgian, symmetrical 2-storey range. Tooled ashlar, polished ashlar dressings.

N entrance front with principal 7-bay elevation and further lower 2-storey, 6-bay range extending E. 7-bay symmetrical return W gable and extensive S garden front with conservatory/orangery at SE. Principal entrance in N front in slightly advanced 3 centre bays; pedimented and keystoned doorpiece with monograms on lintel dated 1965; moulded architraves to windows; round-headed windows in lower E block.

Pedimented and keystoned entrance in centre of symmetrical 7-bay W front, again with centre 3 bays slightly advanced.

Extensive S garden front with varied but regular fenestration similar to that on N elevation.

Sash and case windows, mainly 12-pane glazing. Corbelled and crenellated wallhead; coped stacks; shallow piended slate roof.

INTERIOR: entrance lobby leads to octagonal central hall from which (1965) curved staircase rises to circular 1st floor top-lit landing with re-used 18th century white marble chimneypiece. Further reused marble chimneypieces in 1st floor drawing room and ground floor library/study. 1827 Simpsonesque key-pattern doorpieces; moulded ceiling cornices; panelled doors and window reveals.

CONSERVATORY-ORANGERY: probably Archibald Simpson, circa 1830. Tooled ashlar. Tall fenestrated 9-bay front with similar windows in return gables, all with lying-pane glazing. Shallow piended glazed roof.

GATE-PIERS: probably 1769-82 and possibly re-sited. Pair tall square ashlar gatepiers flank drive to N entrance of mansion. Moulded caps support carved stone eagles.

Statement of Special Interest

GORDON CASTLE

The origins of Gordon Castle are said to date from 1275 and 1540, when the property was known as the Bog o' Gight, the seat of the Earls, Marquis's and subsequently the Dukes of Gordon (and Richmond). It is now the property of the Gordon-Lennox family.

The early tower was incorporated in a circa 1700 mansion which was remodelled and greatly enlarged for the 4th Duke of Gordon by John Baxter, architect, Edinburgh, 1769-82.

The E wing of the castle was damaged by fire in 1827, repaired with some internal modifications by Archibald Simpson, Aberdeen. In 1961 extensive portions of the mansion were demolished, leaving the E wing as the sole dwelling, the ancient tower as a freestanding block in the centre of the range and at the W the former stables/carriage house, which became the Home Farm steading. The architect for this final stage was Schomberg Scott, Edinburgh, 1961-65.

For purposes of listing, Gordon Castle has been divided into 4 items.

1. Mansion house with gatepiers and conservatory/orangery.

2. Tower.

3. Fountain.

4. Home Farm Steading.

References

Bibliography

Anon. THE SURVEY OF MORAY (1798), p. 311. NEW STATISTICAL

ACCOUNT (1842), p. 119. J and W Watson, MORAYSHIRE DESCRIBED

(1868), pp. 80-6. Howard Colvin, A BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY OF

BRITISH ARCHITECTS, 1600-1840 (1978), pp. 100, 650, 707, 737.

Scottish Record Office, RHP 1056-1071 and GD 44/49/16.

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.

Images

There are no images available for this record, you may want to check Canmore for images relating to GORDON CASTLE, MANSION HOUSE, GATEPIERS AND CONSERVATORY/ORANGERY

There are no images available for this record.

Search Canmore

Printed: 28/03/2024 19:09