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Summary

Description

Earlier to mid 18th century with mid 19th century ice house. Various architectural components of the designed landscape of the former Castle Semple Estate situated close together, including cascades and cave.

CASCADES: earlier 18th century. Series of 3 cascades running from W to E. Stugged ashlar. Partly ruinous (2011).

Upper terrace cascade: (NS 37375 60122). Beam bridge with steep, recessed, stepped central section to E with central spout.

Middle cascade: (NS 37521 60149). Beam bridge with segmental-arch to E with lower, recessed wall beneath. Bull-faced abutments.

Lower cascade (NS 37611 60168). Partly ruinous. Squared stone and rubble. Wide beam bridge with small square opening to E. Semi-circular culvert wall to far E.

CAVE: (NS 37403 60111). Possibly 18th century (see Notes). Artificial hollowed-out cave, set into rock close to upper cascade. Battered opening, vermiculated rustication to arch stones.

ICE HOUSE: (NS 37428 66011). Probably mid 19th century. Ice house set into hill slope. Random rubble. Battered wall to N with central, narrow, round-arched entrance. Rubble and brick interior. Stone paved floor with deep brick-lined cavern to right.

Statement of Special Interest

A fine group of designed landscape features forming part of the former Castle Semple Estate and comprising cascades, fish-ponds, cave and icehouse. The ponds and cascades were a multi-purpose arrangement that served the estate in a variety of ways and remain significant features in the designed landscape of Castle Semple. They are rare surviving examples of an early 18th century water regulation system, also used as fish ponds and for harvesting ice, demonstrated by the location of the nearby 19th century ice house. It is thought that the adjacent cave may also have been an earlier ice house. The ponds and cascades were also created for ornamental effect, making a distinctive contribution to the character of the designed landscape. Water features in designed landscapes were beginning to become fashionable in the early 18th century in Britain although survivals are rare. Studley Royal in Yorkshire (National Trust) is one example.

Water feeds into the ponds and cascades from the Blackditch Burn, West of the ponds and cascades, where the remains of a weir, sluice and channel diverting water to the ponds are still visible. The ponds are clearly visible on the circa 1785 Estate Map. The cascades were designed to regulate the flow of water between the ponds, with the overall water levels managed by the raising and lowering of a sluice at the third cascade. The 1st edition Ordnance Survey Map depicts the Eastern end of the ponds and cascades as having a waterfall. This is not depicted on the earlier maps where there seems to be a further pond to the East. The current culvert, therefore, may date to changes made in the water regulation system in the mid 19th century. Information suggests that water proceeded from the East end of the cascades and ran underground to emerge in the formal gardens south-west of Castle Semple House to supply water canals in the gardens.

William McDowell bought Castle Semple Estate in 1727 and set about creating a designed landscape in the grounds. He commissioned the gardener William Boucher, who had worked for a number of large Scottish estates including Inverary Castle, Castle Kennedy and Auchincruive, to lay out a formal garden and create fishponds.

Castle Semple Estate has a long history, originally associated with the Semple family who built the first Castle Semple and the collegiate church (scheduled monument, 2011) around 1504. In 1727, the Semples sold the estate to a sugar plantation owner, William McDowell. McDowell began a range of land improvements to the estate, which form the basis of the current estate, including building a new Castle Semple House and landscaping the grounds. The 2nd William MacDowell continued the improvements to the estate in the latter half of the 18th century, including erecting a Temple at the deer park in Kenmuir Hill (see separate listing). The Estate was sold in 1814 to a Major John Harvey who continued to improve the landscape. The family finances declined during the course of the 19th century and the estate was sold in 1908. After this, the house was converted to apartments and the land broken up into small holdings. The House was damaged by fire in 1924 and the central portion of it demolished in the 1960s. The central section of the estate is currently a Regional Park.

List description updated, 2012. Ice House formerly listed separately at category B.

References

Bibliography

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