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Summary

Description

Mid to later 19th century with substantial later alterations; single residence from late 19th century. Asymmetrical single and 2-storey, 7-bay eclectic style former school and headmaster?s house with Old English half-timber detailing. Whitewashed harl with extensive half-timbering. Painted chamfered cill course; raised, painted string course at 1st floor; overhanging timber bracketed eaves. Timber astragals; gabled entrances; finialed roofs (predominantly octagonal-capped); timber bracketed rear verandah; painted hoodmoulds surmounting ground floor openings at rear. Pitched single storey boarded timber revolving summer house to S.

W (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: part-glazed timber panelled door beneath gabled canopy off-set to left of centre; flanking single windows (bipartite in bay to left); 5-sided canted window in bay to outer left. Part-glazed timber panelled door beneath gabled canopy in penultimate bay to outer right; quadripartite window at ground to left; tripartite window in bay to right; bipartite windows at 1st floor in penultimate bay to outer right and bay to outer right.

E (REAR) ELEVATION MAIN WING: part-glazed timber panelled door at ground in bay to outer right; bipartite windows in 2 bays to left; timber balustraded verandah advanced to front supporting projecting 1st floor; 3-sided canted window centred above; 3-light corner windows flanking to left and right. Engaged 3-sided canted window at ground in bay to outer left; finialed octagonal cap. N WING: single window at ground in bay to outer left; lean-to 4-light projection in bay to outer right; single door in re-entrant angle to left.

Predominantly replacement timber glazing; some 8-pane timber sash and case verandah glazing at rear. Grey slate roofs; ball finials; terracotta ridge tiling. Red sandstone ashlar coping to whitewashed harl ridge and wallhead stacks; various circular terracotta cans.

INTERIOR: extensive timber panelling; timber cornices; fluted pilasters flanking round-arched timber panelled doors; timber arcading comprising fluted Ionic columns tapering to base, broken round arches. Hammerbeam dining room ceiling; fluted pilaster detailing; blind balustrade with regularly-disposed tapered and fluted balusters enclosing 1st floor gallery.

SUMMERHOUSE: slightly raised single bay structure comprising 4-leaf part-glazed boarded timber doors centred beneath gable; circular base.

Statement of Special Interest

An interesting house with a mass of eclectic detailing. Note the extensive half-timbering, varying roof levels, ball-finialed octagonal caps, the gabled entrances, timber bracketed verandah and terracotta ridge detailing. An unusual style in its Scottish context but relatively common within the confines of Mount Stuart (see separate list entries for Kerrylamont Cottage, East Lodge, Old School House and Kerrycroy Village). The Hermitage was formerly Kerrycroy School with an adjoining headmaster?s house. In the late 19th century it was leased from the Marquess of Bute by Edward La Trobe Bateman (1816-1897) - an illuminator, interior decorator and landscape designer who had spent most of his life in Australia. In 1869, Bateman settled permanently on the Isle of Bute following an accident which left him partially paralysed. Determined to continue working, he went on to furnish and decorate a drawing room at Mount Stuart (subsequently destroyed by fire in 1877). Later, he designed the gardens surrounding Ascog House and Ascog Hall - work at the latter included some interior stencil decoration and possibly the design of the sunken fernery within the grounds (see separate list entries). Bateman's residence at The Hermitage saw the creation of a fine garden comprising extensive lawns and numerous ornamental tress and shrubs - many of which remain today. As recorded by The Times, Bateman died here in December 1897.

References

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