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Summary

Description

Circa 1855; extended to SW/partially remodelled circa 1880; some restoration and demolition undertaken circa 1980. 2-storey and basement; overall rectangular-plan; main block with 5-storey tower and remains of single storey service wing to SW. Scottish baronial design with crowstepped gables throughout and mullioned windows; bracketted crenellated parapet with conical-roofed bartizans with lead ball finials at arrises to tower. Coursed rockfaced sandstone (more widely coursed to slighly projecting basement) droved at arrises/openings with sandstone ashlar dressings (mainly droved). Band course above ground floor; eaves band. Chamfered window reveals.

SE (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: crenellated parapet along ground in front of basement. 5-bay main block to right. Projecting, gabled, ball-finialled bay to left of centre; balustraded steps up to rectangular-plan porch with crenellated parapet (raised semicircular-headed panel to centre with plain projecting plaque below) above frieze; central section of porch projects slightly around entrance with roll-moulded surround; window to each of outer returns (arrises slightly concave at window level, corbelled out above); mullioned bipartite set back above (eaves band stepped up around it); blind arrowslit to gable; small basement window to each of outer returns of bay. Window to each floor to each of 2 narrow bays set back to left. Window to each floor to each of 2 wider bays set back to right; all formerly mullioned bipartites (mullion missing to that to right of 1st floor); breaking-eaves crowstepped gables with blind arrowslits to those to 1st floor; small basement window in between 2 bays. Tower projects to outer left; mullioned bipartite to basement, 1st and 3rd floors; that to 1st floor with hood-mould; that to 3rd floor with eaves band stepped up around it; corbelled out canted mullioned quadripartite oriel to ground floor; pair of hood-moulded windows to 2nd floor; panel carved with date '1980' at upper level of right return.

NW ELEVATION: 4-bay main block to left. Slightly projecting ball finialled gabled bay (blind arrowslit to gable) to outer left; canted window projection to basement and ground floor; mullioned bipartite at basement; mullioned tripartite at ground; both with outer flanking single lights; hood-moulded bipartite to 1st floor. Mullioned bipartite to each floor to 3 bays set back to left (mullion missing to outer right of 1st floor); breaking-eaves crowstepped gables with blind arrowslits to those to 1st floor. Remains of single storey; 5-bay; service wing set back slightly to right; gabled bay (blind arrowslit to gable, window below) to outer right; window to each bay to left. 5-storey tower set back behind (see SW elevation).

SW ELEVATION: remains of single storey 2-bay service wing to left. Main block set back behind. Gabled bay to left; former opening to service wing to left now blocked; small window to right; corbelled-out semicircular-plan projection with small window immediately above (to ground floor). Part of gabled bay to right; entrance to basement with small window immediately to right; mullioned bipartite stair window to 2 levels above (upper one elongated). 5-storey tower projects to right; narrow window to left of ground, 1st and 2nd floors; blocked window above to left; mullioned bipartite to right of basement, ground and 1st floors to left return; narrow window to left to ground and 1st floors; 2 windows to 2nd floor; window to 3rd floor with eaves band stepped up around it.

NE ELEVATION: 2-bay section of main block. Blank gabled bay projects slightly to left; finialled conical-roofed bartizan with 2 small windows at right arris of 1st floor. Projecting window surround set back to basement and ground floor to right; incorporating 2 windows at basment and mullioned tripartite at ground. Mullioned tripartite above.

Windows and entrances largely boarded up (most window frames removed). Grey slate roofs; that to single storey service wing to SW missing (along with some of external walls). 2 coped ridge stacks and 2 coped gablehead stacks to main block; octagaonal cans.

INTERIOR: not inspected (1999).

Statement of Special Interest

An imposing Scottish baronial mansion. The main block is shown with an earlier L-shaped wing to the SW on the 1865 OS map. The current tower and what remains of the single storey service wing appear to be part of the additions/remodelling of circa 1880, together with a 4-storey, 4-bay wing (visible on photographs from the early 1970's) that formerly adjoined the tower to the SW. This adjoined the service wing to the rear, forming a small enclosed yard in between and has since been demolished. An abortive attempt to restore the building was undertaken in around 1980 (the date inscribed on the side of the tower). According to Guthrie Smith, the original house was built 'about forty years ago (in 1896) by the late Mr McNair...an accomplished land improver and agriculturist'. Following his death it was sold to John Wilson in 1869 and he 'built a large addition to the house'. See separate list description for entrance gateway.

References

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