Description
Andrew Heiton Junior, 1880-84, incorporating early core of 1680s, 18th century and mid 19th century; remodelled and enlarged 1903 by Robert S Lorimer, woodwork by Scott Morton & Company; NE wing demolished 1988. Large Tudor-Elizabethan manor house with interior of exceptional interest and set within outstanding landscaped gardens. 2-storey and 2-storey with attic, all over raised basement (partly vaulted), loosely rectangular-plan house incorporating dominant square-plan, 3-stage entrance tower with taller 5-stage polygonal stair tower clasping W angle and leading to roof of square tower; monumental traceried window flanked by projecting gables at W and Lorimeresque stone-pedimented bays at garden front with oversailing stair to traceried doorpiece. Crenellated 4-centred arch leads to courtyard at altered E end. Stugged and polished ashlar, base course, dividing string courses, moulded and mutuled eaves courses and crenellations. Tudor-arched doorpiece with flanking paired colonettes, quatrefoil detail to spandrels and 2-leaf, 8-panelled timber doors; stone gabled, decorative timber and piended dormerheads. Crowsteps, corbels, relieving arches, stone transoms and mullions, and chamfered arrises.
FURTHER DESCRIPTION: asymmetrical elevations. NW elevation with entrance tower in bay to right of centre, 4-part square-plan transomed window at outer right and 3 narrow bays set-back at left adjoining 3-stage square stair tower; outer left bay has lower battlemented bay (raised to 2-storeys in 1903) with arched gateway projecting at right angles. SW elevation with 10-light stone-traceried transomed window over 2 floors under string course forming hoodmould; tripartite dormer window with scallop shell decoration on tympanum above; gabled bay to left with 5-light canted transomed window and further gable to right with chamfered angle corbelled to square over 1st floor and 1903 splayed stair tower at re-entrant. 4 early centre bays at centre of SE (garden) elevation comprising 3 symmetrical bays with stair to centre door and balcony, and gabled bay to right with V-plan bipartite window with gableted parapet at ground with altered window above. Further Lorimer alterations to flanking outer bays include large canted windows, steeply-pitched dormerheaded windows and additional bay at outer left (see Notes). Steps and gallery set-back at outer right, with decorative ironwork railings and gate, formed from retained SE wall of lower offices now forming courtyard space at NE elevation.
INTERIOR: exceptional decorative scheme in place with fine joinery work and plasterwork throughout. Marble and timber fire surrounds, some with Delft tile slips, and inset grates; decorative radiator covers.
HEITON (1880s) WORK INCLUDES: ashlar-clad double height Jacobean entrance hall (1880s) with richly carved screen door, stone fireplace under high panelled overmantel reflecting high dado; dog-leg staircase and 2-stage arcade screening basement and 1st floor landing, trabeated timber ceiling on carved corbels. Main staircase with arcaded balusters and carved newels, moulded Tudor-arched openings at landings. Double height saloon with almost full-height traceried window to SW, panelled walls (incorporating doors to flanking rooms) below half timbering at 1st floor level with 4 individual oriel-like viewing balconies off corridors. Jacobean Renaissance chimneypiece with arms of Menzies of Hallyburton and dated 1609, incorporates some later fabric. Arcaded screen and large stone fireplace under minstrels gallery at NE. Vaulted timber ceiling with ribs springing from stone corbels. Library/billiard room (at SW) off saloon, with fitted book cases, heavy Artisan Mannerist carved timber fireplace incorporating cupboard for billiard cues (imported?) and open-beamed ceiling on stone corbels. Long rectangular-plan drawing room (at centre SE) off saloon, with compartmented plaster ceiling, Gothic door and window surrounds (masking square-headed windows), and carved timber fire surround at each end. Smoking room (possibly former billiard room?) at basement level with Tudor-arched recesses, inglenook fireplace, boarded timber walls and fitted seats.
LORIMER (1903) WORK AT GARDEN FRONT INCLUDES: cupola and vaulted, panelled oak corridor (see Notes) at NE leading to dining room (overlooking garden) with fumed oak panelling of linenfold dado below 5 framed French tapestries of circa 1500; stone fireplace with relief carved scallop shell on keystone and beamed oak ceiling with carved bosses. French inspired boudoir at E (retaining 1860s triangular window) incorporating 18th century tapestries in painted panelling, and master bedroom at W both with fine plasterwork.
Largely multi-pane and plate glass glazing patterns in timber sash and case windows; some leaded upper lights and decorative leaded glazing. Grey slates. Ashlar-coped skews and striking shouldered and banded grouped ashlar stacks with chamfered angles and cans. Stone finials and cast iron downpipes with decorative rainwater hoppers, some with 'M' and 'fleur de lys', and fixings.
FORMAL GARDEN AND TERRACING: formal sunken terraced gardens, statuary, steps and low coped walls. Sundial listed separately.
LORIMER GATE: 1904 gateway to NE end of formal garden (see above) leading to arboretum; ironwork probably by Thomas Haddon. Ball-finialled, ogee-capped, tall, square-section, ashlar piers flank decorative ironwork pedestrian gate with 'M' (see Notes) and date '1904'. Further wrought iron scrolls of foliage and flowers link outer edge of piers to low flanking walls.
Statement of Special Interest
A-Group with Baldinny Farmhouse; Garage and Game Larders; Ha-Ha to NW and SE of House and Main Driveway; Stables and Ancillary; Sundial; Walled Garden, Shed and Cottage; West Lodge and Gate.
Hallyburton House is an outstanding example of a country house which has evolved through the addition of exceptionally high calibre work by important architects Andrew Heiton Junior and Sir Robert Lorimer. Its survival into the 21st century with so few alterations to each component is remarkable and the extent and quality of the exceptional interior raises its importance to a national level. This is one of Heiton's best surviving interiors. Unusually, for both Andrew Heiton Junior and Robert Lorimer, Hallyburton has been noted for its lack of Scottish features both externally and internally, and 'apart from the quality of its stone, the house could be in the Cotswolds' (AHSS). Tudor-Elizabethan houses of this date and quality are extremely rare in Scotland.
The original house on this site was built for the Hallyburton's of nearby Pitcur. The vast Hallyburton estate was purchased by Graham Menzies from the Marquis of Huntly in 1879 for the sum of £235,000. Graham Menzies, founder of the Distillers Company, passed the estate to his son W G Graham Menzies in 1890. Gordon W Menzies commissioned the 1903 work, and Hallyburton remains in the same family today.
The metamorphosis of Hallyburton can largely be identified from the SE garden elevation where evidence of the building stages remains. The original 1680s house (recessed symmetrical centre bays) was probably remodelled in the 18th century with triangular and semicircular pediments at the ground floor openings, and 1st floor windows breaking through the eaves into small dormer pediments. It was extended by 3 bays to the NE before the mid 19th century, and this work included the extant V-plan boudoir window. Next came Andrew Heiton's re-working in the 1880s which included the alteration of the original house from 5- to 3-bays at the garden front to from the drawing room. Lastly Robert Lorimer's enlargement and alterations of 1903 can be seen in the large canted windows and extra bay to the SW. This final stage of development also included a subsequently demolished 5-bay addition to the NE of which only the SE wall remains forming a screen between the garden and office courtyard.
Lorimer accompanied Mr & Mrs Menzies on a trip to Paris to advise on their purchase of the five 16th century tapestries which became central to the dining room design. The small hallway leading to the dining room has fumed oak panelling by John Watherston & Sons and it is decorated with carved fruits and rosettes. The corridor was longer before removal of the kitchen wing in 1988. The nearby small square hall with cupola has a plaster ceiling which was decorated by the Bromsgrove Guild with 4 large roses on the flat and small fruits on the coving. Gifford also describes a garden gateway, presumably by Lorimer, of 1908 which is formed of 'widely spaced channelled ashlar piers surmounted by figures of boys holding shields. Between the piers wrought-iron screens and gates in the manner of c1700.'