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Summary

Description

1744. 2 storey and attic, symmetrical U-plan house; 4 centre bays, projecting outer wings with 3-bay inner faces to

small paved court; 2 1st floor and small attic windows

only in south facing outer gabled wings. All harled, with

polished ashlar margins and dressings.

windows in south elevation with blocked centre (Minister's)

Entrances in outer bays of long courtyard bolection moulded

door pieces and 19th century panelled doors, that to right

being false; 2 ground floor windows between doorways. 2

later windows and door in courtyard elevation of each

return wing with rendered margins. All front original windows

have half-round moulding to margins; plain chamfers to rear

margins. 2 paired diminutive piended dormers in centre

front. Large 1st floor windows with 12-pane glazing;

9-pane in ground floor.

Cavetto skewputts; crowsteps; coped end stacks; large

lateral rear stack (serving 1st floor principal room);

West Highland slate roof.

Interior; original stone stair case with half-round moulding

to risers; principal room takes up centre 4 bays of 1st

floor original raised and fielded panelling in one 1st floor

room in east wing, with original moulded and lugged

doorpiece; 19th century door. 2 18th century moulded chimney

pieces survive. Otherwise later 19th century alterations

and decoration. Vaulted cellars. Walled garden; dated

lintel, 1863. Large walled garden, high coped rubble walls.

Gate piers and walls; later 19th century, pair square

tooled rubble gate piers with moulded pyramidal caps.

Extensive drystone walls with drystone cope

Statement of Special Interest

Balnakeil House built on site of summer residence of Bishops

of Sutherland and Caithness. Occasional residence of

Lords of Reay.

References

Bibliography

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