Listed Building

The only legal part of the listing under the Planning (Listing Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 is the address/name of site. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing – see 'About Listed Buildings' below for more information. The further details below the 'Address/Name of Site' are provided for information purposes only.

Address/Name of Site

CLUNY CASTLELB6914

Status: Designated

Documents

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Summary

Category
A
Date Added
05/10/1971
Local Authority
Highland
Planning Authority
Highland
Parish
Laggan
National Park
Cairngorms
NGR
NN 64568 94290
Coordinates
264568, 794290

Description

Style of Robert Burn, Edinburgh. 1805, NW wing and front porch, W L Carruthers, Inverness, c. 1890. S facing symmetrical 2-storey and attic mansion over raised basement with rear courtyard flanked by single storey wings projecting at right angles and with set-back 2-storey 4-bay later addition at NW. Wide Adamesque 3-bay frontage with 3-bay return elevations, each with shallow bowed 3-window bays flanking frontage and rising full height. Tooled grey granite ashlar frontage and dressings; pinned rubble flanks and rear; rubble basement, rendered and lined.

Centre door masked by circa 1890 glazed timber porch with crest in semi-circular pediment, reached by splayed flight of steps oversailing raised basement.

Centre bay delineated by giant pilasters rising from moulded red sandstone plinths and with similar Ionic capitals, unusually no entablature but plain blocks returning under cornice.

Entrance flanked by simple Venetian window either side set in arched panel; tripartites in 1st floor; ground and 1st floor cill bands encircle building; piended dormers. Moulded eaves cornice; crenellated wallhead with small angle dummy bartizans; piended platform slate roof with 4 symmetrical corniced stacks. 5-bay rear elevation with some altered fenestration.

C. 1890 2-storey wing set back at NW with regular 4-bay fenestration and shaped front centre wallhead stack; centre rear gable with apex stack; piended slate roof. Sash windows with multi-pane glazing to mansion; 2-pane to NW wing.

Rear court flanked by single storey wings with some modern fenestration (E) and altered to stores and garages (W) and closed at N with low wall, centre entrance flanked by square tooled ashlar gate piers. Centre well in courtyard with ornamental stone cover raised on columns.

Interior; wide entrance hall with coffered vaulted ceiling with central pendant; oval detailing to reeded and panelled dado and panelled doors. Similar detailing to window shutters in drawing room (SE) with beaded panelled dado and fine mahogany door (re-used from elsewhere) with decorative beading. Carved wood chimneypiece (also re-used from elsewhere).

SW room (former dining room) reeded and panelled dado, panelled window shutters; inlaid serving table/buffet recess flanked by engaged Corinthian columns. Mahogany door as drawing room; decortive plaster ceiling friezes to both public rooms. 2 4-centred arhces supported by fluted Corinthian columns and outer pilasters screen stairwell; ornate cast-iron balusters to staircase with polished wooden handrail.

Decorative chimneypieces (including inlaid marble piece with basket grate in 1st floor bedroom) elsewhere; panelled window shutters both ground and 1st floors.

NW wing houses former billiard room, now dining room.

Statement of Special Interest

Built by Cluny MacPherson (MacPherson of Cluny) to replace castle destroyed by fire in 1746. Cluny MacPerson having supported Prince Charles Edward. Andrew Carnegie leased house before purchasing Skibo Castle Sutherland.

Present drawing room chimney-piece and hearth replaces former marble chimney-piece and basket grate. NW wing not on 1st ed. OS, 1870.

Sophisticated joinery in panelling, doors and shutters probably executed by Aberdeenshire joiners, detailing and decoration being characteristic of their work.

References

Bibliography

NEW STATISTICAL ACCOUNT xiv (1839), p. 327

W. Douglas Simpson, PORTRAIT OF THE HIGHLANDS (1969), pp. 189-90.

Scottish Record Office GD 80/711 National Monuments Record of Scotland.

About Listed Buildings

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Listing is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for buildings of special architectural or historic interest as set out in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997.

We list buildings which are found to be of special architectural or historic interest using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Listed building records provide an indication of the special architectural or historic interest of the listed building which has been identified by its statutory address. The description and additional information provided are supplementary and have no legal weight.

These records are not definitive historical accounts or a complete description of the building(s). If part of a building is not described it does not mean it is not listed. The format of the listed building record has changed over time. Earlier records may be brief and some information will not have been recorded.

The legal part of the listing is the address/name of site which is known as the statutory address. Other than the name or address of a listed building, further details are provided for information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland does not accept any liability for any loss or damage suffered as a consequence of inaccuracies in the information provided. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing. Even if a number or name is missing from a listing address it will still be listed. Listing covers both the exterior and the interior and any object or structure fixed to the building. Listing also applies to buildings or structures not physically attached but which are part of the curtilage (or land) of the listed building as long as they were erected before 1 July 1948.

While Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating listed buildings, the planning authority is responsible for determining what is covered by the listing, including what is listed through curtilage. However, for listed buildings designated or for listings amended from 1 October 2015, legal exclusions to the listing may apply.

If part of a building is not listed, it will say that it is excluded in the statutory address and in the statement of special interest in the listed building record. The statement will use the word 'excluding' and quote the relevant section of the 1997 Act. Some earlier listed building records may use the word 'excluding', but if the Act is not quoted, the record has not been revised to reflect subsequent legislation.

Listed building consent is required for changes to a listed building which affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest. The relevant planning authority is the point of contact for applications for listed building consent.

Find out more about listing and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.

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Printed: 29/03/2024 15:42