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Summary

Description

Ampherlaw House is a multiphase and irregular-plan, former laird's house that may contain earlier fabric at its core, but which largely dates to the 18^th century, with 19^th and early-20^th century additions and alterations to the east, west and north (rear) elevations.

The house comprises an 18^th century, two-storey and attic, four-bay, rectangular-plan main block with later flanking additions. There is a part-gabled, infill addition, probably dating to the early-19^th century, attached to the east elevation of the house that is lower in height and set back from the building line. A single-storey, gabled section, probably dating to the 18^th century and once detached, is attached to the easternmost part of the house and links to the dovecot at the rear of the building. A single-storey dining room extension is attached to the western section of the house. There are canted, bay window additions to the front (south) elevation, dating from the late 19^th century.

The house is rendered with stone margins and the entrance door has a two-pane fanlight and a stone cornice above which reads: 'I. F. 1778 W. S. [and] M. S 1815.' A rectangular plaque above has wheatsheaf decoration and reads: 'S. S [and] J. L 1777.' A contemporary lectern-style dovecot is attached to the eastern part of the house.

The rear (north) elevation includes a mono-pitched corridor addition and two single-storey ranges (kitchen, utility and garage areas) which forms a U-shaped courtyard. There are two pedimented pedestrian entrances and a larger, central carriage entrance leading into the paved courtyard area. One of the pedimented entrances depicts a figure with a headdress and ruff playing a lute. Another figure on the front elevation of the house (east end) depicts Charity. These pediments appear to pre-date the design of the current house and they may have come from Couthally Castle or from a previous house on the site. There is also some further late-19^th or early-20^th century infill to the rear, including a former drill hall.

The windows are predominantly timber sash and case frames with a mixture of multi-pane glazing patterns throughout. The three dormer windows to the front elevation break the roof eaves, the outermost two are canted and the central one is pedimented. The roofs are slated with a mixture of end and ridge chimneystacks.

The interior was seen in 2023. The principal rooms have a number of 18th and 19th century decorative features, such as pilaster detailing, scallop shell plasterwork, moulded cornicing, timber window shutters and decorative fire surrounds. There is a central spiral stone staircase through the house and a marriage lintel above a door leading into the entrance hall from the rear of the house which reads: 'JS. JS. 1539. JS. AS. 1570. JS. MC. 1610 / WS. EH. 1656. JS. JC. 1681. JS. MD. 1723.' This may have come from Couthally Castle or from a previous house on the site.

The rectangular, lectern-plan dovecot (doocot) is thought to date from 1777 (according to the current listed building record). It is constructed in rubble with a rat course, stepped skews and scrolled skewputts. The roof is covered in slates with a stone ridge and the roof slopes to the south. The doocot has a semi-circular entry in the south wall with keystone detailing and there is a rectangular window opening in the east elevation at ground floor level.

The house and garden are bounded by a tall rubble boundary wall alongside the road with two vehicle entrances, of which one accessed the main drive and the other a service drive. The gatepiers are squared and constructed in coursed stone with square caps. There is a pedestrian entrance set into the wall with a pedimented lintel depicting a crown and a cross pattée (cross formy) and topped by a rounded finial. The historically related Ampherlaw Farmhouse and steading is located to the northwest and is listed separately at category C (LB50150).

Historical background:

The lands of Ampherlaw were historically owned by the Somerville family from at least the 16^th century (Somerville, p.61). The principal seat of the Somervilles was Couthally Castle, near Carnwath (now ruined) (New Statistical Account; Irving and Murray, p.532). A branch of the Somerville family lived at Ampherlaw. A settlement marked 'Amforlaw' is first shown on William Roy's map of 1752-55. Forrest's map of 1816 shows Ampherlaw House and names the owner as 'Somerville Esquire.'

The house is first shown in detail on the 1^st Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1859 as a central, rectangular-plan block with earlier 19th century additions, flanking and to the rear. The dovecot is detached from the house at this time. The Ordnance Survey Name Book of 1858-61 describes Ampherlaw as a large, two-storey farmsteading dwellinghouse with associated offices, the property and residence of Dr Samuel Somerville (OS1/21/12/58). Samuel Somerville (d.1874) was treasurer of the Royal College of Physicians in Edinburgh (The Scotsman).

The 2^nd Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1896 shows rectangular ranges were added to the rear of the property, including a drill hall, which incorporated the doocot into the main building. Double-height bay windows were added to the front elevation sometime between 1896 and 1910 (as shown on 2nd and later Edition mapping). An entrance porch and conservatory were also added around this time, but were later removed. Ampherlaw operated as a small country estate and included the adjacent farm, dated 1850. Historic newspapers show Ampherlaw House was largely let as a shooting estate from the 1870s until the 1940s and was briefly used as a private convalescent home (see The Hamilton Advertiser and The Scotsman, 1903, 1939, 1941).

At the time of listing in 1971, there was a pedestal-type sundial, dated 1778, on the front lawn. This was removed sometime after 1971. Ampherlaw House is now a private residence.

Statement of Special Interest

Architectural interest:

Design

The scale and architectural detail of Ampherlaw House indicate it was a house of some status in the parish, such as a laird's house. There is likely a pre-18^th century core to the house, evidenced by the architecturally distinctive carved pediments and lintels and the stone staircase, but the overall design of the principal elevation is that of a late-18^th century laird's house with 19^th century additions and alterations.

Setting

Ampherlaw House is in a roadside position along a minor road. The immediate historic setting of the house is largely retained as it is surrounded by garden ground, woodland and farmland. The historically and functionally related farmhouse and steading to the north remains intervisible with Ampherlaw House and adds to its interest by helping us to understand the agricultural function of this small agricultural estate. The steading was reconfigured in the later 19^th century (see LB50150) and there has been minor housing development to the north of the northern boundary of the house however, overall, the site's designed landscape and rural setting is largely unchanged since that shown on the 2^nd Edition map of 1896.

Historic interest:

Age and rarity

Laird's houses were built from the mid-16^th century until around 1880 by proprietors or major tenants in a town or the country, as such they are not a rare building type in Scotland. Whilst Ampherlaw House may contain earlier fabric, the overall form of the house largely dates from the late-18^th and 19^th century and is therefore not an early or rare example of a modest laird's house. The compact, lectern-style doocot is, however, an unusual feature and one that has been incorporated into the main body of the house over time. The house, dovecot and the neighbouring farmhouse and steading (listed at category C, LB50150) as a group of related agricultural and residential buildings all contribute to the historic character and significance of the site and how it evolved over time.

Social historical interest

Ampherlaw is a well-preserved and largely complete example of a small country estate, comprising a laird's house, dovecot and adjacent home farm (listed separately).

Listed building record revised in 2023.

References

Bibliography

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