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Summary

Description

James Gillespie Graham, but not completed to his design,

1802-37. Additions by Alexander Ross, later 19th century.

Near square symmetrical crenellated, castle-style mansion

of 2 storeys and attic over raised basement, 7 bays to north

and south facades, 5-bay side elevations; asymmetrical

single storey over raised basement service wing to SW. All

coursed rubble with contrasting tooled and polished

sandstone dressings, with long and short detailing to

windows. South entrance front with slightly advanced centre 3

bay with centre door in painted polished ashlar doorpiece

with panelled pilaster strips, cornice with ball finials

and centre strapwork cartouche with shield. Long narrow side

windows; centre round-headed 1st floor window linked to

smaller similar flanking windows (blind at east) by

continuous hoodmould.

North facade with wide centre 3-windowed bowed bay rising

to 3 storeys over raised basement. Regular 6-bay east

elevation; 6 bays to west, with service court partially

enclosed by later Scottish Baronial service wing (Alexander

Ross) with crenellated wallhead to single storey, 2-bay south

facade and secondary entrance to mansion.

Longer ground floor windows, mainly with 2-pane plate glass

glazing, with intersecting astragals in centre front 3

bays, survives elsewhere hoodmoulds to all upper floor

windows. corbelled and crenellated wallhead, with quatrefoil

detailing in south front parapet flanking centre advance

portion, which has raised central panel filled with

exagerrated fluted detail and corbelled angle bartizans with

blind cruciform detailing; similar dummy bartizans to all

angles except at NW where angle stair-tower is corbelled

out from ground floor, rising to 3 storeys.

Piended platform slate roof with 3 piended dormers at east

and 4 at west, very long paired flue batteries running

parallel on line of internal cross walls aligned to

outer edges of centre platform, with glazed toplight to light

stairs.

Interior; large centre stair hall rising full height with

wide staircase (by William Burn) ascending 3 sides with

turned wooden balusters.

Drawing room in SE and dining in N with wide bowed bay

window; original chimney pieces in drawing, dining rooms and

library, that in dining room an unusually striking

Neo-classical design with supporters in the manner of

Thomas Hope. Decorative plaster ceiling cornices with central

roses; moulded door cases with 6-panelled doors; panelled

and beaded window shutters.

Statement of Special Interest

Built near former Achnacarry Castle, destroyed by fire by

Duke of Cumberland's troops 1746, only portion of walling

remains. James Hogg in a letter to Sir Walter Scott...

"we reached Achnacarry viewing the new castle of Lochiel

the building of which was then going brisky on, conducted

by Mr John Gillespie architect; a respectable young man

possessed of much professional knowledge..." (Hogg

in error over Gillespie Graham's christian name) NSA

describes the house as a "large, handsome and substantial

building not yet finished".

References

Bibliography

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