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Summary

Description

Early 19th century. 2-storey and attic, 3-bay, classically proportioned farmhouse situated near to Inveraray Great Farm steading at Glen Shira. Slightly advanced bay to centre under cat-slide roof. Timber bracketed eaves. Rubble, predominantly harled and painted white. Flat-decked piend roof. Single storey swept roof porch to front and single-storey outshot with pitched roof to rear. Detached, single-storey gabled outbuilding at N corner angle.

Predominantly 12-pane glazing in timber sash and case windows. Grey slate. Tall end stacks. Cast iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: principal reception room to first floor. Stair with curving hardwood rail and thin metal banisters rising to hall at first floor; ornate cast iron banisters to further staircase rising to attic level. Reception room to E with deep moulded cornice and dado. Ground floor, largely remodelled: kitchen to W; sitting room to E with decorative plaster cornice, rectangular alcove and press. Timber fireplaces and timber shutters throughout.

OUTBUILDING: small detached retangular-plan, gabled outbuilding to N angle of house. Coped stack to W gable with clay cans. Grey slate. Later, corrugated sheet washhouse, garage and woodstore adjoining W gable.

Statement of Special Interest

Maam House is a major example of a classically proportioned Georgian farmhouse with advanced central bay, bracketed eaves and flat-deck piended roof occupying a fine rural setting adjacent to the Inveraray Great Farm steading (see separate listing) at Maam in Glen Shira.

The house was built for General Charles Turner who was Govenor of Sierra Leone until his death in 1826. The layout of rooms is distinctive with the main hall and principal rooms at first floor level with views to the steading and farmland beyond. The ground floor rooms were remodelled during the 1970s at which time the south facing windows were enlarged. The earlier openings were considerably smaller suggesting that the ground floor rooms originally served different purposes. The small detached rubble-built outbuilding to the N corner is contemporary with the building of the house. Evidence from the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map (1862) suggests it was formerly linked to the house, possibly by way of a passage or further outbuilding.

The remarkable half-circle Gothick Steading at Maam (see separate listing) was designed by master mason to the Crown of Scotland, Robert Mylne. It was a centrepiece of the 5th Duke of Argyll's programme of late 18th century agricultural improvements in Inveraray. Standing 80m to the S of Maam farmhouse, the two buildings group together contextually, adding to the interest.

List description revised, 2012.

References

Bibliography

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