Statement of Special Interest
A-Group with Fordell Castle (see separate listing).This garden was built to the NW of Fordell Castle (built 1580) and Fordell House (built 1721; demolished 1963) amidst the parkland of the Fordell Estate which was formerly part of the lands of Pitadro. These lands, lying W of the Fordell Burn, were acquired in the late 17th century by the Henderson family who occupied the neighbouring lands of Fordell to the E of Fordell Burn from the early 16th century. A walled enclosure appears on part of the newly enlarged Fordell Estate at Pitadro on Winter's 1756 estate plan. However, subsequent estate plans show that the walled garden was in disuse by the late 18th century to later be revived again in 1818 by Thomas White at the request of the then owner Rear Admiral Sir P C C Henderson-Durham. A number of improvements were made to the walled garden and its amenities by George William Mercer Henderson (1823-1881) from 1855 when a great number of glasshouses and a fine gardener's cottage (Pitadro House - see separate listing) were erected to the N of the walled garden. An account of 1887, which names Mr Ramsay as the head gardener, refers to the walled garden as a kitchen garden whose walls were covered with well-trained fruit trees. Also mentioned as part of the walled garden scheme of that period were extensive glasshouses consisting of 2 peach and nectarine houses; 4 vineries, a span-roofed stove; hanging baskets with fine pitcher plants; a span-roofed orange and camellia house; fern house, pine stoves; span-roofed zonal pelargonium house; span-roofed house for rowing soft-wooded plants; a good number of pits for forcing and other purposes. In 1953, the Fordell Estate was divided up by Sir John Hampden Mercer Henderson (1906-1963) and the walled garden was acquired and used as a commercial nursery, still operating as such today.
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.