Documents

Where documents include maps, the use of this data is subject to terms and conditions (https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/termsandconditions).

• Type

  Map

  Title

  Map for Ault Wharrie, Stewart House and ancillary buildings and structures(LB26365)

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600039100)

Summary

Description

Ault Wharrie is a predominantly two-storey, ten-bay, asymmetrical Glasgow Style mansion house designed by George Walton in 1900 with later alterations likely by James Miller and Richard McLeod Morrison Gunn (1924). It features an extensive Arts and Crafts interior scheme restored in the early 21^st century (2013-2016). It is built of red brick with red sandstone margins.

The west elevation has a three-storey, three-bay block to the outer left forming part of Stewart House featuring a pyramidal roof and a central double height bay window while to the right there is a two-storey, eight-bay, piended block. The two-storey block contains an oriel window to the outer left, followed by alternating double-height, three-light canted windows and gableted bays with broken pedimented eaves containing brick mullioned bipartite and tripartite windows. The central first floor windows feature arched inscribed pediments with carved sunflower motif.

The east elevation features a series of piended, irregular, two-storey advanced blocks at left. The T-plan block to outer left, features a coped shouldered gable to right return, a row of six closely-set, brick mullioned windows at ground floor and a single storey arched porch to right containing an arched, timber panelled door with leaded glass and fanlight. There is a three-storey, three-bay block to right with pyramidal roof, featuring an arched, multipaned door with fanlight and rectangular two-storey corbeled oriel window.

The south elevation has two advanced outer blocks with swept roofs flanking a central recessed bay. There is a single storey advanced block at the left with crowstepped gable parapet and a canted advanced bay window to the outer right with embattled parapet. The recessed bay includes a tall bipartite window to the left and oval window to the right.

The north elevation has a two-storey extension (part of Stewart House) to left. There is a timber framed, roofed balcony set upon large brick corbels on the recessed three-storey range to the right (part of Stewart House).

The openings are predominantly timber casement with some multipaned leaded windows. The building has a continuous, cill-height stringcourse to both storeys projecting stone cills to windows and cast-iron rainwater goods with moulded guttering. The roof is covered with grey slates with red ridge tiles and there are tall, rectangular, sandstone coped, brick chimney stacks, some lowered, the one on the principal elevation ribbed (the only surviving).

The interior retains an outstanding Arts and Crafts scheme designed by George Walton in 1900, largely restored between 2013 and 2016. Surviving interior features of the early 20^th century scheme include: the entrance hall's tessellated floor and fitted benches; timber panelling with inset rose stained-glass detail and inset built-in cupboards in main hall; central staircase to southeast corner of hall with tapered octagonal newels and tall, chamfered balusters; fitted cupboards, shelves and benches in the billiard room; fitted cabinet with copper detailing in dining room; deeply concave cornices, ribbed windows surrounds, unusual window latches; fitted cupboards to most first floor rooms; tiled fireplaces.

The interiors of the 1920s extension (now forming a part of Stewart House) retain contemporary fittings such as doors, fireplaces, windows and window treatments and these are standard for their interwar date.

Former gate lodge (NN 79085 00940): located to the west of Ault Wharrie/Stewart House, a single storey, three-bay, rectangular-plan, asymmetrical lodge with bell cast roof likely dating to 1900. Red brick with sandstone projecting cills and timber detailing. It features a projecting porch to centre with swept roof on scrolled timber brackets and an eight-pane, timber panelled door with flanking six-pane, square windows. There is a multi-pane bipartite window with timber mullion on the left bay and a bowed five-light, multi-pane window with timber mullions to the right. Later addition to rear. Tall, coped ridge stacks. Grey slates, lead flashing and red ridge tiles.

Outbuilding to northeast (NN 79235 00998): single storey, four-bay, rectangular-plan, asymmetrical with bell cast roof (possibly former washhouse) likely dating to 1900. There is a timber porch at centre of the left bay with fishbone ceiling and a recessed timber door with ribbed detailing flanked by timber framed sash and case windows. White, tiled interior with cement floor and timber panelled ceiling with rectangular rooflights and small lunette window on principal elevation. Grey slates, lead flashing, red ridge tiles and decorative finial.

Summer house (NN 79233 00876): small single storey, square-plan shelter within walled garden, likely dating to 1900. It is open to northwest and it is built of red brick with painted timber detailing, slated ogee roof with lead cap and cast-iron finial

Walled garden (NN 79237 00902): rectangular-plan, high random rubble/harled wall, with chamfered coping to rear of house, likely dating to 1900. There are tall, square-plan ashlar entrance piers, to north-east and north-west, with ogee caps and cast-iron finials.

Terraced garden wall (NN 79192 00920): likely dating to 1900, the two-tier, terraced garden to the rear of the house features a random rubble coped terrace wall running to the length of the house terminating in short flight of steps to both ends. There is a similar wall to the lower terrace with ball finials to corners of steps and piers with pyramidal caps to outer corners of wall.

Boundary wall and gatepiers (NN 79098 00956): coped, small stone random rubble wall with large inset stones and stylised raised mortar likely dating to 1900. There are square-plan ashlar gatepiers with decorative bronze sconces for former lights linked to low, coped quadrant walls framing the driveway terminating in squat piers with pyramidal caps.

Historical development

Ault Wharrie was designed by George Walton in collaboration with Fred Rowntree in 1900 for the businessman and former provost of the Burgh of Dunblane, J.G. Stewart. The building control register records that shortly after its construction, alterations took place in 1905, 1910 and 1924 (SCA reference BDU/16/2). The Dictionary of Scottish Architects records that the 1924 alterations, were by James Miller and his chief assistant Richard McLeod Morrison Gunn.

The three-storey block to the outer left of the west elevation (part of Stewart House) and the game room at the right corner of the south elevation of the house are likely to be part of the 1924 alterations by James Miller and Richard Gunn.

(Phasing Chronology Plan submitted to the Local Authority by Nicoll Russell Studio's).

The building first appears on the Second Edition Ordnance Survey map (revised 1930, published 1932), with the former gate lodge, northeast outbuilding, terraced garden, walled garden and summer house all visible on this map, along with several other structures including an irregular plan and an L-plan outbuildings north of the house which have now been removed.

An extension formerly known as the caretaker's house was added to the north elevation in the 1960s/70s (proposed to be excluded from the listing and forming part of Stewart House). This Z-plan extension appears on the Ordnance Survey map (Revised:1964; Published:1965).

In the later 20^th century, the house and grounds were used as the Royal Masonic Nursing Home and many internal features removed at this time.

Between 2013-2016 Ault Wharrie underwent extensive renovations to conserve surviving interior features of the 1900 design by Walton and made reference to contemporary sources. The main hall frieze, the drawing room ceiling decoration and the billiard room frieze were uncovered and missing parts of the scheme were recreated. The stained-glass insets in doors and wall panelling were reproduced and reinstated as well as most of the ironmongery of doors and windows. The inglenook with fitted seats in the central sitting room was reproduced based on original documentary sources. The original fitted cabinet with copper detailing was uncovered in the dining room. The works also included the removal of a single storey 'terrace room' addition to the west elevation and a small annexe to the original billiard room on the south elevation.

During the 2013-16 renovations a partition wall was erected between the three-storey block to the outer left of the west elevation of the house (part of Stewart House) and the main house (Ault Wharrie) in order to create a separate dwelling. The three-storey block was internally connected with the 1960s/70s Z-plan extension (former caretaker's house) and together they formed Stewart House. At this time some later extensions to the caretaker's house were removed.

Statement of Special Interest

The building meets the criteria for listing for the following reasons:

• It is an outstanding example of an Arts and Crafts style house which retains much of its early 20^th century exterior character and elements of its significant interior decorative scheme.
• The post-1920s additions are sympathetic to the early 20^th century house design and are of notable quality, particularly to the exterior.
• The building retains its historic setting, including a number of outbuildings associated with the former estate.
• The survival of Walton's architecture and interior scheme is rare.
  
  
  In accordance with Section 1 (4A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 the following are proposed to be excluded from the listing:

The early 21^st century addition at the northeast of the house is not of special interest and are legally excluded from the listing.

Architectural interest

Design

Ault Wharrie is an outstanding example of Arts and Crafts style house which largely retains its early 20^th century exterior form and a substantial amount of the interior decorative scheme by George Walton including a wide range of fittings. The Arts and Crafts movement spanned a period of around 50 years and reached its height around the turn of the 20^th century. The movement rejected prevailing revival styles, such as the tendency to a mix of classical architectural motifs, and celebrated traditional craftsmanship, simple forms and promoted an anti-industrial approach to design and manufacturing.

The house and outbuildings at Ault Wharrie display typical characteristics of the Arts and Crafts movement, including the asymmetry and irregular plan and the use of traditional materials and craftsmanship. Other distinguishing features often associated with the movement include tall, ribbed chimney stack, multipaned windows and highly decorative interiors.

In Scotland the Arts and Crafts ideas were developed and adapted by a number of talented and like-minded architects including Charles Rennie Mackintosh, John James Burnet, William Leiper and Sir Robert Lorimer, using Scots Renaissance and Baronial architectural elements and motifs such as turrets and crowstepped gables to great effect in a number of exceptional houses for wealthy clients.

The interior decorative scheme at Ault Wharrie is of outstanding significance and this is reflected by the inclusion of images of the mansion's hall and dining room interiors in the influential book, Das englische Haus by Hermann Muthesius which was first published in 1904. This book studied the domestic architecture of the United Kingdom during this period of the flowering of domestic design from the late 19^th century to the turn of the 20^th century and included works by foremost designers such as Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Norman Shaw, Robert Lorimer and Edwin Lutyens.

The association with the designers is of special interest in relation to the building's design, in particular its interior decorative scheme. George Walton designed the building in collaboration with Fred Rowntree, two designers who were internationally recognised. Glasgow born George Henry Walton (1867- 1933) was a renowned furniture and interior designer within the Glasgow school of artists and designers of the late 19^th century and early 20^th century. Walton collaborated with Charles Rennie Mackintosh on several commissions, including Catherine Cranston tea rooms at 114 Argyle Street, Glasgow, 106-114 (Even Nos) Argyle Street (LB32616, Category B) and the Formerly Willow Tea Rooms (LB33173 - Category A). From the 1890s he collaborated with architect Fred Rowntree on various projects including the interior design and furniture for the Rowntree family tea rooms in Scarborough. From around 1900 he also began to undertake entire building projects including Ault Wharrie, Dunblane and The Leys, in Elstree, Hertfordshire.

Frederick Rowntree (1860-1927), was an architect who worked with C. A. Bury in Scarborough and Edward Burgess in London before moving to Glasgow and forming a partnership with Malcolm Stark Jr, becoming Malcolm Stark & Rowntree. Rowntree designed various notable Arts and Crafts buildings including the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society's exhibition at the Queen's Rooms, London (1895), the Yearsley Swimming Baths and the quaker Mount School and Bootham School in York.

Ault Wharrie is a significant example of Walton's collaborative work with Rowntree characterised by its stark brick exterior influenced by the English style and its richly articulated and patterned interiors. The later date of this work is reflected in the simpler design and lack of patterns in some rooms (dining room) which is closer to Walton's later style.

The extensions to the house around the 1920s, likely designed by two significant architects, James Miller (1860-1947) and Richard Gunn (1889-1933), are sympathetic to the design of the main house and represent a high-quality continuation of the Arts and Crafts character of the villa to its exterior.

Ault Wharrie underwent extensive renovations around 2013 to 2016, with the surviving 1900 interior features by Walton retained and restored. Other details have been faithfully reproduced based on documentary sources including doors, finger plates, the wooden screens' stained-glass and the inglenook with benches, tiled fireplace with copper hood flanked by tapered pilasters in the central sitting room. Some wall decorations including the main hall frieze, the drawing room ceiling decoration and frieze and the billiard room frieze were uncovered and reproduced.

Setting

The house was built on the eastern outskirts of the town of Dunblane, directly facing the Dykedale and Kennels Woodlands at east and south. Following the town suburban development of the late 20^th and early 21^st centuries the wider setting at north and west of the house has been altered by the introduction of new housing developments. The building however retains is secluded setting being surrounded by its parkland and is still flanked by woodlands at south and east.

The immediate setting of the house survives substantially unaltered. It includes a walled garden in front of the house and the terrace garden on the rear. The summer house and the northeast outbuilding survive and still form part of the house estate. The west gate lodge survives at the entrance of the house but is now in separate ownership. The retention of the ancillary structures adds to the special interest of the building, as they were part of the early 20^th century house design and reflect the main house in terms of style and materials. These ancillary structures also help us to understand how the villa and estate functioned in the early 20^th century.

Historic interest

Age and rarity

The suburban development of towns and cities increased during the early 20^th century, especially as transport links to outlying areas improved, catering to the growing middle classes. While large houses and villas in this context are not rare, examples of the early 20^th century, which are architecturally distinctive and reflect high quality workmanship are of interest for listing.

The Arts and Crafts movement reached its peak in Scotland between 1890 and 1914, during which time it was taken up by architects such as Robert Lorimer, Robert Wemyss, Alexander Paterson and William Leiper.

Influenced by architectural journals and prevailing fashions, the English strain of the Arts and Crafts style was popular for domestic architecture in Scotland, particularly for villas in urban areas or larger detached houses on small estates. Examples that survive with minimal alterations and additions, with much of their original character intact are relatively rare. Built during the peak of the Arts and Crafts movement in the early years of the 20^th century, Ault Wharrie is an outstanding surviving example of an Arts and Crafts style villa retaining a substantial amount of its historic fabric and interior design by George Walton (see Architectural interest section).

Intact interior schemes by Walton are extremely rare and many surviving schemes will have a degree of loss and repair. Walton is associated with the interior design and furnishing of around 40 buildings in Scotland of which 18 are listed. Of these interior schemes, many are known to have been altered.


Statutory address changed and listed building record revised in 2025. Previously listed as 'Leewood road, Ault Wharrie including summer house, walled garden, terraced garden wall, gate lodge, boundary wall and gatepiers'.

An indicative polygon map of the listed building is attached separately. Some parts of the listing are not identified by the map. The summer house, walled garden, terraced garden wall, boundary wall and gatepiers are not displayed in the map but are intended to form part of the listing.

References

Bibliography

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.

Images

Map