Description

Roofless, burnt 1919. Oldest part 3-storey tower house 20' x
36' with circular S.W. angle tower, containing stair, ground
floor vaulted, vault partly removed later, built late 16th
century for John Leslie 8th Baron Balquhain. Made part of
large near-symmetrical mansion 1691-3 for Count Patrick
Leslie, 3-storey, 6-window with circular angle towers (that
on E belonging to original house) with 1-window W. wing to
balance the original tower house. Small ground floor
openings, large openings grooved for glass 1st and 2nd, fine
1693 armorial panel over centre door and IHS-MRA/POL/MOI/1691
above. Reconstructed early 19th century, towers raised,
corbelled and crenellated parapets added to towers and main
block, centre N. wing gutted and now staircase inserted,
James Massie architect; 2-storey wing with bow on E. added N.
of staircase, dated 1818; W. wing and cross wing 2-storey
added c. 1850.

Statement of Interest

Of the palace built by Bishop Ramsay in 1226 and extended by

Bishop Kynimund in 1330 there are virtually no remains. The

estate was in possession of the bishops until 1550 when a

lease (converted 16 years later to a gift) was granted to

John Leslie 8th Baron Balquhain. The sundial now stands in

the garden of the new house formed laundry), copper dial by

James Villers 1798 on granite baluster.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17776445

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]
• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)