Description

Dated 1719; later alterations. Single storey and attic, 3-bay, rectangular-plan traditional early 18th century house with 20th century additions and alterations forming T-plan. Lime-harled granite rubble. Chamfered reveals, polished sandstone margins to addition. Rubble base course; dressed stone base course and projecting cills to addition; gableted windows breaking eaves.

S (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: symmetrical, with addition to left. Small-pane glazed timber door to centre of ground floor, surmounted by tooled panel reading "AI-MS 1719"; window to flanking bays to left and right; regular fenestration with raised dormerheads to attic floor. Single bay link to left, panelled timber door flanked by 2 10-pane windows, small dormer to attic. Gabled, advanced addition dated "1988" to outer left; granite cheesepress to centred at ground floor, 2 windows to ground floor, single window to left of attic floor, 2 single pane windows wet in gablehead; window regular fenestration to ground and attic floor of right return, tooled date stone reading "GH-JF 1988" set in gable of attic window, 2 small windows flanking to right.

E ELEVATION: gabled; 8-pane window off-centre to left of ground and attic floors.

N ELEVATION: symmetrical 3-bay, with later additions to right. Window to centre bay of ground floor, window to centre bay of attic floor. Single link bay adjoining to right, with 2 4-pane windows to ground floor, window centred above; gabled bay advanced to outer right, 2 windows to ground floor, window off-centre to left of attic floor, 2 single pane windows set in gablehead; single window to left return.

W ELEVATION: asymmetrical; 4-bay. Gableted porch advanced to left of ground floor, window off-centre to right, wall with gateway advanced to left, adjoining single storey garage to W; panelled timber door to right return, window to left return. Window flanking porch to left and 3 windows to right. 3 windows to left of attic floor, tooled panel with painted Lion Rampant to centre, blind panels to left and right.

Predominantly 6-pane and 12-pane timber sash and case windows. Purple-grey slate roof with tiled and stone ridges. Stone skews with simple skewputts. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: not seen 1999.

CHEESE PRESS AND BOUNDARY WALL INCORPORATING REMAINS OF CASTLE OF EASTER CLUNE: granite cheese press to left of S wall of house. Boundary walls to SE of house, random granite rubble, with vertical section of castle wall.

Statement of Interest

Built by "AI" Alexander Irvine, who purchased the estate in 1713 from William Davidson of Balnacraig (see separate listing). It then passed into the ownership of the Farquharsons of Finzean in 1755. This traditional house, retaining much of its original detailing and character is a rare survival. The rybats of the door and windows, no longer visible, are made of sandstone from the Forest of Birse. The castle "a small ruin not one storey high" (Macgibbon and Ross, p458) of Easter Clune is said to have been built by Archbishop Ross, stone from which has probably been incorporated into the existing building. Callander notes that when the bishops lived in Easter Clune there was also a chapel nearby with a graveyard.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17775712

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

• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas