Description

1835, in the manner of William Burn, but possibly a reconstruction of an earlier 1790's manse (see NOTES). 2-storey, double L-plan main block, with main L-plan block to N and subsidiary L-plan block including former offices to S and W. Former barn and stables (now converted to domestic use) enclosing courtyard to E and S. Asymmetrical Scots Jacobeathan style, with crowstepped gables and dormer-headed windows; tall grouped chimneys with diagonally-set square-plan ashlar chimney shafts. Squared and snecked sandstone, ashlar dressings, droved quoins with narrow raised margins. Beaked skewputts.

N (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: asymmetrical, L-plan with advanced full-height gable to left, with 3-bay parapetted canted bay window projecting at ground floor, single window above. 3-bays set back to right, with entrance to left: steeply pitched pointed canopy hood, deeply-projecting with apex finial supported on sculptured ashlar consoles and enclosing triangular tympanum; 4-panelled door, letterbox fanlight with margined glazing above; 2 single windows to ground floor right; 3 crowstepped dormers to 1st floor.

INTERIOR: masonry staircase with cast-iron balustrades; original window shutters in dining room, with pilastered panels between windows in projecting canted bays.

SERVICE BUILDINGS: STABLE AND BARN RANGES: L-plan, single-storey range enclosing courtyard to SW of house, linked by gateway to SE corner (leading to garden); openings blocked and glazed in at time of conversion, paired slit ventilators in W-facing gable end at S range, and small slit ventilator on W elevation of E (barn) range (facing onto garden). FORMER OFFICES (accommodated to S of W house block to right of W elevation): originally single-storey, heightened to single-storey with attic dormer heads, circa later 19th century.

WALLED GARDEN: coped walls of stugged and snecked sandstone, enclosing rectangle to E of house; E wall of barn incorporated into garden's W wall.

12-pane timber sash and case windows. Pitched slate roofs, with masonry ridges (W former barn range without masonry ridge). Chimney flues carried up through centres of gable ends.

Statement of Interest

The GRH papers seem to describe this former manse, now a private house, as being built in 1793-5; however the style of the building as it now appears is in the style of Burn, apparently of a later date, circa 1835. It seems the design of Alexander Stevens - "Articles to be observed in building Cranstoun Manse given in by A S Stevens, 1783", which describes in detail the materials and specification for building the manse, as well as internal and external finishes, was never used. A decision had been taken at a meeting of the Heritors in December 1783 that the then present manse and church (possibly both built in 1698) were "not habitable", especially since they were "surrounded and obscured by Lord Adam Gordon's plantations and policy (at Preston Hall)." Although the new manse was planned, it appears it was not re-sited until 1835, after the Callander family took over the estate. The old manse, situated adjacent to the Lion's Gates at Preston Hall, was still marked on estate plans of 1794 and 1806. The new manse was built at the sole expense of William Burn Callander Esq., who felt the aged manse was too near to his estate. The first occupant of the new manse was the Rev. Alexander Welsh.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17827021

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

• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  For the Record
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Nottinghamshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)