Description

16th century rectangular tower house largely rebuilt and adjoining to W a mildly Baronial mansion by Wardrop and Brown, 1864-6.

TOWER: 3 storeys and attic, rubble-built with chamfered angles (see also Castle Stewart, Penninghame Parish for this feature). 2 round-arched doorways, both 19th century insertions, that to W re-using part of the original roll-moulded jambs. Most openings have 19th century margins, chamfered or roll-moulded, the upper floors have been completely rebuilt in 1864 above the level of the ground floor barrel vault. Single storey, conical roofed bartizans to angles, square with embattled parapet and rooftop platform to SE angle. Crowstepped gables and end stacks.

1864 HOUSE: large asymmetrical 2-storey additions with lower service court to N. Main fronts to S and W. Coursed bull-faced grey rubble with polished contrasting sandstone ashlar margins, quoins and dressings.

E ELEVATION: gabled dormers.

S ELEVATION: long 6-bay front; gabled bays to 2nd, 4th and 6th bays (from left). 6th bay projecting gable end to E range. To 2nd, consoled ashlar balcony to 1st floor window. All single light windows.

W ELEVATION: asymmetrical 5-bay range with wider outer bays gabled and projecting, that to left larger with tripartile window to ground. To right bay, glazed door to ground set in ashlar masonry surround, corbelled canted 3-light oriel to 1st. Otherwise all single light windows. Inner bays have carved dormerheads to 1st floor windows with finials. Mostly single light windows, all sash and case with plate-glass glazing, to tower small pane glazing. Crowstepped gables with finials. Corniced axial stacks, good graded slate roofs; some tile.

HERALDIC STONES: to the exterior of the tower, a small rectangular panel bearing the arms and initials of ? William Gordon and ? his wife J C and dated 1644. Reset in the hall of the 19th century house is a more sophisticated and detailed coat of arms (for full description see RCAHMS Inventory 98) with decorative borders and carved masks.

SUNDIAL* TO W of house. Free-standing ashlar dial, on moulded pedestal, with gnomon.

INTERIOR: much good work, panelled doors and shutters etc original plasterwork, some good carved timber and stone chimneypieces in the high Victorian and Italianate manner.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17571422

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

• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)