Description

Roofless ruins of large country house, 4 main builds: nucleus of L-plan tower of 16th century, with infill block to re-entrant angle of later 17th century. To N of this block, bow-ended wing added in early 19th century with further large double-pile addition of circa 1875 mirroring 17th century house; this gives near-cruciform plan with arms being early 19th century bow-ended projections.

16TH AND LATER 17TH CENTURY BLOCK: 4 storeys, rubble built, squared ruble quoins, originally L-plan tower with main block lying E-W and jamb projecting to SE. 17th century additions fill in re-entrant angle with new SW block giving symmetrical double-pile entrance front to W. Building line can clearly be seen on S wall.

W ELEVATIONS: redefined as entrance front after later 17th century additions, steps lead to 1st floor entrance and windows regularised to give 3-bay elevation. Some earlier window openings can be seen. Architraved pedimented doorway flanked ty sidelights, modern concrete steps. Windows with raised margins. M-roof linked by narrow, presumably platformed section, crowstepped gables.

N ELEVATION: 3 large roll-moulded windows to 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors. Wide-mouth gunloop and small roll-moulded slit windows near ground survive from 16th century.

S ELEVATION: wide 2-bay with roll-moulded door to ground, roll-moulded windows.

EARLY 19TH CENTURY ADDITION: wide double bow ended block with bows to N and S. Rubble built with polished red sandstone margins. 3 window bows. LATER 19TH CENTURY WORK: to E double-pile block balancing earlier work, all single windows.

At time of site visit (1988), building was roofless and internal access impossible. Walls complete to wallhead, stacks mainly at wallhead. Floor had collapsed except vaulted basement to 16th century part.

Statement of Interest

A few yards to the N half hidden by a fallen tree are the remains of a horse powered pumping engine for drawing water. Cast-iron underfloor drive mechanism and part of the harness bar survive. The 19th century additions are of lesser merit but the Prestonfield-like early core is of rarity value and historic importance.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17570954

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)
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hampshire: South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings