Description

Dated 1678; exterior and interior alterations to form holiday accommodation late 20th century. T-plan, 17th century former laird?s house set on sloping site. 2-storey with attic, 6-bay to E (front); full-height, crowstepped stair tower off-set to right of centre; single storey with attic, 5-bay to W (rear). Whitewashed rubble; red sandstone ashlar dressings (slightly droved at ground to E). Stop-chamfered surrounds to 1st floor openings; finialed gabled dormers breaking eaves to E and W; crowstepped skews. Separate 2-storey with attic, single bay tower (former Edwardian stair tower) to N: harl-pointed rubble sandstone (whitewashed harl to W); red sandstone ashlar dressings. Moulded string course; chamfered corners to NE and NW corbelled out to square above. Stugged rubble quoins; stugged long and short surrounds to chamfered openings; chamfered cills; finialed gableheaded dormers; crowstepped skews. Single storey, 9-bay outbuilding and separate single storey, single bay garage to NW; harl-pointed sandstone rubble; tooled rubble quoins; tooled long and short rubble surrounds to openings.

E (FRONT) ELEVATION MAIN HOUSE: projecting stair tower off-set to right of centre comprising single windows at ground and attic; iron-studded boarded timber door at ground in return to right; blind, architraved square panel centred above; single attic light off-set to left. Blind openings with small lights inset at ground in all bays flanking tower; regularly fenestrated at 1st floor; finialed dormers aligned above. W (REAR) ELEVATION: stair to boarded timber door centred at ground; blind, architraved square panel centred above; single windows flanking entrance; single dormers aligned above; small, square windows at ground in bays to outer left and right.

Replacement 6-, 12- and 15-pane timber sash and case glazing. Graded grey slate roof; crowstepped skews; replacement rainwater goods. Corniced sandstone apex stacks to N and S (some circular cans); corniced apex stack to stair tower.

INTERIOR: adapted for new use but some original stone fireplaces; fragment of carved chimneypiece in kitchen (prominent voussoir arch); timber skirting boards; timber dado panelling; timber panelled shutters.

S (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION FORMER STAIR TOWER: replacement timber panelled door at ground off-set to left of centre; single window aligned at 1st floor. E (SIDE) ELEVATION: single window centred at ground; finialed dormer above. N (REAR) ELEVATION: large bipartite (stair) window centred at 2nd stage; stone mullion; flanking corniced stops beneath corbelled string course; bullseye window centred in apex above. W (SIDE) ELEVATION: narrow single window centred at ground; finialed dormer above.

Predominantly 2- and 12-pane timber sash and case windows; mullioned and transomed bipartite. Graded grey slate roof; crowstepped skews; replacement rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: not seen 1996.

OUTBUILDING: single storey, 4-bay block with lower, 5-bay wing adjoining to S; segmental-arched openings throughout. Boarded timber door in penultimate bay outer left N block; single windows in remaining bays to left and right. 2-leaf boarded timber opening in penultimate bay to outer right S block; single boarded timber door in penultimate bay to outer left; single windows in remaining bays. Corrugated-iron roof. INTERIOR: empty.

GARAGE: 2-leaf boarded timber garage doors centred in E elevation. Graded grey slate piend. INTERIOR: not seen 1996.

GARDEN WALL: coped harl-pointed random rubble wall beneath wooded hill to W (former kitchen/walled garden).

Statement of Interest

Today owned by the Landmark Trust and rented out, as a single property, for holiday accommodation. Upon acquisition by the Trust, the house was engulfed by Victorian additions (see NMRS archives). Aiming to restore the original proportions, these additions were removed in the late 20th century, leaving the main crowstepped block dated 1678 and a separate Edwardian stair tower in which the Trust formed another bedroom. Refurbishment and conversion has been sympathetic and architectural interest remains - note the crowstepped skews, finialed dormers, dated tympanums, polished sandstone dressings and relatively intact interior. The paths and terraces to the E of the main block are said to be the remains of a late Victorian formal garden, designed by Edward La Trobe Bateman (1816-1897) - a book illuminator, interior decorator and landscape artist who was also responsible for the gardens at Ascog Hall (see separate list entry). The nearby Meikle Ascog is also owned by the Landmark Trust (see separate list entry). Pink Lodge, the estate?s former gatelodge, is listed separately with the boundary walls and gatepiers.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Ascog House at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q4803987

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

• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Nottinghamshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair