Description

Early 17th century. 3-storey L-plan laird's house, with
successive later additions and alterations. White painted
harling with evidence of battered base course; pink
sandstone margins; moulded eaves cornice.
ENTRANCE ELEVATION: original L-plan house with wings
running E-W and N-S. Former staircase turret set in
re-entrant angle removed early in 18th century, replaced
by rectangular stair tower, piend roofed and with wide
turnpike stair. W jamb originally 2-bay, extended in
early 18th century. Doorway in stairwell, with initialled,
dated pediment (AS 1663) set in above, moved from
original position in dormerhead (in early 18th century, in
removal of attic rooms); panelled door. 1 window to each
floor above; 1 ground floor window to W, 3 to 1st and 3
to 2nd floors, grouped towards re-entrant angle. Small
square panel over ground floor window of entwined heart
and triangle.
W GABLE: 2-bay; 2 low square ground floor windows,
1 window to 1st and 1 to 2nd floors, both at right.
S GABLE: window to each floor of stairwell; doorway
flanked by window at ground to right, currently
concealed by lean-to glass-house 2 1st floor windows and
1 in 2nd floor to right.
N ELEVATION: lower 3-storey projection to N and E end,
2 bays deep, raised from single storey circa 1900, with
2nd floor breaking eaves in gabled dormerheads. Single
storey small lean-to in re-entrant angle; with inserted
19th century stone canted window at ground, (regularly
spaced windows, 4 to 1st and 2nd floors), and window to
left. Window to each bay of 1st and 2nd floors.
E ELEVATION: original S elevation of 3 bays, with 2 low
square windows at ground to centre and left, taller
window to right; 3 regular windows at 1st and 2nd floor
with small window to outer right at 1st floor.
2 advanced, lower bays to right (raised from single
storey circa 1900), with 2 arrow slits at ground and
windows to each bay at 1st and 2nd floors, bipartite to
right bay and 2nd floor windows breaking eaves in gabled
dormerheads (as above). 12-pane glazing predominating
in sash and case windows. Grey slates. Crowstepped
skews, ashlar to circa 1900 additions.
INTERIOR: modernised. Memel pine window cases and
panelled shutters retained.
SUNDIAL: later 17th century. Horizontal sundial on
balustered red sandstone pedestal; white marble face;
wrought-iron gnomon; AS inscribed on stone table (as on
House itself). Set in walled garden (see below).
WALLED GARDEN WITH SUMMER HOUSE: high rubble walled
garden adjoined to house at E end of S elevation, with
coping and ball finials; round-arched gateway and
rounded corners by house; further gateway to stable
court in W wall.
SUMMER HOUSE: dated 1890. Square, rubble, piend-roofed
garden house, harled at rear, projecting to S from S wall
and entered by round arched doorway, with recessed
rectangular panel above, initialled and dated
(LBS MBS 1890).
BOUNDARY WALLS: rubble walls, swept up by entrance to
drive at W, flanked to S by pedestrian gateway with
decorative timber gate.

Statement of Interest

Archibald Sydserff adorned the property with the date stone

and initials. Ruchlaw House stayed in the Sydserff family

for several centuries. The drive is lined with yew trees.

In 1950 James Bridie (Scottish playwright) bought the house,

whose family lived there until recently. Former sundial,

earlier than that listed above, of 17th century lectern type,

was dismantled circa 1965, and its whereabouts is uncertain.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17793963

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

• 
  Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The Victorian House Manual (2nd Edition): How They Were Built, Improvements & Refurbishment, Solutions to All Common Defects - Includes Relevant ... ... Properties (Haynes Manual) (Haynes Manuals)
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)