Description

Garden pavilion, now (2004) a roofless, part-consolidated shell. It lacks known documentation, but was reportedly built for Patrick Grant of Sheuglie in conjunction with Lochletter House, which he also built and which bore a 1761 datestone. (Lochletter House is demolished, but the datestone, also inscribed 'P[atrick] G[rant]', survives.) (Information from Mhairi Gordon). (Nearby Sheuglie, the family's main residence, was wrecked in course of the post-Culloden military reprisals, 1746; but the family recovered its wealth in the next few decades (Macdonald (ed) 1913, 345-348).)

Location is atop a prominent steep-sided and artificially-modified circular knoll - itself, may be an archaeological site, on which some constructional stonework seemingly unrelated to the pavilion is evident cutting through the grassy surface. Ringed by mature trees, the whole incorporated within 19th century extension to 18th century walled garden. The site was clearly chosen for enjoyment of views over Loch Meiklie, and the mountains, and as being inter-visible with Lochletter.

The pavilion is built of rubble, without ashlars, traces of harl still evident and carrying traces of colouring, especially on the west wall. It is square-plan, a tall, single flat-lintelled opening to each face, that to east (facing the approach from Lochletter House) the doorway. Openings each carry 'ghost' of onetime external surrounds (probably timber architraves); interior was smooth-plastered on the hard, but some dooks / dook-holes suggest possibility of onetime more complex interior ornament such as panelling There were two levels, the upper, shallow (i.e., not a full storey), with only one external opening, facing south; several enigmatic wall-recesses inside, approximately doocot-sized, if unlikely to have served that purpose. A single ground floor-level wall-recess was presumably a simple press.

Original roof-form seems undocumented, but broken red freestone 'tiles' and slates found at site imply, sequentially, possible original and replacement roof covering - and, in turn, probability of pyramidal as against bell-shaped or flat roof originally.

Statement of Interest

Depicted on the OS map as a 'summer house' showing layout of planting in adjoining walled garden to the NE. The pavilion is representative of a class of structure associated with elite houses from probably the medieval period onwards, relevant comparators including such as that at New Lanark (dated 1708) (Glendinning et al 1996, 130), or even the more elaborate 18th century towers at Islay House (RCAHMS 1984, 296). There are but few such structures surviving or existing in the Highlands, making this example a rarity in the region and a therefore rare representative of a significant building type.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17830566

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

• 
  For the Record
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Sheffield and the South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)