Description

Brown and Wardrop or Wardrop and Reid (see notes), 1874. Large, multi-gabled house with Scots Baronial touches (now hotel, 2006). Original 2-storey 5-bay house partially destroyed by fire 1879 and rebuilt 1880. 1900-03, much enlarged by additions to E and N by G.T.Ewing and William Finlayson. 2 and 3-storey 7-bay house distinguished by incorporation of original (1874) single storey apsidal chapel to SE. Coursed, rock-faced red sandstone with cream sandstone dressings. Bipartite and tripartite windows with stone mullions. Pointed arched windows to chapel. Timber bargeboards.

E (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: asymmetrical. 3-storey, 7-bay. To left, single storey, canted, crenellated entrance porch with 2-leaf timber entrance door. Projecting semi-circular chapel to left with cill course and metal cruciform finial.

S ELEVATION: advanced 3-storey and attic gabled bay to right flanked at top floor by corbelled pepperpot turrets. Central 2-storey crenellated bow window. Later large 20th century conservatory in re-entrant angle to W.

Predominantly plate glass timber sash and case windows with horns. Grey slate. Tall, coped ridge and gable stacks. Cast iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: finely decorated interior with many original features, including decorative cornicing, 4 and 6 panelled timber doors, servants' bells, 2 box timber lined flushing toilets and working timber shutters. Exceptionally fine decoration to chapel.

House: variety of particularly finely decorated, classical white and grey marble chimneypieces to public rooms. Panelled timber entrance hall. Wide, finely carved timber well-stair with barleysugar detailed balusters and square, panelled newels. Morning room with fine, shallow, fluted pilasters to walls, dentilled cornicing and fluted Ionic pilasters to bay. Dining room and library have panelled timber dado and working shutters. Library has finely carved timber chimneypiece.

Chapel: panelled timber dado. Open timber trussed rafter roof. Tiled floor in chequerboard pattern. Decorative floor tiles to sanctuary by Campbell Tile Co, Stoke on Trent., 1883. Piscina to left with cusped pointed arch; larger similar recess to right. Oak screen to organ. Marble altar piece with carved crucifixion scene. Stained glass to windows.

GAME LARDER: to NE of house. Single storey, gabled rectangular game larder. Board and batten timber with bargeboard detailing. Large mesh openings to all elevations. 4-panel timber door.

INTERIOR: intact. Timber battens and supports with metal hooks.

GARDEN BOUNDARY WALLS: to E and S. Incorporating 2 sets of stone steps with stepped parapets. Rubble. Buttressed with flat coping.

ANCILLARY BUILDING: to NW. Original deer larder. Square with pyramidal roof. Boarded timber with boarded door and timber louvred openings. Interior not seen (2006).

GATEPIERS: To SW of house. Pair of grey sandstone, square-plan gatepiers with pyramidal caps.

Statement of Interest

This is a fine example of a late 19th century shooting lodge, currently a hotel (2006), which is particularly distinguished by the incorporation of the original chapel. It is in the local multi-gabled tradition with Scots Baronial touches, notable in the towers and turrets. Despite the many alterations and additions the interior retains a coherence and the decorative scheme remains consistent throughout the house. Situated within the garden are a category A listed sundial and gatepiers (see separate listing).

The house was originally built for the Arthur Hay Drummond, 3rd son of Lord Kinnoull. Sketches from a 1889 Visitors' Book, which predates the later extensions, show the house with a turreted entrance porch on the East elevation, next to the Chapel. Edward VIII was a visitor in 1908.

The marble altarpiece in the Chapel was carved by Alexander MacDonald in Rome and bought by Captain Arthur Drummond.

Brown and Wardrop were an Edinburgh based architectural practice, who renovated and built many country houses. Brown especially was seen as a rival to the contemporary, celebrated architect David Bryce. When Brown died in 1874, Reid was taken into partnership with Wardrop. It is unclear at present which partnership was the foremost in designing this house.

G.T.Ewing was a Crieff based architect who was responsible for the remodelling, after 1878, of Drummond Castle in Perthshire. William Finlayson worked for him from 1890 -1910.

The Chapel remains consecrated.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q77779290

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

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