Description

Probably early 19th century, altered early 20th century. Single storey and attic, 3-bay, small farmhouse sited on steep hillside overlooking Glenbuchat, with catslide-roofed bedroom outshot at rear, cheese press incorporated into W gable, dormerheads incorporating overhanging eaves, plain bargeboarding and decorative timbering, and remarkable retention of original interior. Simple L-plan steading to NW also retaining much original interior detail. Coursed and squared rubble, some snecked, with squared rubble long and short quoins.

Further Description:

FARMHOUSE:

S (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: symmetrical. Small gabled porch to centre with part-glazed boarded timber door behind, windows in flanking bays and dormer windows above with cast-iron rooflight at centre.

N (REAR) ELEVATION: low outshot to right of centre with narrow opening immediately to left and windows to outer bays.

W (STEADING) ELEVATION: cheese press built into wall at outer left.

Remains of 4- and 6-pane glazing patterns in timber sash and case windows. Grey slates. Coped ashlar stacks; ashlar-coped skews and small block skewputts.

INTERIOR: fine example of standard Donside layout with original interior in place including 'breast of plenishing' with box beds, fireplaces to ground floor rooms, that to kitchen with large opening (see Notes) and swey; boarded timber dividing walls, linings and wall cupboards; timber-balustered staircase.

STEADING: low, L-plan rubble steading with corrugated-iron roof. 2 square-headed, timber-lintelled cart bays to W range (facing courtyard to E), and some boarded timber doors. Byre (N range) interior retains unusual timber trevises with hind post carried to rail under rafters

Statement of Interest

Dulax is probably the best preserved building of its type in the Glen but is yet another example of a declining farmhouse and steading, the result of steady depopulation throughout the twentieth century. Despite having been empty for some time, the interior detail is in fair condition and is virtually complete. Fenton and Walker included Dulax in their survey, and refer to the very large fireplace opening as at Begg's House, Badenyon (separately listed). The wide segmental arch may be hidden behind the timbering which is similar in shape and size to the Badenyon example, leaving only the canopied central hearth exposed. There is a striking example of the great hearth with well cut voussoirs at Glenfenzie, a farmhouse dated 1822, in Glengairn. The 'breast of plenishing' is described by Douglas Simpson as 'a sort of framed wooden partition across the house. ' [with] doors or sliding shutters three or four feet square, that by day concealed the box-bed within'.

Dulax, along with Badenyon and Upperton, was advertised in the Aberdeen Journal for let by public auction, with entry at Whitsunday 1816. The current house exhibits all of the early features seen in both Glenbuchat and Strathdon (Skellater House Cottage, Bellabeg House, West Tornahaish and Mains of Glencarvie) but the exterior was probably reworked during the estate improvements instigated by James W Barclay in the opening years of the 20th century.

Nearby Dulax Cottage, built in 1865, was formerly Netherton Free Church School which closed in 1872, and is one of very few buildings in Glenbuchat and Strathdon parishes, again including Begg's House at Badenyon, with stone-pedimented dormerheads.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17771105

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

• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)