Description

Probably early to earlier 19th century, extended to S; kennels early to earlier 20th century, altered. Single storey, 3-bay, T-plan (formerly L-plan) piend-roofed estate house with dominant projecting canted bay under polygonal roof and unusually well-detailed interior. Large droved ashlar blocks and roughly coursed red sandstone rubble, snecked stugged and droved ashlar to later wing; ashlar quoins and projecting cills.

FURTHER DESCRIPTION: E elevation with centre projecting canted bay with window to each face, that to centre blocked, and blocked door on right return; set back bay to right with single window, boarded timber door with 2-part fanlight and further boarded timber door to outer right.

12-pane glazing pattern in timber sash and case windows. Grey slates. Replacement brick stack with cans. Deeply overhanging eaves with exposed rafters.

INTERIOR: (part seen 2009), sitting room with elaborate plasterwork cornice of grapevines, carved timber fire surround with fluted pilasters and frieze, and 4-panelled shutters.

KENNELS: 3-bay kennel range with piend roof to E and truncated W gable with exposed fireplace. 3 kennels to S with runs comprising hoopwork gates and railings in semicircular-coped walls. Slated roof with good red brick stack and cans, and 2 ridge ventilators.

Statement of Interest

B Group with Moncreiffe House, Stables, Walled Garden and Ha-Ha, Dairy, Dovecote, Filter Bed and Water Tank, Garden Cottage, West Lodge and Gate, and East Gate.

The Gamekeeper's Cottage and Kennels form an integral element of the estate buildings at Moncreiffe. The fine ashlar stonework at the principal elevation of the original bays is identical to that at the former Dairy and may indicate a role associated with the pleasure grounds of the estate. The evolution of this site is complex, with the 1st edition Ordnance Survey map showing this building (Gamekeeper's Cottage) without a name, while the nearby building (now known as Pheasantry Cottages) is marked as 'Kennel'. The 2nd edition map shows 'Kennel' at this cottage and 'Pheasantry Cottage' at the nearby building but the Kennels described above do not appear until the 3rd edition map. However, it is reported that the 'Kennel' was built for Thomas Moncreiffe, known as Tommy II, who was a great hunter, and this may be the explanation for the well-detailed interior of the sitting room in what would otherwise appear to be a simple estate-worker's dwelling.

Moncreiffe House dates from 1962, it replaces a house destroyed by fire in 1957.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q77781629

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

• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)