Description

From 1766 with earlier and mid 19th century additions and alterations. 2-storey, asymmetrical, rambling-plan house forming approximate L-plan with mid 19th single storey block to outer right. Harled and cement rendered.

SINGLE STOREY BLOCK NW (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: crowstepped, finialled gabled entrance porch advanced off-centre to left, moulded door surround, narrow flanking window. Half-piend roofed block advanced to outer right, 3 narrow, closely spaced windows; lean-to block in outer left corner. Long axis of main house advanced to outer left.

2-STOREY RANGE SW ELEVATION: long axis; smooth cement harl. Later 18th century 2-storey, 3-bay house to right with later, taller 2-bay block to left. Older house with 3 broadly-spaced, symmetrically disposed bays, door at centre ground, now blocked as window. 1st floor windows directly below eaves. 2, 8-pane cast-iron rooflights. Taller 2-bay block, bays symmetrically disposed, inner ground floor window blocked as smaller window.

NW ELEVATION: balustraded screen wall enclosing courtyard, segmental- headed archway at centre, modern boarded door; flanking segmental- headed openings, that to left blind, keystones. 2-storey house behind with crowstepped gables flanking narrow centre bay, blocked openings in right gable.

SE ELEVATION: 7 bays asymmetrically disposed; blank bay at centre, gablet breaking eaves, tall coped wallhead stack; closely flanking barred windows; window to outer right. 3 closely spaced bays to outer left, window, blank outer bays, gablet breaking eaves with wallhead stack.

NE ELEVATION: 2-storey block to outer right, 4 windows symmetrically disposed. Infill rubble wall to left, blank rubble gable; bipartite at ground, 2 closely spaced bipartites at 1st floor on left return. End wall of single storey block to outer left, windows with gablet breaking eaves, stack at centre.

8-pane, 12-pane sash and case windows; 9-pane cast-iron rooflights. Grey slate roof, lead flashings; moulded cement roof ridging. Tall, coped wallhead stacks on single storey block, circular cans. Cement-rendered, coped, ridge and gablehead stacks on main block.

INTERIOR: 6-panelled door with 10-pane fanlight leads into long corridor running NE-SW. Square vestibule, large door framed by consoles; 3 pilaster flanked keystoned niches above door; drawing room with plain chimneypieces; basket-arched, pilaster-flanked and keystoned recesses. 6-panelled doors, niches above; plain cornices and plasterwork. 2-storey house with low ceilinged rooms.

WALLED GARDEN: dated 1797. Large walled garden laid out to NE of house. Rubble wall with harl-pointing, slab coping. Large lean-to 19th century green house against N wall; Makenzie and Moncur. Half-piend-roofed storage shed in NW corner; masking former arched window, datestone 1797, now infilled with wooden casement window, overlooks weirs of coursed burn outside walls which collects in pond. Cannons in garden. Small woodland walk to S of house, well, droved ashlar round-headed wallhead inscribed 10th March 1863 ITG and HEG.

Statement of Interest

The land of Geilston was owned by the Woods family from the 16th century, then by a branch of the Bontines form the 17th century, the Buchanans of Tullichewan, and Donalds of Lyleston in the 18th century until 1805. In 1805 the land and house were sold to General Thomas Geils. Geils has already acquired Ardardan and Ardmore in 1798. The house was acquired by the Hendry family in 1925 and the present garden was laid out by Elizabeth Hendry and Margaret Bell from the early 1950s. The dovecot and stables are listed separately.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Geilston House at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q5530138

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

• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
• 
  The Shredded Chef: 120 Recipes for Building Muscle, Getting Lean, and Staying Healthy
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)