Description

Dated 1820, canted bay probably by James MacLaren, 1870 (see Notes). Good traditional 2-storey and attic, 3-bay, L-plan former manse prominently sited on raised ground overlooking glebeland and gently falling ground to S with Beadle's House on line of sight beyond Elliot Water. Harl, E gable rendered, with ashlar margins. Deep base course, eaves course extending to band course at E gable. Chamfered arrises and dividing course to later canted window.

FURTHER DESCRIPTION: symmetrical principal elevation to S with steps and flanking railings at centre leading to 6-panelled timber door with plate glass fanlight under dated lintel, canted window breaking eaves into decoratively-finialled bay at left. Rear (N) elevation with lower gabled projection extending into lean-to bay at right, small piended bay immediately to left and modern conservatory beyond.

4-, 12-pane and plate glass glazing patterns in timber sash and case windows. Grey slates. Coped ashlar stacks with cans, mostly polygonal. Stepped, ashlar-coped skews with block skewputts.

INTERIOR: well-detailed interior detail retained including moulded cornices, 6-panelled, architraved doors, panelled shutters some with horizontal oval decoration, classically-detailed timber fire surrounds. Vestibule with decoratively tiled floor, part-glazed screen door with decoratively-astragalled flanking lights and stairhall with curved cantilevered staircase and plain ironwork balusters. Former dining room with decoratively consoled sideboard arch and flanking doors.

ANCILLARY BUILDINGS gabled, rectangular-plan ancillary to N and small mono-pitch ancillary adjoining wall beyond, both slated rubble.

BEE-BOLES: ashlar framework to row of 3 bell-boles with ironwork guard inserted in wall at E.

GARDEN WALLS AND HA-HA: coped, random rubble garden walls and boundary walls. Pedestrian gate with carved datestone '1836' at E. Curved ha-ha to S giving way to glebeland at garden perimeter.

Statement of Interest

B Group with Carmyllie Parish Kirk and Hearse House. The former manse and gardens add history and context to this early ecclesiastical site, and contributes significantly to the picturesque group at Carmyllie with the Parish Kirk and graveyard to the west and the Hearse House (both listed separately) at the northwest. The group is prominently sited on rising ground overlooking former glebeland towards the former Beadle's House (also separately listed) just to the south of the Elliot Water. The glebe also included a steading and horsemill which have been replaced by a small hall and car parking area.

James MacLaren of MacLaren and Aitken, Dundee was working at Carmyllie Kirk in 1870 and may have been responsible for the canted window added to the manse at about that time. The rendered east gable seems to a peculiarity of the area, and the screen door formerly incorporated pulleys within the framework which was another invention by Bell (see below) to allow dogs in and out.

Former ministers at Carmyllie include the Rev William Small (1734-1775), a true son of the Scottish Enlightenment and Patrick Bell, inventor of the reaping machine. Rev Bell was the minister from 1843 until his death in 1869. Bell did not patent his 1828 invention believing it to be for the benefit of mankind. During these years the population increased as the stone quarrying industry grew. Many people were employed quarrying Carmyllie stone which was used on the Vatican roof and at Cologne Cathedral.

Address changed and list description revised 2010.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q56615280

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.

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