Description

James Gillespie Graham, but not completed to his design,
1802-37. Additions by Alexander Ross, later 19th century.
Near square symmetrical crenellated, castle-style mansion
of 2 storeys and attic over raised basement, 7 bays to north
and south facades, 5-bay side elevations; asymmetrical
single storey over raised basement service wing to SW. All
coursed rubble with contrasting tooled and polished
sandstone dressings, with long and short detailing to
windows. South entrance front with slightly advanced centre 3
bay with centre door in painted polished ashlar doorpiece
with panelled pilaster strips, cornice with ball finials
and centre strapwork cartouche with shield. Long narrow side
windows; centre round-headed 1st floor window linked to
smaller similar flanking windows (blind at east) by
continuous hoodmould.
North facade with wide centre 3-windowed bowed bay rising
to 3 storeys over raised basement. Regular 6-bay east
elevation; 6 bays to west, with service court partially
enclosed by later Scottish Baronial service wing (Alexander
Ross) with crenellated wallhead to single storey, 2-bay south
facade and secondary entrance to mansion.
Longer ground floor windows, mainly with 2-pane plate glass
glazing, with intersecting astragals in centre front 3
bays, survives elsewhere hoodmoulds to all upper floor
windows. corbelled and crenellated wallhead, with quatrefoil
detailing in south front parapet flanking centre advance
portion, which has raised central panel filled with
exagerrated fluted detail and corbelled angle bartizans with
blind cruciform detailing; similar dummy bartizans to all
angles except at NW where angle stair-tower is corbelled
out from ground floor, rising to 3 storeys.
Piended platform slate roof with 3 piended dormers at east
and 4 at west, very long paired flue batteries running
parallel on line of internal cross walls aligned to
outer edges of centre platform, with glazed toplight to light
stairs.
Interior; large centre stair hall rising full height with
wide staircase (by William Burn) ascending 3 sides with
turned wooden balusters.
Drawing room in SE and dining in N with wide bowed bay
window; original chimney pieces in drawing, dining rooms and
library, that in dining room an unusually striking
Neo-classical design with supporters in the manner of
Thomas Hope. Decorative plaster ceiling cornices with central
roses; moulded door cases with 6-panelled doors; panelled
and beaded window shutters.

Statement of Interest

Built near former Achnacarry Castle, destroyed by fire by

Duke of Cumberland's troops 1746, only portion of walling

remains. James Hogg in a letter to Sir Walter Scott...

"we reached Achnacarry viewing the new castle of Lochiel

the building of which was then going brisky on, conducted

by Mr John Gillespie architect; a respectable young man

possessed of much professional knowledge..." (Hogg

in error over Gillespie Graham's christian name) NSA

describes the house as a "large, handsome and substantial

building not yet finished".

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q3299043

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

• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of History Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)