Lochinch Castle, Mid Galloway and Wigtown West, Dumfries and Galloway

Description

Brown and Wardrop, 1864-8. 2-storey attic and basement (fully exposed at side and rear elevations), 13-bay asymmetrical-plan Baronial castle with French details. Cream Lancashire sandstone. Windows breaking eaves in pedimented gables; carved motifs to tympana; finials. Small timber bargeboarded attic windows carved by James Annandale.

NW (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: asymmetrical arrangement, grouped 1-1-3-1-4-1-1-1. ENTRANCE PORCH: steps to advanced off-centre crowstepped gabled entrance porch; rampant Baroque lions atop entrance piers (carved by John Rhind); squat, square balusters to handrail; rope-moulded segmental arch entrance; stepped shouldered architrave to heraldic panel above of the 10th Earl of Stair and his wife (carved by John Rhind from drawing by Henry Laing). 2-leaf timber door; inscriptions within shouldered architrave read 'Stet Fortuna Domus' and 'Peace be within thy walls'; aediculed banded column window aligned above, segmental pediment topped by finials, tympana motif carved in high relief; single window to gablehead; square panel aligned above; small single windows to flanking conical-roofed angle turrets, barley sugar spouts to inner angles; lion finial at apex. Right re-entrant porch angle: shouldered tripartite window at ground; rose motif carved in high relief to panel above; 2 single windows at 1st floor; central panel above reads 'Do Weil And Breid Noght'; single window to crowstepped gable; lion finial at apex; angle turret and gargoyle to outer left. Blind left re-entrant porch angle. Bays to right of porch grouped 4-1-1-1. Squat, square balusters to basement; 5 windows at basement and ground floor (additional small window to right of penultimate window at basement); aediculed banded column window to centre at ground floor, segmental pediment topped by finials, tympana foliage motif carved in high relief; 4 single windows at 1st floor break eaves; finials flank pediments and at apex; single central bargeboarded window at attic. Advanced square-plan tower with French pavilion roof to right; plaque at ground floor reads 'Firme Quiescam'; coat of arms aligned above; single window at attic; bipartite windows at basement and 1st floor of interior angle, single windows to ground and attic floors. Regular fenestration to all floors of penultimate bay to right; crowstepped gable; aediculed banded column window at 1st floor, segmental pediment topped by finials, tympana foliage motif carved in high relief.

Single window at ground; square plaque above; single window breaking eaves at attic to recessed bay to outer right; angle turret to outer right. Bays to left of entrance porch grouped 1-1-3. 4 windows at basement with smaller window to outer right of 3-bay group, timber door with 3-light fanlight to left; 3 single windows at ground floor (non-aligned); 3 single windows at 1st floor, outer windows form pedimented dormers; aediculed banded column central window, segmental pediment topped by finials, tympana foliage motif carved in high relief; central bay rises to crowstepped gable; single window at attic; flanking bargeboarded attic windows. Single windows at basement, ground and 1st floors to advanced crowstepped gabled penultimate bay to left; aediculed banded column window at 1st floor, segmental pediment topped by finials, tympana foliage motif carved in high relief; square panel above at gablehead. Steps down to timber door with tripartite letterbox fanlight at basement to bay to outer left; single window aligned above. Attached crenellated walling to outer left with arrow slits and spouts forms part of largely demolished service range (see below).

SW (SIDE) ELEVATION: 3-bay. Crowstepped gables to outer bays; conical-roofed angle turrets to gables; quatrefoil piercings; single windows. Bay windows at basement and ground floors (canted to bay to left); ball finials to parapets (shallow crenellation to bay to right); single windows at 1st floor and attic. Bipartite window at basement to central bay; tripartite window at ground floor; balustrade above; tripartite window at 1st floor; aedicule banded column single window at attic, carved motifs to tympana; Jacobean pediment topped by finials. 2-bay re-entrant angle to left; bay to left forms crowstepped gable; flanking gargoyles to gable. Steps and balustrade to timber door with single window to left to bay to right; square plaque above dated 1864; single windows aligned above at ground and 1st floors; single windows at basement, ground, 1st and attic floors to bay to left (window at basement non-aligned).

SE (REAR) ELEVATION: grouped 2-3-2. M-gable to 2-bay section to outer left; gargoyles frame to outer left and right; French windows with fanlight at centre to canted bay rising from basement to ground floor; canted bay window at ground floor; balustraded parapet with ball finials; single windows at 1st and attic floors to both bays; conical-roofed angle turret to outer left (see SW elevation). Bipartite windows at basement to 3-bay section, additional single window to left; Jacobean imperial stair leads to central ground floor window; aediculed banded columns supporting frieze; coroneted S's and C's (for Stair and de Coigny) and the date 1867; flanking single windows; 3 windows aligned above at 1st floor break eaves (inscription to apron of central window); central window shaped and topped by small statue of a 17th century soldier; 2 flanking timber dormers at attic, bipartite to right. Canted ground floor oriel window to 3-storey with attic and basement, 2-bay square-plan tower to right; 2 single windows at 1st floor; single window at 2nd floor; machicolated battlement with rope moulding and cannon spouts; aedicule banded columns to single window to crowstepped gabled attic; single windows to conical-roofed turrets to SW, SE (elongated) and NE corners, flat-roofed round turret to NW corner. Remainder of recessed SE elevation obscured behind remains of walls to service range (see below); to the E a small tower (former ice house); broached square plan; octagonal stone roof; gryphons protrude at eaves course.

Predominantly 2- and 6-pane timber sash and case windows. Grey slate roof (fishscale-slates to angle turrets); corniced gablehead and ridge stacks; circular cans.

SERVICE RANGE AND BOWLING ALLEY: service range, now roofless and gutted to NE elevation of house; slit windows pierce crenellated walls; angle rounds and cannon spouts. Bowling alley to E.

INTERIOR: retains numerous original details including decorative plasterwork; timberwork; cornices and fireplaces.

BOUNDARY WALLS AND GATES: various low boundary walls (and steps) enclose site, many with decorative piers and finials; decorative iron gates to sunken garden

Statement of Interest

A Group with Lochinch Stable Court (see separate list description). Lochinch Castle is notable for its fine detailing throughout, especially the windows emphasised by aedicules with banded attached columns or pilasters. Also of interest is the architectural combination of a relaxed Baronial manner with French details. Built for John Hamilton, 10th Earl of Stair whose entry in Burke's Peerages reads, "John Hamilton, 10th Earl of Stair, K.T., LL.D., D.L. and J.P. co. Lanark; Lord Lieut. for co. Wigtown, formerly Lord Lieut co. Ayr., Capt. Royal Company of Archers (King's Bodyguard for Scotland); High Commr. to Gen. Assembly of the Church of Scotland 1869-71; formerly Capt. Scots Guards; M.P. co. Wigtown 1841-56; Chancellor of Glasgow Univ.; b. 1 April, 1819; m. 9 Dec. 1846, Louisa Jane Henrietta Emily de Franquetot (d. 30 June 1896) eldest dau. of Augustin Louis Joseph Casimir Gustave, Duc. De Coigny, (by his wife Henreitta Dundas Dalrymple Hamilton), and had issue, with three daus. (d. unm.)." Other listings on the Lochinch Heritage Estate include Balker Farmhouse, Balker Lodge, Black Loch Boathouse, Black Stables Cottage, Canal Cottage, Castle Kennedy, Castle Kennedy Bridge, Castle Kennedy gatepiers, gates and boundary walls, Castle Kennedy Lodge, Castle Kennedy Walled Garden, East Lodge, Garden Cottage, Ice House, Kennels, Kennel's House, Kitchen Garden, Lochinch Stable Court, Main Lodge, Main Lodge gatepiers, gates and boundary walls, Old Parish Church, Old Parish Church graveyard, 3 Sundials and White Loch Boathouse.

External Links

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.