Description

John Henderson, 1785. 2-storey U-plan court open to W, with screen-walled outbuildings detached to S. Mostly coursed conglomerate (clinkstone) rubble, with cherrycocking, but ashlar to N frontage. Cornice.

N FRONTAGE: 5-bay classical blind arcade, symmetrical keystoned arches with thermal openings at upper level. Centre bay advanced, pedimented and rusticated.

E FRONTAGE: 6-bay plain arcade of blind keystoned arches, continued in 4 further bays in screen wall to S.

COURTYARD: N side symmetrical, coachhouse and loft, with 5 fine segmental arches, keyblocks and impost bands, loft windows above. Rest of courtyard irregular, probably stables, stores and bothies, with several plain door and window openings, foreshortened to 1st floor.

S ELEVATION: plain 4-bay. 4 windows to 1st floor, 2 to ground plus

2 arched doorways accessing vaulted cellars. 2 arches to E link to screen walls over walkway.

OUTBUILDINGS: line of disused vaulted stores and kennels (?), arched doorways, fronted to N by walled enclosures and backing to S elevation onto screen walls with 6 blind arches (originally 7?).

Little fenestration surviving but appears to have been timber sash and case, 12- and 6-pane.

Roofs piended, in graded grey slate. Stacks irregular with 3 to S block. 1 to E block, in harled brick (probably replacements), few plain cans surviving.

Statement of Interest

These buildings are in poor condition, but are the chief remnant of the buildings pertaining to Amisfield House, demolished in 1928, designed by Isaac Ware for Colonel Francis Charteris circa 1755, and erected apparently some years afterwards for his successor, the Earl of Wemyss and March. This replaced an earlier Newmilns House and was named after the Charteris family seat in Dumfriesshire. Described by McWilliam as "...the most important building of the orthodox Palladian school in Scotland", it had a principal front of 7 bays in red sandstone, of

4 storeys plus rusticated basement; "piano nobile" with pedimented window, small upper windows beneath cornice and balustrade; central Ionic portico on the arcaded basement; advanced end bays with the basement blind-arcaded to match.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17805974

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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