Monkton House, Old Craighall Road, Old Craighall, Inveresk, East Lothian

Description

3-storey mansion house comprised of later 17th century L-plan, single pile ranges adjoined to 16th century tower, with still later additions in re-entrant angle and at ground to NW. Originally a courtyard house with earlier 17th century, single storey and attic NW range currently described as stable range, and rendered free-standing after NE range was demolished; NW angle of courtyard, presumably enclosed by curtain walls. Rubble pink and grey sandstone with some harl-pointing; ashlar dressings, with rounded arrises to blinded openings of tower; moulded eaves course to tower and to later 17th century work, and relieving arches. Vaulted basements.

TOWER: position made clear by line of former quoins on NW and SE elevations; linked to later work by continuous cornice at eaves line and common roof. Line of gable of demolished lower NE range remains evident to NW. Doorway at ground with chamfered arrises; flanking gun loop (1 of 3 in all); blinded windows at 1st and 2nd floor. NE elevation with windows (lighting former circular stairwell of interior) to right at 1st and 2nd floors. Later window inserted to 1st and 2nd floor to left of SE elevation, in line with those of late 17th century range.

LATE 17TH CENTURY ADDITIONS: longer range running SW, shorter range at right angles to NW; buckle quoins. Low 2-storey 18th century porch added to NW, abacking and entered from W by later 17th century gateway; latter in wide semi-circular form with buckle quoined voussoirs and 2-leaf studded doors; moulded parapet with cornice above. 3 irregularly spaced bays to main W elevation, with later windows inserted at 1st and 2nd floor, and relieving arches indicating positions of original windows. Later 17th century, tabular sundial at 1st floor, between centre and S bays. Ground floor window by re-entrant angle on NW range; blinded 1st floor window. 6 irregularly spaced bays to SE (garden) elevation, with curved flight of stone steps (decorative cast-iron

railings) leading to Gibbsian doorway at 1st floor at centre of late 17th century bays. Windows of regular size. Doorway to vaulted ground floor at left; low cellar windows. 18th century, canted stairblock and short passage addition in re-entrant angle to N (causing earlier windows to be blinded) with fine Gibbsian doorway; boarded door with decorative bronze fittings; window to 1st and 2nd floor above doorway, and at 1st 2nd and attic floor on stairblock, at each floor on N return, and with each 2nd floor window smaller.

Small-pane glazing patterns in sash and case windows, barred at ground. Grey slates to piend roofs. Ridge stacks and corniced gablehead stack to NW.

INTERIOR: 16th century newel stair removed when winding stone stair inserted in canted stairblock. 18th century wainscott panelling and flagstones to vaulted ground floor; lugged architraves; classical marble

chimneypieces; vast segmentally arched chimney recess to kitchen. Decorative plaster cornices. Tapestry panels in Dining Room.

STABLE RANGE: circa 1625. Rubble sandstone with some harl-pointing; moulded cill course to courtyard side.

SE ELEVATION: rectangular stairblock projecting to right of courtyard elevation, with doorway in chamfered SE angle, in moulded surround with inscribed and gilded sundial above; small window under eaves to sides of

stairblock; roof swept up into main pitch; garage doors and small window inserted to outer right, to right of stairblock. 2 widely spaced bays to left, with doorway flanked by window and segmentally arched carriage

doorway to outer left; each bay with stone mullioned and transomed tripartite attic windows, in moulded surrounds, and breaking eaves in quasi-pedimented Renaissance dormerheads; square lead paned glazing

patterns.

NW ELEVATION: 5 bays; timber lintels to openings; blocked door and window at ground and 1 window (former door?); 4 low timber mullioned bipartites to attic floor, 1 single window.

SW ELEVATION: apparently later with tall upper opening, with deep-set window comprised of honeycombed, lead glazing pattern; brick surround to triangular opening at apex, serving as bellcote with bell; weathervane of decorative wrought-iron and gilded cockerel.

Later single storey, piend-roofed outbuilding adjoined to NW gable. Square pane glazing patterns in casement windows. Red pantiles; grey slates to dormerheads. Crowstepped gables with beak skewputts.

RETAINING WALLS, GATES AND GATEPIERS: high rubble retaining wall to NW, rising into buttressed piers by drive entrance; urn finials. Square stone piers flanking garden gate of brick lined kitchen garden at SE, with ball finials. Pointed arch gateway to NE wall, with chamfered reveal, moved from Hammer House, Prestonpans (McWilliam), and with lion couchant above. Series of decorative wrought-iron gates.

Statement of Interest

The sundial on the stable range was apparently brought from Carberry Tower, nearby, earlier this century (McWilliam). Roaring Well, mentioned by Maitland, lies in the courtyard, currently paved over. A stone urn in the garden, may possibly have served originally as a sink in the tower.

External Links

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