Description

1803 with 1828 additions. 2-storey, 3-bay gabled house with single storey 1-bay pavilions flanking each gable, 2-storey wing extending from rear (NE) and single storey outbuilding extending from rear of SE side wing. Granite ashlar to principal elevation; rendered granite rubble elsewhere; brown sandstone margins. Granite rubble base course to principal (SW) elevation only. Regular fenestration with slightly raised sandstone ashlar margins; long and short margins to SW elevation windows only.

FURTHER DETAILS: principal elevation to SW with central former porch (doorway partially blocked to form window) to centre of slightly advanced middle bay; regular fenestration with stone-mullioned bipartite windows at ground; 3 small roof lights; single windows to side wings. Large gabled wing extending from right-hand bay of rear elevation with windows to sides; staircase window to advanced narrow bay in re-entrant angle; late 20th century timber porch outshot below.

Predominantly 4-pane glazing with some 12-pane glazing and plate glass in timber sash and case windows. Corniced gablehead stacks with octagonal clay cans. Graded Scottish slate with ridge tiles.

INTERIOR: timber staircase with polished mahogany handrail and decorative cast-iron balusters. Fireplaces with fairly plain timber chimneypieces and cast-iron grates to most rooms. Timber panelled shutters in drawing room. Timber panelled interior doors and fairly plain cornices throughout.

FORMER STEADING RANGE: L-plan gabled range to rear of house with 3 timber-boarded doors to SW elevation of long range and 2 2-leaf doors to carriage shed in short range. Random rubble with large roughly-squared quoin stones. Ashlar-coped skews. Welsh slate with stone or terracotta ridge tiles. Interior has remains of some cattle stalls.

WALLED GARDEN: adjoins S corner of house. Random rubble walled enclosure with rough pointed arch over gateway in NW wall.

PIG STY: random rubble gabled pig sty with small adjoining pen and stone slate roof to NE of Steading range.

BOTHY: probably early 20th century, roughly square-plan piend-roofed bothy with timber-panelled front door and bipartite window to S elevation and wallhead stack to E. Roughly-squared granite with long and short quoins. Welsh slate roof with metal flashings. Situated to NE of house

OUTBUILDING: gabled random rubble outbuilding to NW of steading.

BOUNDARY WALLS AND SHEEP FANK: random rubble boundary walls partially enclosing site. Ruinous remains of sheep fank to N of boundary wall.

Statement of Interest

The House of Mark was built as the manse for the new Lochlee Parish Church in 1803 using stone from the offices of Invermark Castle. It is built in a traditional symmetrical style and is the only building at this end of the Glen to be fronted with polished ashlar. It is easily visible from the public footpath to the Queen's Well. According to Jervise the interior of the castle was stripped at the same time to furnish the church and manse, but the fixtures inside the House of Mark appear to be contemporary with, or slightly later than its date of building. According to the New Statistical Account, the house was enlarged and repaired in 1828. There may have been some further additions and alterations made after that date (for example, the bipartite windows are probably later), but the plan of the house does not appear to have changed since the publication of the 1st Edition OS map. The bothy cottage probably dates from the early 20th century. The land it lies on is called 'Droustie' or 'Drusty'. This is believed to be a corruption of 'St Drostan', an Irish monk who came to Lochlee in the late 8th century. St Drostan is believed to have lived on this spot, and there is a spring called Droustie's Well in the garden of this house. According to the OS Name Book, the manse was built on the site of an Ale House which was also called 'Droustie'.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q56618511

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

• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of History Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)