Description

Tudor style country house with complicated building
history spanning several centuries. It is sited on ground
falling steeply to S. It possibly evolved as follows.
Square, 4-storey pele tower extended, circa 1650 to W by
6 irregularly spaced bays, and simultaneously long
buttressed 3-tier terraces created; W extension possibly
modified circa 1750, accompanied by interior
re-decoration; William Atkinson, 1806, made 2-storey
additions to E and W, creating 500' facade (largely
demolished 1952), 5th storey and bartizan added to tower,
and various unifying alterations and additions to existing
openings (eg hoodmoulds, chamfered reveals and
enlargements). Chapel created R Rowand Anderson,
1883 (demolished 1952), out of former conservatory at
W end. Red sandstone, rubble to tower, with coursed,
droved W extension and ashlar dressings; Atkinson's
work in stugged stone again with ashlar dressings,
battlemented parapets and octagonal bartizan. Harled
3-storey and basement bays to S.
N (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: ashlar base course; ashlar
entrance porch moved (post 1928) from earlier position
and adapted on E extension; square, projecting and
battlemented with hoodmoulded door and windows on
returns, carved armorial door over doorway, breaking parapet.
Regular fenestration; buttress marking gable of 3-storey
block at W, with 2, 2-storey bays beyond, of 2 ground
floor windows and central, timber mullioned,
Perpendicular traceried tripartite above. 3 projecting
2-storey bays to outer left (1806), adjoined to tower;
4-centred window at centre to ground floor, with lancet
windows above and flanking. Octagonal battlemented stair
turret adjoined to W end of N side of tower, with
arrow-slits, leading to battlements.
Atkinson's curtain walls, with estate office and garage
added to outer left.
S (GARDEN) ELEVATION: tower to right with 4-centred
ground floor window, larger 1st floor window and
(3-light) 2nd floor (2-light) window, 2 lancets to
3rd floor, flanking armorial carving and square, tripartite
window above string course in 4th floor. Ashlar corner
buttresses. 6, 3-storey and basement bays to centre,
3 regularly grouped to right with French door onto
double stair in left bay and windows to each remaining
bay at each floor (reducing in size); 3 bays to left with
arrow-slit lancets left of centre to former stair, and
2 widely-spaced regular bays to left, with windows as
right bays.
To left 2-storey block with 3 windows at ground floor and
tripartite above at centre; flight of steps to outer
corner, leading to site of former chapel.
E ELEVATION: curtain walls of 1806 additions adjoined,
serving to bound kitchen garden, leading to service court
further E.
W ELEVATION: gabled elevation with octagonal stacks on
skews, pair to left, trio to right; rectangular single
storey battlemented porch at ground, with pointed arched
doorway; gothic bipartite at 1st floor.
Studded doors. 12-pane glazing pattern to regular
windows, horizontal-pane to mullioned, Perpendicular,
sash and case traceried windows. Large coped ridge and
gable stacks. Grey-green slates; skylights.
INTERIOR: wooden newel stair in earlier part; vaulted
basement; some circa 1750 work retained, including fine
timber stair with barley sugar and turned balustrade;
bolection moulded dining room (former library)
chimneypiece with lugged timber surround; Moxon and
Carfrae interior decoration, 1831; panelled doors with
carved and gilded architrave; Tapestry Room decorated
by Robert Lorimer, circa 1887, to display early 18th century
tapestries and given fine chimneypiece with blue and
white tiles.
TERRACE WALLS: rubble stone and gablet coping.
CHAPEL REMAINS: chapel demolished 1952, but chequered
stone floor tiles retained; red sandstone gothic aumbry,
sacrament house and corbelled piscina (Rowand Anderson,
1883 ?), and pink sandstone bellcote comprised of
pinnacle flanked ogee with Celtic cross, all embedded in,
or set against, walls; pond formed from 2 hoodmoulds.
BOUNDARY WALLS, GATEWAY AND SUMMER HOUSE: extensive
walls including rubble boundary wall by drive coped with
stugged coursed stone battlements; steps cut down by
4-centre arched gateway to W in boundary wall to W of
house, panel with lamp standard above flanked by
decorative wrought-iron work; Gothic summer house at
close of 1st terrace, stugged stone, buttressed.
DRIVE ARCH AND PIERS: pointed arch, buttressed gateway
by Atkinson, 1806, leading to service court; 2 square,
pyramid capped gatepiers to drive in wall bisecting drive
to N.
KENNELS: 1864. 5-bay lean-to kennels, against boundary
wall bisecting drive to E; stugged stone, chamfered
reveals to 5 kennel doors; grey slates; parapet and
railed courtyard to N kennel.
SERVICE COURT: William Atkinson, 1806. Assorted group
of offices to E of house, including work of 1864,
currently in neglected state (1988). Stugged red
sandstone and chamfered reveals to openings; some grey
slate roofs retained. Battlemented corner tower adjoined
to dairy with ventilator, multi-pane windows and louvred
window.

Statement of Interest

Lord Belhaven, anti-Unionist, lived at Biel in the early

18th century, and inserted a dated stone (1707), with

latin inscription, currently in National Museum of Scotland.

An oil painting of the S elevation of Biel, dating from

just prior to the work by Atkinson may be seen at Scone

Palace, additions to Taymouth Castle, and Abbotsford. The

gardens with terraces, were landscaped in a pioneering

manner for Scotland in the 17th century, and continue to

present an outstanding quality today. Biel's classical

gatepiers, East Lodge, Bridge, Pitcox Lodge, dovecot and

cottages at Beesknowe and Biel Mill are listed separately.

Biel House is listed category A despite demolitions, out of consideration for the early fabric and fine gardens.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17568769

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

• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
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  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
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  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)