Description

Mid 19th century (possibly David Bryce, 1860) incorporating earlier fabric (probably 1780); James Gillespie and Scott motor house probably added 1913; converted to Craft Centre 1972. 2 storey, 10 bay, classical stable court with Gardener?s Cottage and converted bothy. Droved sandstone ashlar with raised quoins. Base and eaves courses, eaves cornice to Gardener?s Cottage and Ardyne. Round headed openings, keystone and voussoirs.

NW (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: wide, advanced pend entrance at centre with moulded and keystoned arch on flanking squat, corniced pilasters with pal stones at inner angles; pediment above with glazed oculus in tympanum. 3 windows at ground with 3 small windows above to right and left of centre, voussoired arch (part blocked with 2 small windows) to outer right with glazed oculus over, window in penultimate bay to left and window above with flat dormerhead breaking eaves, bay to outer left with voussoired arch (part blocked with 1 window) and glazed oculus above.

NE ELEVATION: asymmetrical fenestration including 4 flat dormerheaded windows breaking eaves to right and door off centre right. Return to left with window at 1st floor right and shouldered, centre wallhead stack.

SW (GARDNER?S COTTAGE) ELEVATION: symmetrical.

Timber canopied porch with cast iron columns and panelled timber door with narrow, small pane fanlight at centre; 2 part window to right of centre and 3 part window to left at ground; 3 2 part windows to 1st floor. Boundary wall with pedestrian door adjoining to outer right. Return to right with lean to extension at ground, 2 part window above and small glazed oculus in gablehead.

SE ELEVATION: lower, with gambrel roof to left. Slightly recessed, infill(?) bay to right with 2 part window in timber gablehead, boundary wall abutting immediately to left; asymmetrical fenestration beyond to left (concealed behind SW boundary of walled garden).

COURTYARD: pend arch to NW range flanked by variety of openings including former hayloft, balcony and windows with pedimented dormerheads. Bowed stair towers in re entrant angles to left and right.

SE RANGE: lower, free standing motor house. Variety of elements including altered double garage doors and windows. NE RANGE: extending beyond courtyard to E. Door to left at ground, 4 windows to right and further door beyond; adjoining outer right 3 bay house (?Ardyne?) with flight of railed steps to panelled timber door and plate glass fanlight at centre in pilastered and corniced doorcase, flanking windows. 8 bay 1st floor with dormerheaded windows breaking eaves, some altered, some pedimented, 2 flat roofed. Outer left window with stone bracketed balcony and decorative cast iron railings.

SW RANGE: rear of Gardner?s Cottage. 2 windows to each floor.

Variety of small pane glazing patterns in timber sash and case windows, some lying pane: decorative astragals to occuli (NE). Gardner?s Cottage with plate glass glazing in top opening, timber windows to SW: and plate glass glazing in modern timber windows to some 1st floor bays. Graded grey and purple slates. Coped ashlar stacks (some shouldered) with some cans; cast iron downpipes with decorative rainwater hoppers. Stone sets to courtyard and pend.

INTERIOR: Gardner?s Cottage: timber stair, shutters and inward opening casement windows.

BOUNDARY WALL: coped rubble boundary walls.

Statement of Interest

According to Rowan, "Between 1784 and 1786 a walled garden was built behind the stables"; thus the original stables probably date from circa 1780, this being contemporaneous with the re modelling of Balbirnie House. David Bryce was working at Balbirnie in the early 1860s. ?Ardyne? is thought to have been a bothy but is now considerably altered. Gillespie and Scott?s archive lists drawings (missing) for a Motor House, probably 1913; the SE range goes by this name.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17810735

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

• 
  ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)