Description

1590 (dated). L-plan, 4-storey tower house. Harled. Crowstepped gables. Some moulded architraves.

E (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: gabled jamb to left, with stair window to each floor. Architraved doorway to right to N return; panel above inscribed: "Blissit the . na of . Lord . this verk . vas begun. te. f st . day . o . March 1590 be . Thomas . Hay . of . Park . and Jonet . Mak . Dovel . his . spovs"; blank moulded panel above at 1st floor; 2 small stair windows; window breaking eaves. Corbelled turret in re-entrant angle at 3rd floor, with small slit window and roof curved out slightly from cap-house pitch. Irregularly disposed windows of various sizes to essentially 2-bay elevation to right; window with moulded architrave breaking eaves to right; massive wallhead stack to left.

N ELEVATION: gabled. Window to left at 1st floor, with deep square embrassure; 2 small windows above. 3 small windows in bay to right.

W ELEVATION: 2 windows, with moulded architraves, breaking eaves. 2 windows at 2nd floor. Larger window to left at 1st floor. Remaining windows variously sized and irregularly disposed.

S ELEVATION: lop-sided gable to left, abutted by cap-house of SE jamb to right. Irregularly disposed windows of various sizes; large window to left at 1st floor.

Variety of small-pane glazing patterns; mainly 12-pane sash and case glazing to larger windows; fixed glazing in smaller windows. Graded grey slates. Harled stacks, gablehead to N, S and to E and W of SE jamb, wallhead to E. Water spout to S.

INTERIOR: wide turnpike stair in SE jamb. 3 vaulted apartments at ground floor, connected by a vaulted passage to E. Apartment to N is kitchen, with large arched fireplace, with window to E, and closet to W, with window to W. Access to garret by stair in turret in re-entrant angle. Some moulded architraves. Some moulded surrounds to fireplaces.

Statement of Interest

In the Guardianship of the Secretary of State for Scotland. Castle of Park was formerly known as Park Hay. It was previously listed as "Park Hay (Castle of Park)".

Castle of Park was built in 1590 by Thomas Hay. Dunragit House became the residence of the Hays in circa 1830, and the panelling from the hall in Castle of Park was removed to Dunragit House (see separate listing). Sir John Dalrymple-Hay sold Park estate in 1875.

Detailed descriptions and plans are contained in THE CASTELLATED AND DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE OF SCOTLAND and in the INVENTORY; MacGibbon and Ross refer to the building as "Park House". These sources also illustrate the two 18th century piended wings, which were formerly adjoined to the E, being 2-storey to the SE and single storey to the NE. These wings are also recorded in photographs held in the National Monuments Record of Scotland. The wings were described as "recently

demolished" in 1972. The inscribed panel should read "Blissit be the name of the Lord this verk vas begun the first day of March 1590 be Thomas Hay of Park and Ionet Mak Dovel his spovs".

Castle of Park has been undergoing careful restoration for the past 20 years (1991). Castle of Park is used as holiday accommodation, under the management of the Landmark Trust (1993).

Re-scheduled Area, excluding Tower House, 26 November 2001.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Castle of Park at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q2339964

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

• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of History Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)