Description

Circa 1771, extended 1862. Symmetrical 2-storey and attic, crowstepped, 3-bay house with later single-storey wings to rear (N), forming U-plan courtyard. Fusion of classical and traditional detailing. Painted with raised ashlar margins and quoins. Base course, cill course, eaves course. Nepus gable with single window and gablehead stack. Small attic windows to gables.

FURTHER DESCRIPTION: PRINCIPAL ELEVATION: to S. Central Venetian doorpiece with key-stoned semicircular arch above and 2-leaf timber panelled entrance door with glazed interior doors. Central 3-bay section with flanking 2-bay single-storey wings with false Venetian windows and initials TLD on door lintel to right.

WINGS TO REAR: single-storey, with slatted timber garage doors, window and door openings.

Predominantly 12-pane timber sash and case windows. Grey slates. Coped gablehead stacks.

OUTBUILDING: to W. Single-story, double-gabled rubble, slated outbuilding with pigeon holes to each gable.

INTERIOR: (seen 2008). Renovated in 1980, keeping largely original room plan and with some original features retained. Horseshoe staircase with timber balusters and banister. Some original simple plaster cornicing.

Statement of Interest

This distinctive, well-detailed, classical house has fine external features and is an excellent example of a late 18th century gentleman's house. The classical symmetrical proportions are typical of Scottish laird's houses in the late 18th century and the addition of the nepus gable adds to the grandeur and interest of the front façade. The deep space above the upper storey windows identifies the attic space, which is lit, in typical fashion, by small gable windows. The addition of the side wings, forming a U-plan to the rear of the property turned the house into a typical Ayrshire farm plan.

The house was built originally for a Lt Col T L Donaldson who had connections with the Royal Artillery and army and whose initials are seen on the door lintel of the RHS wing. It appears on the 1775 Armstrong Map as Whitlaw. The house was then extended for the family in 1862 with the offices wings. In a bad state of repair in the 1980s, it was comprehensively restored.

List description updated as part of Stewarton resurvey, 2009.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q15734464

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

• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East: Norwich and North-east v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Huddersfield in 50 Buildings
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version