Description

Early 18th century. 2-storey, 3-bay house. Later 18th century 2-storey, 2-bay section added to E. Late 20th century rear wing and lean-to. Ashlar margins; eaves course. Harled. Painted quoins to SE and NE, 1st floor.

S (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: earlier 3-bay section to left; 3 ground floor windows (former door to central window); 3 1st floor windows centred above. 2-bay section to right; door to left; fanlight; corniced lintel; window to right. 2 1st floor windows centred above, at eaves. Wall at ground floor extends from right; door within. Connects to tall rubble sandstone garden wall.

W ELEVATION: ground floor window to left. Rear wing set back to left; 3 1st floor windows; 2 piended dormer windows wholly in roof. Lean-to at ground floor; 2 arches within.

N ELEVATION: piended dormer window wholly in roof to far right; lean-to at ground floor; 2 windows within. 1st floor window to left to rear wing. 2 1st floor windows to left in left return of rear wing. Section set back to left; 1st floor window to right; lean-to at ground floor; rooflights and varied fenestration.

E ELEVATION: plain gable wall at 1st floor; lean-to greenhouse at ground floor. Lean-to to right; door to left; window to right.

Predominantly 12-pane timber sash and case windows with horns. 2 roof lights to front. Pitched slate roofs. Coped gable apex stacks; coped ridge stack; polygonal clay cans.

INTERIOR: lower ceiling height to ground floor rooms in earlier house (to W). Arched alcove to ground and 1st floor E room.

WALL AND OUTBUILDING

Tall rubble sandstone wall to E of house connects to St Mungo's Chapel. Outhouse attached to N of wall; 2 doors.

Statement of Interest

According to the present owners, the 3-bay western part of the house belonged to the blacksmith Robert Sands who had a forge here. The forge was possibly to the W of the house where changes in the W gable wall suggest a former attached building. In the 1780's the eastern section of the house was added and the upper storey of the W was heightened. A maid's staircase was also added. A 1st floor central window to the rear was uncovered during renovation in late 20th century (now re-covered by rear wing). Margaret Anderson or Sands, widow of Robert Sands continued her husband's business after his death and is mentioned in the Kirk Session records because she broke the rules of the guild. Culross had been granted the monopoly on making girdles, but in 1673 Margaret was fined for sending girdles to Glasgow without the guild's permission, and she also employed a man from Valleyfield (and therefore not from the Culross guild) to work in her forge. Despite Culross' monopoly, it was unable to fight the competition from others, including those at Valleyfield and especially Carron ironworks. This house is named after St Mungo/Kentigern, who according to legend, was born in Culross and was educated by St Serf. The nearby St Mungo's Chapel was built in 1503 by Robert Blackadder, the first Archbishop of Glasgow to commemorate St Mungo.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17804933

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

• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)