Description

1796; later alterations; subdivided Nicholas Grove-Raines & Partners, 1990 2 storey and attic, 3-bay square-plan Palladian country house with post 1860 portico and single storey wings, all raised on basement. Rendered and painted ashlar with painted ashlar margins. Projecting base, lintel, eaves and angle courses. Projecting moulded cornice with parapet inset with raised panels surrounding building.

NE (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: 3-bay with shallow projecting central pedimented bay: 5 splayed stone steps leading to projecting tetrastyle Ionic portico supported to rear by 2 Ionic pilasters, entablature and balustrade surmounting; architraved door surround with bracketed cornice, similarly treated single window flanking. Paired windows to central bay of basement with larger single window to outer bays. 1st floor: projecting central bay containing central window with lugged architraves, closed triangular pediment surmounting; windows with architraves to flanks. Central domical roof with window to returns, attic dormer to flanks. Left wing: central basement window with door in right recess, window to ground floor with bracketed cornice flanked by Ionic pilasters supporting triangular pediment breaking parapet. Right wing: as left, but basement door on left.

SE ELEVATION: 2-storey, 3-bay wing (upper right window now blind) adjoining main house with paired windows to upper storey.

SW (REAR) ELEVATION: slightly projecting central bay: door to basement and single window to 2 storeys above, arched attic window rising into broken-base triangular pediment; single bay flanking centre to all storeys with set back attic dormer surmounting. Recessed wing to left of main building with single bay to basement and ground floor. Right wing continuing line of main house with 2 windows to basement and tripartite to ground floor.

NW ELEVATION: projecting 2-storey, 2-bay wing adjoining to left and centre of 3-storey, 3-bay main house, single window to right bay on basement and ground floor of main house, 3 regularly spaced bays to 1st floor.

Replacement 8- and 10-pane timber sash and case windows to most openings with arched window to top central bay of rear elevation. Piended attic dormers with canted timber sash and case bays and slated cheeks. Piended and platformed grey slate roof with lead ridges and flashings, platformed domical roof covered with lead to centre, miniature version to wings. Painted cast-iron rainwater goods. Pair of harled and painted stacks with 8 shaped cans to roof of main house; painted panelled stacks with projecting neck copes to wings with 1 and 2 tall plain cans.

INTERIOR: now subdivided into 6 flats but retaining: Corinthian columns supporting ornate plasterwork and cornicing in entrance hall; some original timber panelled doors with timber architraved surrounds; some original fire surrounds (cast-iron and timber); plaster ceiling roses, timber picture rails.

Statement of Interest

Part of B-Group with Annanhill Walled Garden. Annanhill was built by William Dunlop, a man who made his fortune as a merchant in East India, and bought the estate in 1796. Paterson said later "It (the house) was greatly added to, and the property very much improved since 1815 by his son, the late James Dunlop of Annanhill." A completely new front was created (post 1860) with a Greek Revival portico and flanking wings. The town council bought the house and policies in 1929, using profits from the municipal electricity service. Ayrshire is well known for its golf courses and in 1907, Kilmarnock Town Council asked the green keeper of Barassie, David Kilpatrick, to choose a site (Caprington) for a municipal course and to lay it out. A second course was planned in 1929 and opened in 1957 within the policies of Annanhill, which is still in use today. The main house was formerly the clubhouse but it fell into disrepair and a new clubhouse was built. Annanhill was bought and restored by Nicholas Groves-Raines and Partners who subdivided it into private flatted properties. It was renovated to retain as many original features as possible and any replacements were copied from designs of the period. The rear used to have a projecting stair tower, but this was removed during renovations. They also designed the semi-circular Neo-Georgian courtyard housing sited to the NW, on the site of the former stables. The policies are still in use as a par 71, 18-hole parkland golf course. The Annanhill Walled Garden (listed separately) is open to the public.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17791494

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.

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