The Red House, Wemyss Castle, Buckhaven, Methil and Wemyss Villages, Fife

Entry Name: The Red House, Wemyss Castle

Listing Name: Wemyss Castle Policies, the Red House

Listing Date: 17 March 1999

Category: B

Source: Historic Scotland

Source ID: 393168

Historic Scotland Designation Reference: LB46053

Building Class: Cultural

Also known as: Wemyss Castle, The Red House

ID on this website: 200393168

Location: Wemyss

County: Fife

Electoral Ward: Buckhaven, Methil and Wemyss Villages

Parish: Wemyss

Traditional County: Fife

Tagged with: House

Description

Later 19th century, possibly incorporating earlier fabric. 3-storey tower house with round stair tower corbelled to square, and 2-storey with attic, 3-bay house with shaped gables and round tower. Squared and snecked red sandstone rubble with harled shaped gables. Corbel table to tower house. Segmental-headed door.

SW (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: tower house in bay to left of centre with window to centre at 1st floor below relieving arch and 2 windows to 2nd floor, corbel table above giving way to block parapet with 2 water spouts and round bartizan to outer right. House to right with advanced bay under catslide roof to left, 2 windows to ground and single centrally positioned window to 1st floor, segmental-headed door to ground and small 1st floor window on return to left; bowed bay with windows (3?) to each floor and blocking course in re-entrant angle to right and bipartite timber dormer window above with shaped gable to SE; window to each floor in bay to right of centre with flat roof and further set-back shaped gable; flat-topped round tower to outer right angle with gunloop to ground and corbel course to 3rd stage with small square window.

NW (TOWER HOUSE) ELEVATION: 2 windows to right of centre at ground, and centrally positioned single window above; round stair tower to outer left angle with door to SW below carved? panel and glazed gunloop close to corbel course, square caphouse with small window and crowstepped gable.

Small-pane glazing patterns in timber sash and case windows. Grey slates. Coped ashlar stacks with some cans and ashlar skews.

Statement of Interest

Property of Wemyss Estate Trustees. Little written evidence of the Red House could be traced but it was formerly the home of the castle chaplain and subsequently of Captain Michael Wemyss and Lady Victoria before they moved into the renovated castle. Inspiration for the crowstepped caphouse may originate with the ruined house in Chapel Garden, whilst the castellated steading may also be a source.

External Links

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