Description

1771, enlarged 1826, W wing added 1850, sub-divided late 20th century. 2-storey and attic, 3-bay, L-plan former manse with later gabled, 2-storey, single bay wing at W. Coursed, roughly squared rubble with squared rubble quoins, harl, quoin strips and some ashlar dressings. Good interior detailing and important setting with walled garden.

S (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: 3 original bays set-back at right, centre bay with window altered from door (evidence of raggle from porch), window to right and doorway to left (behind later lean-to conservatory) with moulded doorhead, 2-leaf panelled timber door and plate glass fanlight; regular fenestration to 1st floor, canted dormers over outer bays and small modern rooflight off-centre left. Advanced finialled gable to left with canted window at ground abutting cill of bipartite above with moulded windowhead.

N (REAR) ELEVATION: advanced gable to right with symmetrical fenestration to each return, that to right also with dormer windows; set-back bay at left with door to right and window to left in lean-to former milk house at ground, single window at 1st floor and screen wall at outer left. Later gabled bay of W wing at outer right partly screening original gable.

E (NO 2) ELEVATION: broad gabled bay with small casement window (former door) to left and single window to right at ground; screen wall abutting at outer right with pedestrian door and bell from church in Forfar.

W (NO 1, W WING) ELEVATION: projecting chimney breast breaking into dominant shouldered stack at right, modern conservatory at ground and single window to left at 1st floor.

Largely 4-, 12-pane and plate glass glazing patterns in timber sash and case windows, some with secondary glazing. Graded grey Foudland Quarry slates. Coped squared rubble and harled stacks with thackstanes and cans, some polygonal. Ashlar-coped skews with beak and moulded skewputts.

INTERIORS: much original detail retained including decorative and moulded cornices and plasterwork ceiling rose; timber floors and 2 staircases. NO 1 (1850) with part-glazed screen door, cantilevered timber scale and platt staircase with decorative cast-iron balusters, picture rail, working shutters, timber fire surround to small bedroom, former drawing room now

Statement of Interest

The Old Manse is situated on the western edge of the village of Insch with the cemetery (dating from the 19th century) nearby. Formerly with adjacent glebe lands it retains much of its fine setting and evidence of self-sufficiency in its fine collection of ancillary buildings. Built as the parish church manse, the original building was extended in 1850 to accommodate the Rev Storey's family of ten children. : Sold by the church during the mid 1940s to Mr Cosmo Gordon, the Old Manse subsequently passed to the Stewart family who, while retaining it as a family home, sub-divided it in 1984. The division was carried out with minimal interference to the fabric, and was facilitated by the existence of two staircases from the time of its 1850 extension. According to the New Statistical Account (entry dated July 1842) the manse "was built in 1771, and enlarged and repaired about sixteen years ago", evidence of earlier additions than the 1850 wing. Groome mentions the 'Clay of excellent roofing quality' slate, from the Foudland Quarry.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17771915

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

• 
  The Victorian House Manual (2nd Edition): How They Were Built, Improvements & Refurbishment, Solutions to All Common Defects - Includes Relevant ... ... Properties (Haynes Manual) (Haynes Manuals)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Sheffield and the South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)