Description

Loch Lomond And Trossachs National Park Planning Authority

Peddie and Kinnear, monogrammed and dated 1859. 2-storey, multi-gabled villa with deep eaves, finialed gables, canted bay windows to S (front), substantial gabled porch to NE corner and single storey service wing to W. This is a substantial, well-designed and little-altered villa built for the MacDonald family by the well-regarded firm of architects, Peddie and Kinnear. The monogram PK on the N face of the chimney over the porch refers to the architects; another, JM gives the initials of the original owner, John MacDonald. The house is very prominently sited on the North Shore of Loch Voil.

The house is composed of 3 distinct blocks, diminishing in height to the W. Every block has one or more gables on each elevation and the fenestration is regularly arranged in bays. The principal elevation faces S and the main entrance is to the E. The S elevation of the main block has 3 bays with 2-storey canted windows corbelled out to form gables above 1st floor. There are French doors at the centre of both canted windows. A small gabled window is situated between the canted windows. Recessed to the W of this is a slightly lower 2-storey block, and beyond that is a single storey service wing, originally built to contain a wash house, dairy and other offices. A small kitchen courtyard is accessed from the N elevation. All the window openings are chamfered; the two openings to the porch are shoulder-arched; there is a corniced string course around principal block that is moulded to encircle the down-pipes. The chimney stacks are coped and many of the original octagonal clay cans remain.

Interior: stone bench inside porch; tiled floor to lobby. Access to the interior was not gained (2005), but the house appears to retain most of its original fixtures.

Materials: neatly coursed, squared, stugged sandstone with ashlar dressings. Timber panelled front door with brass handle. 6-pane glazing in timber sash and case windows; plate glass to canted windows. Graded grey slate roof. Tin gable finials.

Walled Garden, Gardener's Cottage and Ancillary Building: roughly rectangular walled garden to W of house, with dormered gardener's cottage adjoining N wall. Small ancillary building with rendered walls and timber-boarded door between house and garden.

Statement of Interest

According to Stewart, the mansion house of Craigruie was built for the MacDonald family. However, he notes that the work force is mentioned in the census of 1851. As this house was clearly not designed until 1859, it is likely that either the workforce was building the gabled farmhouse to the E of Craigruie, or they were engaged on other activities. Archibald MacDonald of Glenlyon had bought the feu for Craigruie, Monochyle and Glencarnaig in about 1780. His son John is believed to have commissioned this house.

John Dick Peddie had trained under his father and then worked with David Rhind before establishing his own practice in 1848. In 1856 he joined practice with Charles Kinnear, who had trained under David Bryce. Their firm was very highly regarded and prolific, and their work covered domestic, ecclesiastical and public buildings. Major works include Cockburn Street in Edinburgh, The Morgan Academy at Dundee, and the hydropathics at Dunblane and Craiglockhart.

Craigruie appears to have been built in almost exact accordance with the plans at the NMRS and little has been altered since it was built, except the possible loss of 1 or 2 chimney stacks and the insertion of the French Doors. Internally, some alterations have been carried out, mostly in the service areas.

Plans in the NMRS show designs for the interior of one room, including decorative plasterwork to the cornice and ceiling, a carved chimney piece, half-panelling and compartmented walls.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17834357

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

• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback