Description

Circa 1800 with earlier stone fragments. Large, rectangular walled garden incorporating distinctive, slightly curved house with 4-storey tower and greenhouse to NE corner (1 Arthurstone Gardens) and inset decorative timber summerhouse to N wall. Rubble with smooth margins. Incorporates some older stone work and artefacts, possibly from the 13th century Cistercian Abbey at Coupar Angus.

WALLED GARDEN: tall, coped rubble wall. Elliptical-arched opening to S, some rectangular openings; that to W wall with elaborate inset Corinthian pilasters and dentilled cornice. 2-storey, piended roof building to NW with rectangular and round window openings. Wall to NW incorporating moulded doorway, carved pediments and other stonework.

SUMMERHOUSE: timber summerhouse inset into semi-elliptical stone arch at N wall with Gothic detailing. Central part-glazed door; flanking side lights. Bays separated by engaged barley-sugar columns. Dentilled frieze. Tympanum with carved timber floriated gothic glazed panels. Flanked by truncated Ionic capitals from Coupar Angus Cistercian abbey.

1 ARTHURSTONE GARDENS: situated to NE corner. Single storey, curved lean-to house facing NE with central, tall 4-stage octagonal crenellated tower and external stone stair to left. Wall to rear with single storey greenhouse with advanced, pedimented porch. Prominent, barley-sugar twist ridge chimney cans. Segmental-arched doorway to tower with timber entrance door. Tower with blind bullseye windows to top stage.

Predominantly replacement, multi-pane windows. Grey slates. Gable stacks.

Statement of Interest

This is an excellent example of a remarkably intact early 19th century walled garden with an unusual and distinctive tower and a decorative inset summerhouse. Walled gardens were important features in country house estates, as they provided produce for the household. This one is an important survivor which retains its original form, greenhouse and remarkable tower. It is not clear if the tower had a practical purpose for storage, or whether it was primarily for decoration. New housing was set within and around the garden in 2004-6, but the plan form and distinctive features have been retained.

There are a number of earlier stone artefacts and details incorporated into the garden, which were probably taken from the Cistercian Abbey at Coupar Angus. The abbey was partially destroyed in the 16th century and many of the stones have been incorporated into buildings around the town.

Arthurstone Estate was originally owned by the Cistercian Abbey at Coupar Angus. After the Reformation, it was placed into private ownership. The present house (see separate listing) has a late 18th century core, with most of the building dating from the 19th century. There is also a walled garden and doocot to the east (see separate listings). In the 20th century, the house spent some time as a private school for girls and was converted into private apartments in 2004. The walled garden was also developed with private housing in 2004.

References in previous list description includes information that D Reid, master mason, compiled notes on Arthurstone.

The summerhouse and 1 Arthurstone Gardens were previously listed separately.

List description updated, 2012.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17835714

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

• 
  ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014