Gatepier, North Lodge, Kelburn Castle Estate, Fairlie, Largs, North Ayrshire

Description

Around 1885. A single-storey, 3-bay, broadly L-plan gate lodge in the Scots Baronial style with conical turret and crowstepped gables. Built of pale, snecked and stugged ashlar with polished dressings. There is a turret in the re-entrant angle with a segmental-headed door, a blank rectangular panel and a hood-moulded arrow slit above. The conical roof is corniced with banded fish-scale slating and a metal finial. There is a single window to the left of the door, and a canted window in the gable end to the right. The building has corniced stacks and a slate roof. The windows are non-traditional, uPVC replacements.

To the south of the building are four square-plan, panelled and corniced gatepiers of polished ashlar, marking the entrance to the north approach drive to Kelburn Castle. There are simple cast-iron gates with spear-head rails.

In accordance with Section 1(4A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 the following are excluded from the listing: flat roof additions to the north and east.

Statement of Interest

This gate lodge and gatepiers are typical examples of estate ancillary buildings, built in the Scots Baronial style popularised in the second half of the late 19th century and survive largely in their late 19th century form. The lodge and gates are of interest in the context of the estate and the improvements made to the estate during the second half of the 19th century. The lodge and gatepiers contribute to the context of the Kelburn Castle estate, marking the principal public and private entrance to the grounds.

In accordance with Section 1(4A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 the following are excluded from the listing: flat roof additions to the north and east.

Age and Rarity

The north approach drive to Kelburn Castle is shown on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey Map, surveyed 1855. No buildings are shown at the entrance until the 2nd Edition Ordnance Survey in 1895, which shows this lodge identified as 'North Lodge'. Confusingly, this present North Lodge was listed in 1985 as 'Kelburn West Lodge'. This is likely because earlier pavilion lodges at NS 20995 56727 were located at the former west approach drive which is now separated from the estate by the main road and is now in separate ownership.

The North Lodge and north drive gatepiers and gates were built as part of extensive improvement works carried out the estate by the 6th Earl of Glasgow after he inherited in 1869, and the coming of the railway and the associated changes to the estate in 1885 with the realigning of the road to accommodate the Ardrossan and Largs branch railway line skirting the coastline to the west of the Kelburn estate.

Kelburn is among the oldest ancestral country seats in Scotland to have been continuously inhabited by successive generations of one family, having been in possession of the Boyle family (formerly 'de Boyville') since the 12th century. Kelburn has a prominent coastal setting to the south of the town of Largs, with views from the castle across the Firth of Clyde to the Isles of Cumbrae and Bute and southwest to the Isle of Arran. The Kel Burn runs through the estate, passing through a wooded ravine and over a 15 metre high waterfall into a naturally carved pool to the southwest of the castle.

Architectural or Historic Interest

Interior

The interior was not seen at the time of the review in 2016.

Plan form

The slightly asymmetrical, L-plan form of this gate lodge is typical of lodges built in the Baronial style between 1850 and 1900 across Scotland.

Technological excellence or innovation, material or design quality

The North Lodge is well detailed with crowstepped gables and a conical tower typical of gate lodge building in Scotland during the mid to late 19th century. The four square-plan gatepiers at the north approach drive are of a typical, corniced cap design and are probably of a similar date to the gatepiers at the south drive entrance (LB7302) with ball-finialled caps and ornate wrought iron gates with thistle finials.

Setting

This formal gateway marks the entrance to the principal north approach drive to the castle, probably first established in the late 18th century however the castle is not visible from the gates. The gates and the gate lodge are prominently located and are a notable part of the setting and context of the Kelburn Castle estate, marking a principal public and private entrance to the policies.

Regional variations

There are no known regional variations.

Close Historical Associations

None known at present. Kelburn is among the oldest country seats in Scotland to have been continuously inhabited by successive generations of one family, the Boyles.

Statutory address, category of listing changed from B to C and listed building record revised in 2016. Previously listed as 'Kelburn West Lodge and Gatepiers'.

External Links

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