Description
Late 15th/early 16th century tall rectangular 5-storey tower
with 1851-52 cap-house by David Bryce, early 18th century
4-storey wing to rear; further additions and remodelling,
David Bryce, 1851-52. All rubble, ashlar dressings. Main
front faces SW with original central tower dominating the
group; off-centre round-headed entrance with cable moulded
decoration (1851-52); regular fenestration, corbelled
crenellated bartizans, square stair turret with pyramidal
roof at NW and (1851-52) cap-house with paired gabletted
dormers and coped end stacks; crenellated wallhead and cannon
water spouts.
Large 18th century Y-tracery window in 2nd floor of SE elevation
of tower. 4-storey rear addition (overlooking sea to NE)
projects as wide crowstepped gable with centre projecting
corbelled mural stair at 2nd and 3rd storey height. Square
angle, decoratively corbelled and gabled bartizans at 3rd
storey; crowsteps and apex stack.
To left and right of main front, 2-storey David Bryce
extensions; to right (SE) 2-storey gabled group, with
corbelled angle turret at 1st floor with conical roof, canted
window rising full height into corbelled gablet and
tripartite in 1st floor of main gabled front. To left (NW)
extended low 2-storey range with flat roofs and crenellated
wallhead; angle drum tower with entrance at base and slit
vents. Varied glazing patterns; rainwater goods dated 1852.
crowsteps; coped stacks: Mainly slate roofs, some modern
tiling. Interior; entrance into vaulted ground floor through
doorway with doors with ornate cast-iron hinges and fittings;
1851-2 Baronial oak staircase with pendant newels leads to
1st floor landing and to former great hall, converted to
dining room in 1851 with all decoration from that date; oak
panelling doors and doorpieces; compartmented barrel vaulted
plaster ceiling with decoration and pendants; bolection
moulded chimney pieces at both ends, that to SE in recess
with mural gallery above. SE wing contains 1st floor large
and small drawing rooms, the former overlooking sea to north
and the latter, the larger, to the park. Marble chimney
pieces in both; decorative plaster ceiling friezes. Simple
staircase and mural wheelstair to upper floors and caphouse.
Various mid-19th century cast-iron grates; Garden wall;
crenellated walls divide park from sea, stretching to right
and left of mansion, to left linking service wing with walled
garden and long low stable and carriage house range. Small
square sundial on shaped plinth.
Stable range; David Bryce; 1851-52. Extensive single storey
and attic range with centre court entered through archway
with crenellated overthrow. All rubble with tooled dressings, crowstepped gables, end and ridge stacks. Largely devoid of
original fittings.