Description
Dated 1625, restoration and alterations, J M Wardrop and
C Reid, 1869. Tower house of height varying between 4-6
storey; all harled rubble with ashlar dressings. Long
rectangular south facing block, with flanking SW and SE
square towers and with 2-storey square turrets with
crowstepped gabled roofs corbelled out at NW and NE angles.
Original entrance in base of SW re-entrant angle; 1869
principal entrance off-centre in recessed irregular 3-bay
South front, with moulded door jambs and with blind panel
recess above. 6-storey SW tower has (1869) crenellated
wall-head with round corbelled angles and water spouts;
stair turret projects above crenellated wallhead, terminating
with finialled ogee open crown spire. SE tower rises 4
storeys, with steeply pitched crowstepped roof with end
stacks and corbelled angle turrets with conical roofs.
Long rounded narrow stair towers in East and West re-entrant
angles corbelled out at first floor height.
Gun loops and slit vents in ground floor; regular
fenestration in upper floors, many windows enlarged and
regularised during 1869 restoration. Some windows break
wallhead under shaped pediments (also 1869). Multi-pane
glazing; end and wallhead coped stacks; local slate roofs.
Interior: original floor plan mostly survives, though a
later staircase has been inserted (1869) to service principal
entrance. Scale and plat stair in SW tower leading to
first floor hall; upper storeys served by mural wheel
stairs. Plain original chimney piece in first floor hall;
elsewhere mainly 1869, including extensive panelling;
turret rooms converted to bathrooms in late 1970s.
Gate piers: later 19th century (probably 1869) pair
panelled polished ashlar square gate piers with corniced
caps and ornate urn finials; linked by decorative wrought-iron overthrow; incorporating Moray monogram and coronet as
central motif; matching cast and wrought iron carriage gates.