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Summary

Description

Circa 1840. 2-storey and basement and attic, 3-bay classical mansion. Later-late 19th century 2-storey and basement and attic, 2-bay wing to E. Tuscan portico; balustraded stairs and terrace. Plain band course below ground floor windows and above 1st floor windows. Fillet string course below 1st floor windows. Corniced eaves course; balustraded parapet to roof to all but rear elevations. Raised ashlar quoins. Coursed droved ashlar.

S (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: symmetrical elevation to original house. Balustraded staircase leads to central door and continues as terrace to left and right, supported on voluted brackets to far left and far right. Basement window to right and left; window to W and possibly E within advanced central section below terrace. 2 steps lead from terrace to entrance door; moulded doorpiece; fanlight. Portico; corniced pediment. 2 columns to front; 2 pilasters behind. Window to right and left of door. 3 1st floor windows centred above. Advanced 2-bay extension to right; central window at each storey to left; balconette to principal floor window. Advanced full-height fenestration bay to right; canted bay window to each floor. Courses continue from original house with addition of fillet string course below principal floor windows.

W ELEVATION: basement window to left. 3 regularly spaced principal and 1st floor windows. Balconettes to principal floor windows. Flat-roofed single storey garage to far left; corniced wallhead; raised quoins; tooled, coursed stone. Central garage door.

N ELEVATION: 2 basement windows to left. Advanced, flat-roofed service wing and garage to right extends length of rear. Window to far left of wing; door to right; 2 windows to right of door; corniced wallhead; garage door to left and right returns. Piano nobile window to far left; 2 smaller windows to right. Advanced section to near centre; 2 windows; corniced string course above. 2 further windows set back to far right. 2 1st floor windows to far left; large bipartite stained glass stair window to right, stone transom and mullion; 3 1st floor windows to right. Round-headed dormer windows, wholly in roof.

E ELEVATION: central basement door; window to right flank. Piano nobile window to far left and centre; balconettes. Central 1st floor window.

Multi-paned basement floor windows; 2-pane timber sash and case windows with horns to ground floor piano nobile windows; 4-pane timber sash and case windows with horns to 1st floor. Timber panelled front door. Piended slate roof, platformed ridge; rooflights. Rainwater goods pierce string courses to S and E elevations. Corniced wallhead ridge stacks to E and W gables and central corniced ridge stack; polygonal cans.

INTERIOR: converted into 4 flats. Retains many original features including cornicing with egg and dart, bead and reel, guilloche and ivy pattern to ground floor corridor. Ground floor, W flat; cornicing to ground floor W room and beams; egg and dart with bead and reel dentils and modillions. Black marble fireplace; timber floorboards. Timber panelled shutters with original catches. Service bell beside fireplace. Timber panelled former linen cupboard in N, ground floor room; dated lists stuck to inside cupboard doors (see notes). Curved stone staircase leads to basement; stone slabs to cupboard below stairs; stone floor. Written on wall of NW room and preserved by present occupants; 'Papered by W Erskine & J Straiten 20th April 1907'. Ground floor, E flat; similar cornicing to W flat although more decorative and painted pink, green, grey and gold. Large painted roundel to S room. Larger S room and smaller N room connected by full-height timber panelled doors. Marble fireplace with carved grapes to each room, E wall. Staircase to NE in later section; coloured glass to stair window. Upper flat interiors not seen, 2001.

STORE

Single storey store to rear of Culross Park House. Built into bank to N. Tooled snecked S elevation; coped wallhead; rounded shoulders; 2 vaulted brick-lined tunnels; timber plank door to each store (E door missing).

Statement of Special Interest

B-Group with Culross Park Lodge, Cottage and Boundary Walls. The E wing was built between 1860 and 1896. Culross Park House was the home of Robert Halkeston Davidson (1816-1889), his wife Burella Elizabeth (nee Campbell) and their daughter Jane. (They are buried in Culross Abbey Church churchyard). Robert Halkeston Davidson was the Deputy Inspector of Hospitals in Bombay, India. A seed pearl and mother of pearl necklace once belonging to Burella is housed at the National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh. Although converted into 4 flats circa 1975, many interior details have been retained including the laundry lists in the linen cupboard. Amongst the lists of possible house guests and linen items the names Wardlaw and Campbell appears often; also mentioned are 'Duke of Wellington' and 'knitted toilet covers', dated 1886-1887. The building to the rear of the house may have been an ice-house, although it seems more likely that it was a store. To the NE of this, on higher ground is a small rectangular-plan roofless structure. Although not listed due to its condition it is of interest to the house. Tooled, snecked stone; droved ashlar quoins and surrounds to windows and door with the monogram RHD (Robert Halkeston Davidson) above the door. Lattice glazing remains to the E gable window; wire mesh and shutter to 2 small rear windows; cill to exterior. Terracotta tiled floor; stone bench to E; formerly pitched and slated. The purpose of this building is not certain, it may have been a summer house, game larder or dairy.

References

Bibliography

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