Listed Building

The only legal part of the listing under the Planning (Listing Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 is the address/name of site. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing – see 'About Listed Buildings' below for more information. The further details below the 'Address/Name of Site' are provided for information purposes only.

Address/Name of Site

ABERDOUR,ABERDOUR CASTLE WALLED GARDEN WITH SUNDIALLB3610

Status: Removed

Documents

There are no additional online documents for this record.

Summary

Category
A
Group Category Details
100000019 - SEE NOTES
Date Added
02/05/1973
Date Removed:
17/04/2018
Local Authority
Fife
Planning Authority
Fife
Parish
Aberdour (Fife)
NGR
NT 19323 85518
Coordinates
319323, 685518

Removal Reason

The designation of this structure as a listed building will be removed as part of the Dual Designation 2A project. It will continue to be recognised as being of national importance through its designation as a scheduled monument.

Description

Dated 1632. Large square-plan walled garden to NE of Aberdour Castle. Random rubble walls with pyramidal coping, wall to NW rebuilt 1890. Doorway to outer wall at upper terrace, moulded stone doorpiece with cornice surmounted by broken ogee pediment with ball, curvy strapwork to tympanum with decorated cartouche, Douglas heart emblem to centre. Central doorway to NE at entrance to church lane; moulded stone doorpiece with heavily moulded cornice, broken pediment with finials, dated 1632 central monogram 'WAM' (William and Anne [Earl and Countess of] Morton) surmounted by carved coronet within pediment, carved star without. Inserted doorway of 1740 at courtyard to SW outer wall with moulded stone surround. Modern openings to SW inner wall set between terrace and courtyard doorways. Modern, rendered, flat roofed store set to angle at SW/SE walls. Blocked openings to former summerhouse set into wall at E corner.

SUNDIAL: early 17th century facet-headed sundial to centre of garden; 8 faced truncated pyramid surmounted by globe resting on late 19th century baluster. Weathered, carved detailing to each face with gnomon, repaired with render in parts.

Statement of Special Interest

SCHEDULED ANCIENT MONUMENT. A-Group with Aberdour Castle, Aberdour Castle West Gateway, Aberdour Castle Dovecot, Aberdour Castle Sundial. William Douglas became the 6th Earl of Morton in 1606 and resided at Aberdour till his death in 1648. It was during his lifetime that the castle became the principal residence of the Morton's. His forebear the 4th Earl had already made great changes to the castle with a new range and fine gardens to the S in the later 16th century. William continued this work by building a further range to the E and improving the gardens by building the walled garden, the elaborate moulded stone doorpieces highlight the considerable pride and status attached to possessing such a garden. It is most likely that it was originally laid out in a formal fashion, by 1668 it is documented that it was being used as a bowling green. The summerhouse to the S corner was built in 1675 being demolished in 1785. A wooden bridge to the SE connected the walled garden with a kitchen garden that was located to the S of Church lane. The bridge survived till the end of the 19th century, the kitchen garden is no more, being part of a private garden to a nearby house. During World War ll the garden was used as a market garden and piggery. The garden is now lawned with a path and planted borders set close to the walls and is included in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland. To the centre of the garden is a tall sundial which was imported in the 1970s probably from Castle Wigg, Wigtonshire (Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland). For further information see Aberdour Castle list description.

References

Bibliography

Morton Estate Map (1740) Scottish National Register of Archives. F Groome, STATISTICAL, BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL GAZETTEER OF SCOTLAND (1882) p23. MacGibbon and Ross, THE CASTELLATED AND DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE OF SCOTLAND, Vol '' (1887) pp468-478. T Ross, ANCIENT SUNDIALS OF SCOTLAND, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland Volume 12 (1889-90). RCAHMS, INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS OF FIFE, KINROSS AND CLACKMANNAN (1933) pp17-21. M R Apted, ABERDOUR CASTLE MINISTRY OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND WORKS OFFICIAL GUIDEBOOK (1966). N Hynd & G Ewart, ABERDOUR CASTLE GARDENS in Garden History Vol 9-12 (1981-1984) pp93-111. A Somerville, THE ANCIENT SUNDIALS OF SCOTLAND, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland Volume 117 (1987). AN INVENTORY OF GARDENS AND DESIGNED LANDSCAPES IN SCOTLAND, Volume 4 (1987) pp343-346. J Gifford, THE BUILDINGS OF SCOTLAND Fife (1992) pp64.

Historic Environment Scotland Properties

Aberdour Castle

https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/aberdour-castle-and-gardens

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Related Designations

  1. ABERDOUR CASTLEGDL00003

    Designation Type
    Garden & Designed Landscape
    Status
    Designated
  2. ABERDOUR, ABERDOUR CASTLE DOVECOTLB3611

    Designation Type
    Listed Building (A)
    Status
    Removed
  3. Aberdour CastleSM90002

    Designation Type
    Scheduled Monument
    Status
    Designated
  4. ABERDOUR, ABERDOUR CASTLE WEST GATEWAYLB3609

    Designation Type
    Listed Building (B)
    Status
    Removed
  5. ABERDOUR, ABERDOUR CASTLE SUNDIAL (FORMERLY AT ABERDOUR HOUSE)LB3637

    Designation Type
    Listed Building (A)
    Status
    Removed
  6. ABERDOUR, ABERDOUR CASTLE INCLUDING GARDEN TERRACES AND BOUNDARY WALLSLB6421

    Designation Type
    Listed Building (A)
    Status
    Removed

About Listed Buildings

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Listing is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for buildings of special architectural or historic interest as set out in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997.

We list buildings which are found to be of special architectural or historic interest using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Listed building records provide an indication of the special architectural or historic interest of the listed building which has been identified by its statutory address. The description and additional information provided are supplementary and have no legal weight.

These records are not definitive historical accounts or a complete description of the building(s). If part of a building is not described it does not mean it is not listed. The format of the listed building record has changed over time. Earlier records may be brief and some information will not have been recorded.

The legal part of the listing is the address/name of site which is known as the statutory address. Other than the name or address of a listed building, further details are provided for information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland does not accept any liability for any loss or damage suffered as a consequence of inaccuracies in the information provided. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing. Even if a number or name is missing from a listing address it will still be listed. Listing covers both the exterior and the interior and any object or structure fixed to the building. Listing also applies to buildings or structures not physically attached but which are part of the curtilage (or land) of the listed building as long as they were erected before 1 July 1948.

While Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating listed buildings, the planning authority is responsible for determining what is covered by the listing, including what is listed through curtilage. However, for listed buildings designated or for listings amended from 1 October 2015, legal exclusions to the listing may apply.

If part of a building is not listed, it will say that it is excluded in the statutory address and in the statement of special interest in the listed building record. The statement will use the word 'excluding' and quote the relevant section of the 1997 Act. Some earlier listed building records may use the word 'excluding', but if the Act is not quoted, the record has not been revised to reflect subsequent legislation.

Listed building consent is required for changes to a listed building which affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest. The relevant planning authority is the point of contact for applications for listed building consent.

Find out more about listing and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.

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Printed: 29/03/2024 08:51