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Summary

Description

Mid 19th century with later additions. 2-storey, Jacobean-gothick L-plan dower house with square entrance tower. Coursed sandstone rubble with ashlar dressings. Plain skew gables with projecting blocked skewputts. Window margins with projecting sills.

SW (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: projecting square tower: arched entrance door with plaque and hoodmould surmounting; window to 1st floor, narrow window to ground floor of right return. Recessed wing to right formerly 2-storey, 2-bay; ground floor left bay now blind. Gable to left of tower: tripartite window to ground floor, central window to 1st floor with blind quatrefoil to gablehead, ornate wrought-iron finial surmounting. Further gable to left: central 2-storey canted bay with blind cruciform arrowslits to gablehead, square stone finial surmounting.

NW ELEVATION: 2-storey, 3-bay: later central entrance door, window to right, 2-storey 3 light canted bay to left, 2 regularly placed windows to centre and right bay on 1st floor; door leading from 1st floor fire escape to left return.

NE (REAR) ELEVATION: projecting gable to left with paired windows to both floors, alternating doors and windows to 4-bays on ground floor of right return with matching windows to 1st floor. 3 bays to ground floor of rear of main block, 3 regularly placed windows to 1st floor.

SE ELEVATION: stone lean-to to left, glazed lean-to to right concealing ground floor elevation; 4 asymmetrically placed bays to 1st floor, carved plaque to gablehead on left return. Recessed blind gable of main house to left, stepped wall adjoining leading to segmental arch and rear of single storey stone building with stepped wallhead stack.

2- and 4-pane timber sash and case window to all elevations. Piended grey slate roof with lead flashings and valleys; fish-scale slates to tower with ball finial and lightning conductor surmounting. Painted cast-iron rainwater goods. Stone gablehead stack with projecting stone neck cope and plain cans to rear elevation. Tall yellow brick stacks (gablehead to right, wallhead to left) to principal elevation with projecting ashlar neck copes and tall ornate 19th century cans.

INTERIOR: entrance leading to hall with fire surround and L-plan timber staircase; original doors, timber skirting boards, some cornicing.

Statement of Special Interest

Part of an A-Group with Dean Castle, Dean Bridge and Dean Castle Lodge. The "Dower House" was built adjacent to the castle, which had remained uninhabited since a fire in 1735. The Boyd family had moved to their town house, Kilmarnock House (sited adjacent to the former Sheriff's Court House). Lord William Boyd was executed in 1746 for supporting the Stewart cause and Dean Castle was forfeited to the state. His son (later the Earl of Errol), who had allied with the pro-Hanoverian Government forces, recovered the estate but sold it to the Glencairn family. The dower house, sometimes called Dean Cottage, was built and added to considerably during the 19th century (it is worth noting by 1896 a cottage on the main road took over the name "Dean Cottage"). It is believed to have started life as a small rectangular house, which grew as necessary. Lord Howard De Walden and his wife originally lived in this building whilst restoration and renovations took place in the early 20th century. They used the house as a residence, with the formal rooms of the castle used as an annexe for dinners and gatherings held by the family. After Lord Howard's death, Lady De Walden continued living there, and the estate eventually passed to their son. He in turn donated the castle and house to the town council in the 1970's. The council purchased the surrounding land and turned it into a country park. The house was used as a visitor centre, office and shop until a purpose built centre was created nearer the entrance to the park. It is used today as a conference centre, offices by the Council and the headquarters of the Park Rangers. The castle and grounds are open to the public.

References

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