Inventory Garden & Designed Landscape

DUNMORE PARKGDL00158

Status: Designated

Documents

Where documents include maps, the use of this data is subject to terms and conditions (https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/termsandconditions).

Summary

Date Added
01/07/1987
Local Authority
Falkirk
Parish
Airth
NGR
NS 88430 88779
Coordinates
288430, 688779

A remnant 19th century designed landscape containing The Pineapple, a unique and spectacular architectural folly, and other interesting built features.

Artistic Interest

Level of interest
High

The garden and designed landscape were recorded in the past as being of importance as a Work of Art.

Historical

Level of interest
Some

Although Dunmore has the remains of a historic landscape, the lack of documentary evidence gives it only some interest in this category.

Horticultural

Level of interest
None

There are no plant collections at Dunmore.

Architectural

Level of interest
Outstanding

The Pineapple is a unique and spectacular folly; it is listed A and gives Dunmore Park outstanding value in this category.

Archaeological

Level of interest
Not Assessed

Scenic

Level of interest
Some

The Tower and ornamental plantings are significant in the scenery from the north and east of the Park.

Nature Conservation

Level of interest
Little

There is a little undisturbed woodland habitat left in the Park.

Location and Setting

Dunmore Park lies some 8 miles (13.5km) ESE of Stirling on the south bank of the River Forth, about 4km from the Kincardine Bridge and the same distance from the M876. The site is bounded by the A905 to the north and east of the Park and by woodlands to the south and west. The policy woodlands and ornamental trees are significant in the surrounding agricultural landscape, and fine views are obtained from the Park, particularly to the north-east and across the Firth.

The designed landscape remained similar in extent between the 1865 and 1910 1st & 2nd edition maps. It was bounded by the A905, and by the woodlands to the west and south of the Park, and extended to Dunmore village in the north-east and Airth village in the south-east. Since the estate was broken up in 1968, the Park area has been farmed, but traces of the former design remain in the field pattern and tree plantings. Dunmore Tower, the remains of the former Elphinstone Castle, has been incorporated as a feature in the designed landscape. There are 760 acres (308ha) of remnant designed landscape today.

Site History

Early records of Dunmore have not been readily accessible. Dunmore Tower marks the site of the remains of Elphinstone Castle, which had been incorporated into a romantic designed setting by 1810 when it was painted as surrounded by fine parkland trees. The 5th Earl of Dunmore succeeded in 1809 shortly after his marriage to Susan, daughter of the 9th Duke of Hamilton. He commissioned the building of a new house on a site to the north of Dunmore Tower. A new mansion designed by William Wilkins was built between 1820-22 in the tudor gothic style. It was drawn by J.P. Neale in 1826 in a view which shows it raised on a high terrace above the Park. Dunmore was recorded in 1845 as the chief Scottish seat of the 7th Earl of Dunmore, Charles Adolphus Murray, who was then aged four. He owned some 4,620 acres in Stirlingshire. By 1885 the OS Gazetteer records the mansion standing 'amid splendid gardens and beautifully wooded grounds, containing and commanding delightful views'. A photograph of 1917 shows a drive or Broad Walk lined with herbaceous borders all beautifully maintained.

Photographs of 1955 show the house ivy-clad, with the terrace surmounted by urns. A tennis court had taken the place of the cattle park in front of the house. By 1968 all was overgrown, and the estate was split up. The walled garden was purchased by the Earl and Countess of Perth and gifted in 1974 to the National Trust for Scotland. The mansion and park were purchased by the present owner and are farmed today. The house is now derelict and in the process of being demolished.

Landscape Components

Architectural Features

The Mansion House, listed B, is a ruined tudor gothic design by William Wilkins, built c.1820 and currently under demolition. The Stables, also 19th century, are listed B and have been adopted for farm use. Dunmore Tower, of 15th-16th century origin, was restored in the 19th century and listed C(S). The Pineapple and Walled Garden, built in 1761 or slightly later, are listed A (and are the subject of a separate entry). There is also the East Lodge which is listed B.

Parkland

The parkland is farmed today and the outer fields are cropped. However the roundel plantings remain, as does a lime avenue along the main drive to the house. More ornamental trees remain along the former drive from the walled garden to the house and in the area to the south-west of the house. Most of the individual parkland trees have gone and both the West Lodge and the summerhouse recorded on the 1st edition map have since disappeared.

Woodland

The woodland blocks to the south and west of the parks are coniferous plantations today. Formerly there were many woodland walks within the woodlands linking the house and shrubbery with the walled garden, the chapel and Tower, and with other features such as the summerhouse. There was an extensive walled shrubbery planted to the north of the house, which is overgrown today.

Walled Gardens

The large walled garden is divided into two sections: the west section which was subdivided into ten compartments with an ornamental canal at its southern end, and the eastern section which was used as an orchard in 1863. The unique folly gardenhouse, The Pineapple, was built in 1761, not long after pineapples were introduced to Scotland in 1732. It was surrounded on both sides by an extensive range of glasshouses which have since gone. The Pineapple has been restored and is available for holiday lets through the Landmark Trust.

References

Bibliography

Sources

Printed Sources

CL, July 18th 1974

Groome's

Listings

NMRS, Photographs

About the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes

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.

The inventory is a list of Scotland's most important gardens and designed landscapes. We maintain the inventory under the terms of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.

We add sites of national importance to the inventory using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

The information in the inventory record gives an indication of the national importance of the site(s). It is not a definitive account or a complete description of the site(s). The format of records has changed over time. Earlier records may be brief and some information will not have been recorded.

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

Images

DUNMORE PARK
DUNMORE PARK
DUNMORE PARK

Printed: 29/03/2024 13:34