Outbuildings And Stables, Bavelaw Castle

Outbuildings and Stables, Bavelaw Castle

This complex of agricultural and domestic buildings dates from circa 1628, with possible earlier foundations. The main house and associated structures underwent significant later interventions: circa 1900 additions by Robert Lorimer, and further alterations in 1938 by Dick Peddie and McKay.

Main House

The principal building is a 2-storey and attic crowstepped gabled laird's house constructed of harled rubble with sandstone margins and dressings, featuring boat-shaped dormers.

The east (main) elevation displays 5 asymmetrical bays to the main block, with a 6th early 20th-century flat-roofed addition to the outer right and a single-storey gabled stable block advanced to the east. The off-centre door to the left at ground level has a simple lugged surround; a gun-loop sits immediately to the left. The advanced outer left block contains gun-loops on 2 stages. Two small windows sit directly above the door with roll-moulded jamb and lintel; a small inter-floor window sits to the right of the door. Two loosely spaced bays to the right have a dormer to the left of the penultimate bay, with windows symmetrically ranged from basement to 2nd floor level. A roll-moulded jamb and lintel appear at the centre window. A curved round tower bay at the corner outer right of the main block contains a gun-loop at ground level and 3 small windows ranged above, with a very small window under the eaves. A modern flat-roofed block clasps to the outer right. A broad bay to the left of the door features a crowstepped gable breaking the eaves and a gun-loop at ground right; 2 large windows with chamfered arrises sit to the left at principal and 2nd floor. A broad slightly advanced bay to the outer left contains a dormer at centre. A sympathetic circa 1900 turret by Robert Lorimer occupies the re-entrant angle, with deeply moulded corbelling.

The south elevation presents an L-plan with a broad single-bay main block to the left and a narrow gabled jamb advanced to the outer right. Windows are symmetrically disposed at the centre of the main block from ground to shaped dormerhead at attic level. A narrow window appears at ground, a broad window at principal floor, and a narrow window offset to the left of centre in the jamb. The left return has windows symmetrically disposed off-centre to the left.

The west elevation was originally L-plan with a 2-bay main block featuring a broad advanced gable to the outer right with a recessed block to the left. An early 20th-century infill service bay in the re-entrant angle connects to a 2-storey flat-roofed 3-bay block to the outer left. The gable is blank except for a window at right at gablehead; a window appears at principal floor, and a pedimented window on the left return. The left block has windows symmetrically disposed at centre. A 2-bay single-storey flat-roofed block in the re-entrant angle features moulded coping with 3 blind decorative stone guttering details under the coping. A narrow panelled and boarded door sits to the right with a fanlight above; a window sits to the left. The flat-roofed outer left block has windows symmetrically disposed at 1st floor and a large window at ground outer left, with a narrow window to the right.

Windows throughout comprise 12-pane sash and case, 4-pane over 2-pane sash and case, 4-pane small windows, and 8-pane over 12-pane sash and case at the west elevation. The roof is grey slate with stone ridge; harled coped apex and ridge stacks feature thackstanes.

The interior was not seen in 1993.

Stables and Stores

A single-storey rectangular-plan crowstepped gable block stands immediately to the west of the house, aligned north-south. It is harled with polished stone margins and dressings, featuring a moulded eaves cornice and decorative guttering under the eaves.

The east elevation comprises 10 bays (grouped 1-3-3-1-2) with boarded latticed doors and coloured glass fanlights; 16-pane casement windows; and small 6-pane windows.

The west elevation is mainly blank with a window at centre; piended cement rendered dormerheads are symmetrically disposed.

The roof is grey slate with crowstepped gables and narrow coped rendered stacks to the left of the apex.

Outbuildings

A long rectangular-plan gabled block advanced to the east of the house at the north side forms a partial entrance court. It is harled with polished stone and concrete dressings and margins, featuring a moulded eaves cornice and decorative guttering.

The north elevation displays 7 near-symmetrical bays with a crowstepped gabled hoist door at centre (half-glazed and boarded), a door and window at ground; 3 bays to the left contain a door and 2 windows, and the right side has a door and window.

The south elevation features small blind guttering and niche detailing symmetrically disposed under the eaves.

The roof is grey slate with stone roof ridge; a tall modern rendered ridge stack rises at the apex.

Gates and Boundaries

Directly in front of the entrance is an original 17th-century approach, now overgrown and unused but still visible. At the base of the avenue stand 17th-century gatepiers of coursed stone on the east face with cornice and square cap; evidence of finials survives though they are no longer evident. Large rubble-built buttresses sit at the rear.

Low ashlar corniced gatepiers lead into the service area at the rear of the house, featuring a sunken centre panel and ball finial.

Low drystone rubble walls surround the area of the house to the south and east. A rubble wall with harl pointing and semicircular coping borders the west.