Lochryan House

Lochryan House

Built in 1701, this mansion house was significantly altered in the early 19th century by architect Alan Dickie (1820–4) and mason James Brown (1826). The building comprises a complex arrangement of varying heights: single storey with basement, two storey with basement, attic and basement, and three storey with basement, arranged across 13 bays in a grouped pattern of 3-2-3-2-3. The main structure is constructed of painted rubble with a grey slate roof featuring stone skews, coped stacks, and square cans to the main house stacks.

The south-west elevation serves as the entrance front. Steps lead to an advanced, pilastered and corniced flat-roofed entrance porch of late 19th-century date, set within recessed 3 central bays. This contains a 2-leaf timber door beneath an armorial panel, above which is an inner timber glazed 2-leaf door. Single windows aligned above this entrance at first and second floor levels, with flanking single windows at basement, ground, first and second floors. The first floor windows retain louvred shutters. A distinctive feature comprises 5 tall merlons screening the roof at second floor level, these having been added during the 1820–4 improvements as specified by Alan Dickie. Advanced 2-bay wings flank the main section, with regular fenestration at basement, ground and first floors; the right wing's first floor includes a projecting oriel window. Single canted dormers, added in the late 19th century, project from half-piended lean-to roofs. Screen walls and balustrades link the main house to service buildings. Earlier 19th-century single storey and basement wings, possibly constructed by mason James Brown, extend from the outer right and left of this elevation.

The north-east rear elevation contains steps leading to a central, square-headed entrance in recessed 3 central bays, with a stair window aligned above and flanking single windows at basement, ground, first and second floors. Advanced wings flank the central section. The right wing has a single window at ground and first floor to its outer right; the left wing is blind. Deeply recessed single storey and basement wings occupy the outer right and left. The left wing contains a single window, with a bipartite window to its re-entrant angle; the right wing has a single window, an additional single window to an advanced flat-roofed section, a further single window to the re-entrant angle, and a timber door to the left re-entrant angle.

Throughout the house, fenestration consists predominantly of 12-pane timber sash and case windows.

Internally, the house retains numerous original details including timberwork, cornices and fireplaces.

The house was built for Colonel Agnew of Croach. Architectural historian John Gifford notes an interesting sequence of development. Originally constructed as two storeys with basement and attic, the recessed 3-bay central section was heightened during the 1820–4 improvements. Gifford questions whether the wings are original features or represent replacements of earlier piended double-pitch roofs. The outer wings likely date from improvements made by mason James Brown in 1826.

The house is listed as part of a group with walled gardens, pavilions, rabbit house, ancillary structures, dovecot, sundial, gatepiers and boundary walls.