South Wing, Strathenry Castle

A late 16th-century tower that has been substantially developed through successive architectural campaigns. The principal structure is a 3-storey tower with attic, measuring 3 bays across, topped with a crowstepped gable and bartizan at the east gable. Additions include a single-storey wing with attic to the south extending eastward to form a courtyard, and a single-storey wing to the north. The openings feature segmental-arched cart bays and finialled gabled dormerheads. The construction is random whinstone rubble with ashlar quoins, stone margins and eaves course; the later additions use coursed ashlar with long and short quoins, base and eaves course, and chamfered arrises.

Main Tower: South Elevation

The south-facing main elevation displays a door with fanlight positioned left of centre, below a panel bearing the initials 'TF' and 'IL' with armorial insignia. To the right sits a blocked opening and a large corner stone. A lower extension adjoins at right angles to the left. The first floor contains a window with a relieving arch above the door, with another window to the outer right and the roof pitch of the extension visible to the left. The second floor has 3 windows, and the third floor features 3 swept dormers that break the eaves and lead into a steep roof pitch.

North Elevation

The north-facing elevation (described from NMRS photographs of 1972–1973 due to limited accessibility) shows 3 storeys with part attic and 3 bays. A projecting centre stair tower with ogee roof and linking pitch roof dominates this face. A door to the west sits beneath an angled projecting porch and fanlight surmounted by a monogram of a member of the Douglas family, flanked by the date 1699. The first floor contains a window below, with windows at each floor of the north face and a decorative panel over the second floor. A tiny window sits near the eaves to the east. A single window appears to the right at first-floor level. A single-storey lean-to extension with window adjoins to the left, alongside a single-storey pitch-roof porch extension further to the outer left. A window at second-floor level and a swept dormer breaking the eaves complete this elevation.

East and West Elevations

The east elevation is largely blank, with a pitch-roofed extension at ground and first-floor levels. A bartizan at eaves height features a parapet walk and open turrets at the outer angles, with a crowstepped gable rising behind. The west elevation shows a window to the outer left at first and attic levels, beneath a crowstepped gable.

Roof and External Finishes

Windows throughout predominantly use 12-pane glazing in sash and case frames. The roof is covered in grey slates with ashlar coped stepped skews and moulded skewputts. Chimneys vary: coped rubble stacks rise from the tower, whilst elsewhere they are cavetto coped with hipped ashlar construction, finished with ball and point finials.

Interior

The basement originally formed a single vaulted chamber, later subdivided into 3 rooms with the central vault removed. The upper floors each contain 2 rooms, whilst the third floor has been opened into a single space. Moulded stone and wooden fireplaces from the late 17th century survive, and a panelled dining room is present.

Courtyard Extensions

The extensions occupy previously developed sites. The east wing extends to the boundary wall as a single storey with a deep set door to the left and possibly 2 garage doors to the right. The symmetrical south wing features a pend door to the outer right and 4 cart-arch bays to the left; 2 of these have been converted to part-glazed windows whilst 2 retain early wooden split garage doors with tripartite lights. A boarded door with quadripartite fanlight occupies the outer left. The first floor displays 4 finialled dormer gablets breaking the eaves (2 to centre, 1 to outer left and right), with a modern rooflight to the left of centre.

The east return wing contains a cart-arch bay to the right of centre, with blocked windows in flanking bays beneath finialled dormer gablets. Further blocked windows and 2 boarded doors with quadripartite fanlights and adjacent flanking lights occupy the left side; each opening except the cart bay has a small air vent at eaves level. The east-facing gable features a blocked centre window at ground level and a louvred window.

Outbuildings

Garden Cottage, a single-storey building to the north, features a flat-roof porch extension to the right and an outer left window to both north and east elevations. It is constructed of squared and snecked whinstone rubble with stepped, coped ashlar skews, skewputts and stacks, topped with a ball and spike finial.

A gig house, a further single-storey rectangular-plan outbuilding to the northwest of the Lodge, has its north elevation adjoining the boundary wall with a boarded door in a segmental arched opening. A small gate and lower boundary wall adjoin to the west, with a smaller extension to the south. It features ashlar coped skews and moulded skewputts.

The range to the northeast, identified as Steading Cottage and possibly designed by William Burn, is constructed of coursed ashlar with long and short quoins and stone mullion. This single-storey range has an advanced gable to the right with a blocked bipartite window, 6 blocked windows to the left with a door at the outer left, and a further left bay (possibly gabled) that is obscured. It displays ashlar coped stacks, stepped skews and moulded skewputts.

Gatepiers, Gates and Boundary Walls

Square gatepiers of droved ashlar with flat coping and ball finials flank the main and rear entrances; round gatepiers with domed capping serve the north (Lodge) building. All are fitted with ornamental iron gates. Ashlar coped squared and snecked whinstone rubble boundary walls complete the composition.

Architectural History

The tower dates to the late 16th century. William Burn added significant portions in 1824, followed by remodelling by David Bryce in 1845. Henry F Kerr carried out further alterations in 1906, with later additions and modifications undertaken subsequently.