The Park, Culross

The Park, Culross

A classical mansion dating to circa 1840, comprising a principal 2-storey building with basement and attic, arranged in three bays, to which a 2-storey and basement and attic wing of two bays was added to the east in the later 19th century. The building is constructed of coursed droved ashlar with raised ashlar quoins. A Tuscan portico marks the main entrance, complemented by balustraded stairs and terrace. Architectural detailing includes plain band courses below ground floor and above first floor windows, a fillet string course below first floor windows, and corniced eaves with a balustraded parapet to the roof on all but the rear elevations.

The south (principal) elevation presents a symmetrical composition to the original house. A balustraded staircase leads to the central entrance and continues as a terrace on either side, supported on voluted brackets at the extremities. Basement windows flank an advanced central section containing windows below the terrace. Two steps rise from the terrace to the entrance door, which features a moulded doorpiece and fanlight, sheltered by the portico with its corniced pediment, which is formed by two columns to the front and two pilasters behind. Two first floor windows flank the ground floor door, with three first floor windows centred above. The advanced two-bay extension to the right includes a central window at each storey to the left, a balconette to the principal floor window, and an advanced full-height fenestration bay with a canted bay window to each floor. The stonework course continues from the original house, with the addition of a fillet string course below principal floor windows.

The west elevation contains a basement window to the left and three regularly spaced principal and first floor windows, each with balconettes to the principal floor level. A flat-roofed single-storey garage occupies the far left, constructed of tooled coursed stone with raised quoins and a corniced wallhead, featuring a central garage door.

The north elevation displays two basement windows to the left. An advanced flat-roofed service wing and garage extending the length of the rear rises to the right, with a window to the far left of the wing, a door, and two windows to the right of the door, a corniced wallhead, and garage doors to both returns. To the main house, a piano nobile window appears at the far left with two smaller windows to the right. An advanced section near the centre contains two windows with a corniced string course above, followed by two further set-back windows to the far right. Two first floor windows stand to the far left, with a large bipartite stained glass stair window featuring stone transom and mullion to the right, and three first floor windows further right. Round-headed dormer windows are set wholly in the roof.

The east elevation features a central basement door and a window to the right flank, with a piano nobile window to the far left and centre, each with balconettes, and a central first floor window.

Throughout the building, windows are finished as multi-paned basement floor windows and 2-pane timber sash and case windows with horns to ground floor piano nobile windows, with 4-pane timber sash and case windows with horns to the first floor. The front door is timber panelled. The roof is of piended slate with a platformed ridge and rooflights, whilst ridge stacks to the east and west gables and a central ridge stack are corniced with polygonal cans. Rainwater goods pierce string courses to the south and east elevations.

The building was converted into four flats but retains many original interior features. The ground floor corridor features cornicing with egg and dart, bead and reel, guilloche and ivy patterns. The west flat on the ground floor contains cornicing to the west room with egg and dart, bead and reel dentils and modillions, a black marble fireplace, timber floorboards, and timber panelled shutters with original catches. A service bell is positioned beside the fireplace. A timber panelled former linen cupboard in the north ground floor room preserves dated lists stuck to its inside cupboard doors. A curved stone staircase descends to the basement with stone slabs to the cupboard below stairs and a stone floor. Inscribed on the wall of the northwest room, preserved by the present occupants, is the text 'Papered by W Erskine & J Straiten 20th April 1907'.

The east flat on the ground floor features similar but more decorative cornicing, painted pink, green, grey and gold, with a large painted roundel to the south room. The larger south room and smaller north room are connected by full-height timber panelled doors. Marble fireplaces with carved grapes are positioned on the east wall of each room. A staircase to the northeast in the later section features coloured glass to the stair window. The upper flat interiors were not examined at the time of survey in 2001.

To the rear of The Park stands a single-storey store built into the north bank. The south elevation is constructed of tooled snecked stone with a coped wallhead and rounded shoulders. The store contains two vaulted brick-lined tunnels, each originally fitted with a timber plank door, though the east door is now missing.