Balgownie House, Culross

Balgownie House, Culross

Possibly dating to the 18th century with a mid 19th century addition to the south, this building is a 2-storey structure with an attic storey. It comprises a 6-bay former house, now converted to school use as of 2001. The building has a complex plan, with a rectangular-plan principal section fronting the main elevation, a rectangular-plan rear wing, and additional wings extending to the east and west, connected by a central linking section.

The principal south elevation is plain in treatment, finished with white render and features painted window architraves, door surrounds, eaves course and quoins. At the 4th bay stands a 2-leaf panelled door with a 2-pane fanlight, set within a slightly advanced pedimented doorpiece with acroteria and a blank plaque to the aedicule. To the left are 3 windows and to the right 2 windows. The first floor contains 6 regularly spaced windows. The east wing projects with a tall ground floor window (partially blocked, possibly a former door) and a 1st floor window above. An adjoining wing to the right features a small ground floor window to the left, a door to the right, and 3 regularly spaced 1st floor windows. The west wing is set back with a single ground and 1st floor window, with painted long and short quoins to the wing. A single storey wing extends to the far left, with a window to the right and a blocked window to the left.

The west elevation contains a single ground and 1st floor window to the right of the principal section, with a small square central attic window and exposed cornice keystones to the margin. A wing to the left contains 2 centred ground and 1st floor windows. An advanced wing to the far left has an advanced single storey wing attached, featuring a central blocked bipartite window to a single storey gable.

The north elevation presents a single storey wing to the far right with doors to right and left. The central rear section has a symmetrical elevation with a 1st floor window to the far right and a semi-circular stair tower to the left, containing a mid stair window and 1st floor window. A ground floor window sits to the left of the stair tower, with single 1st floor windows to left and right above it. A central panelled 1st floor door with 4-pane fanlight is flanked by an identical arrangement to its left, though with a blocked ground floor door. A wing to the far left features a 2-leaf boarded door to the right, an offset 1st floor window to the right, and a ground floor window to the far left, with ventilation holes present. A semi-circular rubble bridge provides access to the central 1st floor door, and an open ashlar drainage channel runs along the perimeter of the house.

The east elevation shows a plain gable to the rear wing with part of the right quoin chamfered. The linking section between the main house and rear wing is set back to the left, with a door to the right and a partially blocked window to the left. A 1st floor window sits above the door and another to the left. The east gable of the principal elevation contains a ground and 1st floor window to the left, with exposed cornice keystones to the margin.

Windows throughout carry moulded architraves except on the rear elevation and rear east wing. The windows are 12-pane timber sash and case type. The roof is slated, with pitched roofs to the main section featuring gable apex stacks and a ridge stack to the east. A pitched roof extends from the rear elevation to the east with a gable apex stack. The west section is piended with a ridge stack, and an additional ridge stack serves the east section. The east wing gable has a piended roof with a shouldered gable end stack. The west wing carries a pitched roof with a gable apex stack. Two ridge stacks serve the west side of the central section linking the main and rear elevations. Throughout the building, stacks are corniced in stone, predominantly featuring fluted and corniced circular clay cans.

The interior, partially observed in 2001, comprises a vestibule leading to an inner central door with flanking glazed panels. An elliptical arch with leaf and dart cornicing opens to the hall, which is laid with plain black and terracotta tiles. An open well stair with decorative metal balusters and timber handrail ascends from the hall, with plain cornicing, door architraves, panelled window splays and shutters throughout. A coloured glass stair window is decorated with heraldic images and boats. Two turnpike stairs provide access to the attic, with stone steps remaining in place. Internal access connects the house to a west outhouse with a flagged floor.