Kinloch Castle, Rum

Kinloch Castle, Rum

Designed by the London architects Leeming and Leeming, this large rectangular castellated Tudor mansion was dated 1897 and completed in 1906. The building is constructed around an inner courtyard and presents principal fronts to the east and south. The east entrance front features a square off-centre tower that rises above the roofline. The north, east and south elevations are encircled by a continuous arcaded verandah with a glazed roof, masked by a crenellated wallhead.

The castle is built entirely of red Arran stone, consisting of bull-faced squared rubble with tooled ashlar dressings. A projecting off-centre entrance porch sits in the base of a 3-storey tower within the 11-bay east front. This tower incorporates a substantial stair turret corbelled out at first-floor height at the south-east angle, with a further bartizan at the north-east. The segmental-headed porch entrance is flanked by engaged columns with a parapet above bearing angle ball finials. It is approached by a widely splayed flight of shallow steps with a low balustrade and terminal urns.

Angle drum towers rise above the wallhead at each corner, terminating in corbelled and crenellated wallheads. Three canted bay windows rise the full height to the right of the entrance porch, lighting the entrance hall. The fenestration is regular throughout, with mullioned and transomed windows glazed with plate glass. The south garden front features French windows leading from the drawing room to a projecting terrace, formerly glazed as a conservatory. A further entrance to the left of the terrace provides access to the library, gun room and secondary stair. The centre rear (west) elevation has a high round-headed entrance to the inner court and service area, flanked by engaged columns rising the full height and terminating as turrets. Further bowed oriels are corbelled out at first-floor height, rising one storey as semi-circular crenellated dormers. Six flat-roofed dormer windows occupy the west elevation, with three further dormers on the north. Ridge stacks bear diminutive crenellated cornices; crenellated wallheads and slate roofs complete the exterior.

Interior

The interior is lavishly and ornately finished in Edwardian style, retaining original fittings and furnishings throughout. The entrance lobby opens into a large inner hall rising through the first floor with an encircling gallery to three sides. The hall is entirely panelled with a panelled ceiling featuring strapwork design and drop pendants. An ingle nook contains an ashlar chimney piece, whilst window seats are built into the canted bay windows rising full height, fitted with stained glass. A neo-Jacobean carved frieze ornaments the base of the balustered gallery. The principal staircase opens off to the left with a panelled stairwell, carved square balusters and terminal newels bearing urn finials.

The drawing room is painted white with panelled dados and fielded panelling within pedimented door cases. A deep inglenook is framed with a carved and panelled semi-circular arch with ornate decorative plasterwork within the spandrels and a projecting bracketed cornice. Two chimney pieces, one within the inglenook, feature Adamesque designs with original basket grates. The ceiling displays a plaster cornice with strapwork detailing. The dining room is lined with rich mahogany panelling, featuring reeded pilasters with Corinthian capitals linking the dado to the picture rail. Panelled doors with scroll pediments and a decorative plaster ceiling complete the room. A small pantry fitted with cupboards having inlaid doors occupies a drum tower alcove, with a further small "inglenook" dining area suitable for two or three persons.

The ballroom is a high room with a barrel-vaulted ceiling, white painted panelled dado and a small musicians' gallery. Further ground-floor public rooms include a gun room with fitted gun cupboards, a billiard room and a library. Inlaid parquet flooring runs throughout. The principal bedrooms occupy the south front, including Lady Bullogh's bedroom, which contains an Adamesque chimney piece. One bedroom in the south-west is fitted with Jacobean panelling and fittings said to have been taken from Wandsworth House and installed at Kinloch circa 1906. Various bathrooms retain original sanitary ware throughout, including large baths with showers, all encased in mahogany panelling. Each bath features seven taps and contemporary decorative tiled surrounds.