Castle Stuart

Dated 1625, restoration and alterations, J M Wardrop and

C Reid, 1869. Tower house of height varying between 4-6

storey; all harled rubble with ashlar dressings. Long

rectangular south facing block, with flanking SW and SE

square towers and with 2-storey square turrets with

crowstepped gabled roofs corbelled out at NW and NE angles.

Original entrance in base of SW re-entrant angle; 1869

principal entrance off-centre in recessed irregular 3-bay

South front, with moulded door jambs and with blind panel

recess above. 6-storey SW tower has (1869) crenellated

wall-head with round corbelled angles and water spouts;

stair turret projects above crenellated wallhead, terminating

with finialled ogee open crown spire. SE tower rises 4

storeys, with steeply pitched crowstepped roof with end

stacks and corbelled angle turrets with conical roofs.

Long rounded narrow stair towers in East and West re-entrant

angles corbelled out at first floor height.

Gun loops and slit vents in ground floor; regular

fenestration in upper floors, many windows enlarged and

regularised during 1869 restoration. Some windows break

wallhead under shaped pediments (also 1869). Multi-pane

glazing; end and wallhead coped stacks; local slate roofs.

Interior: original floor plan mostly survives, though a

later staircase has been inserted (1869) to service principal

entrance. Scale and plat stair in SW tower leading to

first floor hall; upper storeys served by mural wheel

stairs. Plain original chimney piece in first floor hall;

elsewhere mainly 1869, including extensive panelling;

turret rooms converted to bathrooms in late 1970s.

Gate piers: later 19th century (probably 1869) pair

panelled polished ashlar square gate piers with corniced

caps and ornate urn finials; linked by decorative wrought-iron overthrow; incorporating Moray monogram and coronet as

central motif; matching cast and wrought iron carriage gates.