Grange Hall

Grange Hall is a substantial mansion built in 1808–9 to the design of William Stark, the Edinburgh architect. It underwent significant additions and alterations in 1837 and again in 1881 under John Rhind of Inverness, with further additions in 1898.

The main building comprises two storeys and an attic above a rock-faced raised basement. The south-facing main front displays five bays of tooled ashlar, while the flanks and rear are of coursed rubble with polished ashlar dressings. The wide central bay, which is slightly advanced and pedimented, is delineated by paired giant pilasters bearing stylised foliate capitals. The original centre tripartite doorpiece is now masked by a later classical portico added in 1881, which is supported by widely spaced stumpy Roman Doric columns that rest on and integrate with the balustrade flanking the flight of steps oversailing the raised basement. In 1881 the attic storey was raised over the four angles of the building. Eight French pavilion roofs were installed at this time, each fronted by an open pedimented wallhead dormer containing a segmental-headed window. The roof is of piended platform construction with a corniced wallhead and centre stacks.

The three-bay return elevations at the west feature a later projecting pilastered tripartite opening onto a balcony on the south side, from which a balustraded flight of steps descends to the garden. A substantial single-storey addition with a basement, comprising four bays, extends to the rear with a flat roof surrounded by an ashlar balustrade. A rear stair tower rises one stage above this roof, ornamented with clasping pilaster strips and arcaded panels, a crowning cornice and parapet. Windows throughout are of 2-pane and 12-pane glazing.

An 1898 screenwall extends eastward, incorporating a round-headed doorway with a monogrammed tympanum set beneath an open pediment. This wall is of rock-faced ashlar in its lower courses with tooled ashlar above, finished with an ashlar cornice, blocking course and ball finials. Keystoned oculi flank the gate and a further two similar oculi flank the front steps in the basement.

The interior features a fine entrance stairhall with an enriched decoratively banded plaster ceiling and a fluted columned screen supporting a Doric entablature. The cantilevered staircase displays ornate cast-iron balusters. The drawing room and parlour (sitting room) open off the hall to the west and intercommunicate through double doors. Both rooms retain decorated plaster ceilings, beaded panelled doors, dados, window shutters, bracketed overdoors with neo-classical frieze details, and white marble chimneypieces. The dining room opens off the hall to the east and features a swagged plaster cornice and carved overdoors with similar motifs, a bracketed and corniced buffet recess, a grey marble chimneypiece, and beaded panelled doors, dados and window shutters. The ground floor public rooms appear to have been little altered since 1809 and retain their original decoration and fittings of excellent quality.

The house was built by James Peterkin 'of Grange and Greeshop' (Forres), who purchased The Grange Estate from the Dunbar family around 1799–1800. His fourth child Mary Ann eventually inherited the house following the deaths of her two brothers. She married Major Peter Grant of Invererne in 1836 and the couple adopted the name Grant Peterkin. William Stark (1770–1813), the architect responsible for the design, was a man of unusual ability who died young.