Holodyke

Holodyke is an asymmetrical house constructed in four main stages, primarily during the 19th century. A rear wing was added in 1919 by Sir Reginald Fairlie. By 1880, a two-story central gable and a low right wing already existed. The right wing was raised to a full two-story height in 1889 for Sir Thomas Clouston, whose initials are visible on the roof slates. In 1896, a matching left wing was added, also for Sir Thomas Clouston, incorporating a tall, square entrance tower in the re-entrant angle. Both the left and right wings, along with Fairlie's parallel wing behind, feature crow-stepped gables. The walls are harled, though the early views show a rubble-faced construction. The house has sash windows and slate roofs; some first-floor windows break through the eaves, and there's a projecting chimney breast on the left gable. Outbuildings are located to the rear.

Holodyke served as a shooting lodge until 1958. It’s believed that a school occupied the site in the 18th century, and may be incorporated into the present house’s structure. Sir Thomas Clouston acquired Holodyke from his brother in 1880; he was a psychiatrist at the Morningside Asylum in Edinburgh, and building materials, including an oak hall floor, are said to have originated from the asylum. In 1919, additions were made for Clouston’s daughter and her husband, Sir David Wallace, with Willie Firth from Harray acting as the builder.

The artist Arthur Melville spent time at Holodyke, and during the Second World War, it was used by the RAF as an officers’ mess. The entrance tower contains a water tank, originally supplied by a gas engine which pumped water into it. Information from the owner, including photographs documenting the house’s construction stages, provides additional details.