Longformacus House

Longformacus House

Longformacus House is an early 18th-century symmetrical classical mansion, grade A listed, built for Sir Robert Sinclair. The architect remains uncertain: although William Adam's name appears in connection with the building through VITRUVIUS SCOTICUS (published 1812), the plate is signed "Adam delin" rather than "Adam inv" or "Adam architectus" as seen on his definite works such as Mavisband, The Drum and Duff House. This notation suggests Adam was responsible for the drawing only, not the original design. James Smith (circa 1645-1731) has been suggested as the possible architect, with the plain classicism of contemporary houses such as Strathleven, Melville and Newhailes offering stylistic similarities, though this attribution remains unconfirmed. A pedimented addition and columnar portico were added in the late 18th or early 19th century, followed by further additions and alterations in the mid to later 19th century. A late Victorian wing to the north was removed in the 1970s, restoring the house to its original state.

The main building is a two-storey structure with attic and basement, comprising seven bays in a classical arrangement. It is predominantly harled with coursed and tooled sandstone to the pedimented frontispiece and sandstone ashlar dressings throughout. Rusticated sandstone quoins and a sandstone band stepped out to the basement mark the principal floor. Moulded and corniced eaves complete the composition.

The entrance elevation features a projecting three-bay pedimented frontispiece at the centre with a columnar portico at ground level. The portico comprises paired Tuscan Doric columns to outer left and right, with a plain frieze, cornice and parapet. The timber-panelled door is recessed within, with a border-glazed fanlight and narrow side-lights flanked by engaged pilasters. A single window is aligned at first floor, with single windows at ground and first floors in the flanking bays. The surmounting pediment contains a carved palmette cradling a central oculus, with urn-shaped finials at either end. Single windows at basement, ground and first floors in the remaining bays are recessed to the outer left and right, with pedimented timber dormers between the outer bays above.

The side elevation to the south comprises two bays with single windows at ground and first floors in both, topped by a pedimented dormer centred above. The rear or west elevation has a flush three-bay centrepiece with modern steps oversailing the basement to French doors at ground level (with lugged surround), a single window below and a single window above. Single windows at all floors in the flanking bays are accompanied by pedimented timber dormers between the outer bays above. Above the centrepiece sits a platformed, pyramidal-roofed attic addition with two pedimented dormers breaking the corniced eaves, which feature bracketed cills and a decorative finial. The north elevation contains a part-glazed timber-panelled door at basement, offset to the left of centre.

Openings throughout are predominantly stop-chamfered with sandstone surrounds and flush cills. Windows are predominantly replacement eight-pane timber sash and case, with lying-pane basement glazing at the rear, four-pane basement glazing to the front, and four-pane timber sash and case attic lights. The roof is covered in graded grey slate with piend and platform pitches and a slightly bell-cast profile; the rear attic is topped with a platformed pyramidal roof. Replacement rainwater goods are in place. Corniced sandstone ashlar stacks flank the centre of the main roof, each topped with a circular can.

The interior was not inspected in 1997, but historic photographs held in the National Monuments Record of Scotland document decorative plasterwork, timber-panelled dados, fireplaces of various designs, timber-panelled doors and service bells, which are assumed to remain in place.

To the north-east and north-west are former ancillary structures: a game store and laundry respectively, with adjoining walls enclosing a rectangular courtyard. Both are constructed of squared and snecked whinstone with rake-jointed pointing in part, tooled cream sandstone dressings, and overhanging timber bracketed eaves. Sandstone quoins, long and short sandstone surrounds to openings and projecting cills are features of both.

The former game store to the north-east is a single-storey, single-bay, near square-plan block. Its entrance elevation faces south with a boarded timber door offset to the left of centre. The east elevation contains a single window at the centre with an adjoining rubble wall recessed to the outer left. The north (rear) elevation has a single window at the centre with an adjoining rubble wall to the outer right, and the west elevation contains a single window at the centre. Windows throughout are three-pane opaque-glazed timber sash and case. The roof is graded grey slate with a pyramidal profile and a pyramidal-capped, louvred ventilator at the apex. The interior was not seen in 1997.

The former laundry to the north-west is a single-storey, five-by-two-bay rectangular-plan block. Its entrance elevation faces east with a boarded timber door offset to the left of centre and a square-headed garage opening to the outer left, along with single windows in two bays to the right of centre and a boarded timber door in the bay to the outer right. The north elevation contains single windows in both bays and a boarded timber door in a coped rubble wall adjoining the outer left. The roof is graded grey slate with a piended profile. A corniced sandstone ashlar ridge stack sits at the centre, topped with a circular can. The interior was not seen in 1997.

The courtyard entrance is marked by coursed cream sandstone ashlar gatepiers of square plan, each surmounted by a ball-shaped finial; the gates are missing.

Flanking the main south-west entrance are low coped tooled rubble quadrant walls with spearheaded iron railings. Pyramidal-capped square-plan piers stand to the outer left and right. The entrance itself is framed by chamfered square-plan gatepiers with decorative sandstone caps, with spearheaded iron pedestrian gates and two-leaf spearheaded vehicular access gates. Modern gatepiers and gates flank a secondary west entrance.

Longformacus House remains one of the most significant buildings in its parish and within Scotland as a whole, both historically and architecturally. The nearby dovecot, walled garden and gate lodge (The Lodge) are listed separately.