Bothy, Glenbranter Farmhouse

Loch Lomond And Trossachs National Park Planning Authority

Glenbranter farmhouse is a late 18th or early 19th century 3-bay 2-storey and attic symmetrical farmhouse with a small bothy at its SE end and a converted bothy to the NW. It is a substantial early farmhouse, one of a series built in Strachur at the time, in good condition despite some early 20th century alterations.

The New Statistical Account (c1843) mentions that Glenbranter had been built since the first Statistical Account of c1792. The layout of the house - one room deep with few openings to the rear, suggests a date closer to 1800. A house appears at Glenbranter on Thomson's map of 1824. The front (NE) elevation is symmetrical but for the additions to the NW gable wall. The slightly raised surrounds to the windows and central door are the only decorative features. The attic floor is lit by 2 large gabled dormers with slated cheeks. To the NW a gable-fronted former second bothy has been joined to the main house by means of a lean-to infill. To the SE is the gable of the separate bothy (see below). The rear (SW) elevation of the main block has no entrance, but has 4 irregularly-disposed windows and a single central piend-roofed dormer. On the W corner is a flat-roofed glazed addition with access to the house through the NW block.

On the 1st edition OS map there are substantial outbuildings to the rear of the house. By the late 19th century this had been extended further. However, adaptation and alteration for forestry operations during the 20th century resulted in the demolition of all but a small remnant of the SE range.

The house was substantially renovated in c1915 (sale particulars, 1920). This appears to have principally involved the interior.

Interior: a number of internal features survive. Many of these date to late 19th century and to the early 20th century rebuilding. This includes hardwood shutters and other joinery, decorative plasterwork and timber boarding. Unusually, there is a second reception room on the 1st floor, with further decorative plasterwork. The main stair is of stone, with a timber stair to attic level.

Materials: painted rubble, harled to side elevations. 4-pane timber sash and case windows to the front, predominantly uPVC to the rear. 4-panel main door with narrow rectangular fanlight. Slate roof with timber dormers. Stone gablehead stacks, clay cans. Cast iron rainwater goods.

Bothy: to the SE is an intact bothy, narrowly separated from the house. Single-storey, double-fronted with a central timber boarded door and a single window in each gable. Slate roof, single gablehead stack.

Railings and Gate: wrought iron railings. Pierced cast iron gatepiers, wrought iron main gate and hand-gates. It is thought that the gates and railings were brought here from Glenbranter House after its demolition.