Finlarich House

Finlarich House is a substantial house originally dating from 1848, beginning as a 3-bay, single-storey and attic cottage. In the late 19th century, two separate 2-storey additions were built to the rear, significantly expanding the size of the original cottage. The house is situated to the north of Gartmore House, and was originally part of the Gartmore estate. It is set within sloping grounds, surrounded by mature woodland and with extensive lawns.

The principal, or south, elevation is symmetrical, featuring a central door flanked by single windows. Upper floor windows are positioned in the attic. The front elevation is distinguished by two gabled bays, with decorative cast-iron rainwater goods and decorative pierced timber bargeboards, features not found elsewhere in the parish of Port of Menteith within the National Park. An original cast-iron rooflight is centrally positioned. Interior glazing includes an arched window within the east gable of the drawing room overlooking the garden.

A rear addition extends the full width of the house, with a higher roof pitch and various windows to the gables. A shouldered wallhead stack is found on the rear elevation. A further, smaller addition, originally a garage and now used as a kitchen and bedroom, abuts this wall. The west elevation features a first-storey that slightly projects over the ground floor, creating an angled upper floor that forms a covered entrance below – an unusual design for a rear extension. A corrugated iron shed is located at the rear of the house.

The interior is accessed via a half-glazed, timber-panelled lobby door leading to a large hall. The original cottage’s plan form has been extensively altered due to the extensions. A substantial timber staircase with pine balusters and a handrail now provides access to the upper floor, situated within the large hall and landing of the central block. The rooms in this part of the house, including the dining room, have larger proportions than the original cottage, with high ceilings and late 19th/early 20th century timber fireplaces. Interior doors are timber-panelled, and principal rooms feature decorative cornicing, deep skirting, picture and dado rails. Timber working shutters are also present.

The house is constructed of whitewashed rubble with dressed openings and quoins, with the rear addition rendered. The front door is timber-panelled with a 2-pane fanlight. Predominantly 4-pane timber sash and case windows are found throughout. Smaller 8-pane windows are present on the upper floors of the gables. Decorative glazing with a central diamond design features in the ground floor garden elevation of the original cottage. The roofs are covered in graded grey slates, with corniced, whitewashed stacks featuring polygonal clay cans at the east gable and rear. Decorative bargeboards and cast iron rainwater goods, including hoppers, downpipe fixings, and metal guttering with pierced detailing and fixings, are prominent on the principal elevation.