Description

Dated 1682; with later addition. 2 storey and attic; T-plan; laird's house/former manse with crowstepped gable to central stairtower wing to N. Harled and painted rubble with partially cemented stone dressings. Base course; eaves cornice. Dressed quoins at arrises (where visible). Flush architraves to windows (apparently largely cemented or painted on); gabled breaking-eaves dormers to attic.

N (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: near symmetrical 3-bay arrangement to original building. Central projecting stairtower with crowstepped gable with beaked skewputts; entrance with rusticated surround to right of ground floor; lintel inscribed/painted '16-M-82'; replacement part glazed timber door. Empty niche with moulded architrave above. Window (without architrave) centred just below base of gable; small window to left return. Flanking windows set back to attic. Window set back to left of ground and 1st floors (that to ground floor enlarged mid-later 20th century). Later single storey lean-to addition obscures 1st and 2nd storeys of original building to right bay; window to ground floor; addition continues as slightly taller single storey addition to right of main block.

S ELEVATION: near symmetrical 3-bay arrangement. Central entrance with painted architrave and replacement glazed door set back behind late 20th century semi-octagonal plan conservatory. Window above to each floor. Window to each floor to flanking bays. Cast-iron wall plates at upper level indicate presence of tie rods. Later single storey addition adjoins to left.

E ELEVATION: blank gable end.

W ELEVATION: later single storey addition projects to gable end of original block and continues at right angles to left.

Mainly 2-pane timber sash and case windows to original block. Grey slate roof. Coped gablehead stacks at either end (E and W) of main block; round cans.

INTERIOR: original entrance plan survives largely intact; entrance hall to centre of ground floor with former kitchen to E and parlour to W. Large round-arched fireplace opening (lintel partially cut away to accommodate later range) to former kitchen. Stone turnpike staircase to stairtower.

Statement of Interest

A relatively intact late 17th century house. The extension to the W appear on the 1898 OS map but on on the 1865 edition. All the gables are thought to have been originally crowstepped (RCAHMS). The house appears to have been built by James Craig, Minister of Killearn, who purchased the lands of Dalnair from Archibald, Lord Napier in 1679. According to the RCAHMS the incised date and initials over the main entrance lintel were recut in 1957. At that time the initials comprised M C and E and it is thought that they would have originally read 'M I C - E G' (for Master James Craig and his wife, Elizabeth Govane). Shortly afterwards the lands of Dalnair with the 'mansion house' were transferred to James Craig's son, James. The property belonged to the Craig family until around the later 18th century; following which it belonged successively to the Grahams of Gartmore, the Millers, the Buchanans of Carbeth and the Wilsons of Endrickbank; during this time it would probably have been occupied by tenant farmers. In 1883 the substantially increased estate of Dalnair, with its principal seat at Endrickbank (since rebuilt as Dalnair House), was purchased by Thomas Brown of Glasgow.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17836816

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  For the Record
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]
• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings