July25, 2007, 360 import, House of Dun, the blog.

ONE WEEKEND,

ONE GRANDAUGHTER, ½ DOZ CROSSANTS,

AND THE HOUSE OF DUN

Oh, it just seems so long sinse I did a 'real' blog I just thought it was about time I did one, so here it is, AND there SHOULD be a complete album of photos of 'The House of Dun' in my photo's to go with this blog.

A Couple of weeks ago I stayed over with my daughter and granddaughter, Great Weekend!!. I have the privilege of sleeping in the granddaughters rooms on a futon when I stay there. The Futon’s nice and comfy but there’s not much chance of a lie in with a bouncy, excited 6 yr old peering over the top of her fairy princess bed, grinning her toothless grin, and all at the crack of dawn. True to form she was up with the birds and therefore so was I. We decided to allow her mother the unaccustomed pleasure of a Sunday morning long lie in bed, while we amused ourselves with a leisurely stroll to the shops. We bought the Sunday Newspapers, fresh orange juice and chocolate croissants for breakfast.

Mmmmmmm, yum yum, nice breakfast.

Croissants devoured, newspapers now sticky with chocolate croissant remains were strewn across the floor and we decided to go visit The House of Dun.

House of Dun on AboutBritain.com
This beautiful Georgian house, overlooking the Montrose Basin nature reserve, was designed by William Adam in 1730.
http://www.aboutbritain.com/houseofdun.htm

THE HOUSE OF DUN was designed by architect William Adam and is described as one of his best if not THE best surviving, modest sized, country houses in Scotland today. Adam was commissioned sometime in the early 1730’s by David Erskine,13^th Laird, Judge of the Scottish Court of Session, to build a new, grand, fashionable house on his estate, overlooking the Montrose Basin. The house stands half a mile north of the basin on a pleasant, green and decidedly 'non-floodplain' piece of land. Delving a little into the history I immediately stumbled across something I would like to know more about. It seems the Dun estate was purchased in 1375 by Sir Robert Erskine from Renfrewshire and during the 16^th and 17^th century his descendents happily inhabited a Scottish Tower house situated approximately ¼ mile west of the present house. All that remains of this once noble and traditional Tower House is a ruinous archway in the old walled Garden. Now maybe I just haven’t looked very hard (very possible) or maybe there really isn’t much evidence or information out there on the original ‘Old Castle’, but; for what ever reason, I have drawn a blank!! My only lead to information about this now vanished Tower House is that it is mentioned in Vol 3 of the antiquated 19^th century series of books; Angus & Forfarshire’ by A. G. Warden. A source of information I fully intend to investigate at a later date. But for now, if anyone knows anything of this now vanished Tower House please, please share your information with me. I would most especially like a picture of it, or some detail on its design and layout. Most original architectural drawings of these buildings are long lost, I would not be so foolish as to expect the original, or accurate copies of the original drawings to turn up. BUT; something must be known of this old tower house by someone, somewhere. It must have stood for the best part of 200-300 years at least, and it’s difficult to believe that in all those years a passing painter didn’t record it, or journey man didn’t stay there and write a letter about it. The one piece of information relating to the original Tower House to be found in the official ‘National Trust for Scotland’, guide book is that it was completely destroyed in 1723. The actual quote is from Alexander McGill, the official Edinburgh City Architect who was originally employed to survey the estate and provide plans for a new house. He is recorded as saying that the old castle (Tower House) was ‘Raze’d Dow’n to the Ground’. How, (accidental or otherwise) it was raised down to the ground the quote didn’t say but I’m pretty sure that much at least must be known by someone. Anyway, I digress, since I don’t know anything about the original Tower House this little blog was supposed to be about the grand palatial and impressive House of Dun as designed by William Adam.

A Couple of weeks ago I watched a BBC programme about the way Scottish Architecture has developed over the centuries, it was called ‘Building Britain’, presented by David Dimbleby. The eminent and much respected Mr Dimbleby presented the public with ‘Kinross House’

http://www.kinrosshouse.com/

as the very first grand country house in Scotland NOT to be built as a ‘Castle’, (his description not mine). Kinross House was designed by William Bruce and completed in 1693, although the interior had not been completed to Bruce’s designs by the time of his death in 1710. Dimbleby positively gushed over Kinross House, he admired the design of elegant classicism as opposed to the traditional Tower House design, he admired the comfort and space classicism offered and he spoke admiringly of the European influence of space, light, height and classical proportions. In conclusion to his obvious enthusiasm for the new and precisely proportioned Kinross House he said cuttingly ’what a relief’! Meaning I assume; that the peoples of Scotland were surely thrilled to do away with their old dingy Tower Houses in favour of this new breed of building. Much as I admire the eminent Mr Dimbleby I most certainly do not agree. If you want comfort and sumptuous surroundings go visit ‘Argyll’s Lodgings’, an intact, if developed Tower House just down the road from Sterling Castle. Or, if you want to see how light and the modernism of the time were adapted into Tower Houses go look at the enormous windows incorporated into Edzel Castle. What I am trying to say here is that for me, the demise of the traditional, vernacular, Scottish Tower House in favour of the classically proportioned, palatial box adorned with imitation Greek columns and other assorted embellishments, remains a tragic loss to this country. Mr Dimbleby may casually remark ‘oh what a relief, I just hope he doesn’t think his opinion is universally accepted.’

AND, yet again I digress; I am supposed to be talking (blogging) about ‘The House of Dun’. The reason for this digression is because;

Despite acknowledging ‘The House of Dun’ as a bloody fine example of what it is, (designed by William Adam you would expect that). Still, my steadfast and unfaltering preference lies with the starkly, almost forebodingly powerful, rubble built, harled, traditional Tower House, over a palatial, classically proportioned, mathematically perfect box of columns, finials, portico’s and triumphal archways.

As for the House of Dun itself, it was every bit as beautiful as you would expect. To say it was designed by William Adam is not exactly the whole truth. Its design was in fact the result of architectural consultations, plans, drawings, general chit-chat & argy bargy at a distance, between the original designer, Alexander McGill, Edinburgh City Architect, William Adam, Architect and entrepreneur and John Erskin, Lord Mar, gentleman architect and notoriously exiled Jacobite kinsman to Lord Dun. The key word there is ‘exiled’, which accounted for the consultations taking place ‘at a distance’, AND over time. Much of the original design was in fact Mar’s with a triumphal arched front centrepiece added later. Adam’s greatest contribution to the project was that he acted as what would today be called ‘site manager’. He held the post of ‘Mason to the board of Ordinance’ and as such directed the project. The house, once built, was elegant and symmetrical with a grand stair way leading to the megalithic arched entrance at the front of the house. The rear of the house is equally elegant and symmetrical with external stairs leading into the grounds which extended all the way to the waters edge. The famous jacobite connections of the family were celebrated with the flamboyant, extravaganza of allegorical jacobite plasterwork carried out by Joseph Enzer in the Saloon. The saloon being the principle room of the house, the room used for entertaining, was situated on the ground floor with spectacular views out over the grounds and down to the water. The placing of the principle room on the ground floor was just another move away from the traditions of the tower house where the Grand Hall or principle room was always situated on the first floor. The plasterwork is unequivocally the best to be seen, ANYWHERE, except maybe at Arniston House which also has plasterwork by Enzer. There is a stucco ceiling, Bas-reliefs of Neptune and Mars that dominate the two fireplaces, heraldic lions, armoury, shields; there is Minerva, Medusa and a whole menagerie of dolphins, dogs, stags and horses tethered to warrior led chariots. Whole books could be written about this plasterwork. What it actually depicts in ‘real’ terms is mostly in keeping with the new classicism, depictions of ancient Greek Mythology. But; woven into that is the thinly disguised pro Jacobite theme of victory and the ensuing peace under the victorious jacobite rule. On top of the clever politics, it is stunningly beautiful.

Having glazed over in awe at this mind boggling plasterwork I had to metaphorically smack myself in the face, tell my feet to move and head out to investigate the rest of the house. And I have to say, it was pretty dam good, highly recommended as a smart place to visit for anyone who happens to find themselves in the general vicinity of Montrose, especially if, like me you happen to be somewhat obsessed with antiquated buildings.

AND……. The icing on the cake for me was….. my six year old granddaughters apparent genuine shared interest in these old and dusty rooms. This is poetic justice indeed for the times I have tried valiantly but in vane to generate the smallest spark of enthusiasm from my daughter (her mother) in our built environment, in the heritage of our buildings. Alas my daughter has not the slightest interest in such things, but it seems her 6 year old daughter does!! Now, that really did make my day.