Cameron House Hotel And Country Estate
Country House (19th Century), Hotel (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Cameron House Hotel And Country Estate
Classification Country House (19th Century), Hotel (Period Unassigned)
Alternative Name(s) Cameron Bay; Cameron House; Duck Bay; Loch Lomond
Canmore ID 126477
Site Number NS38SE 13
NGR NS 37508 83122
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/126477
- Council West Dunbartonshire
- Parish Bonhill (West Dunbartonshire)
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Dumbarton
- Former County Dunbartonshire
NS38SE 13.00 37508 83122
NS38SE 13.01 37366 83375 Lodge (North Lodge)
NS38SE 13.02 37319 83137 Lodge (Mid Lodge)
NS38SE 13.03 38065 82091 Lodge (South Lodge)
NS38SE 13.04 38132 82088 Drumkinnon Cottage (Cameron House, Lodge and Main Entrance)
NS38SE 13.05 37479 82763 Cameron Cottage
Note from Architecture Catalogue Slip;
Major Telfer Smollet has drawings of previous house. See NRAS/SRO list.
Standing Building Recording (May 2018 - May 2019)
NS 37493 83090 A historic building recording was undertaken following fire damage to the hotel in December 2017. The work was carried out from May 2018 to May 2019. The hotel is Category ‘B’ Listed and was originally built in the 18th century but was almost entirely demolished by fire in 1865. The sole surviving library wing was incorporated into the new house built by William Spence in 1866-67. The house was sold to become a hotel in 1986 then further extended.
Following the fire in 2017 and as clearance and recording work progressed, a comprehensive record and assessment of the surviving historic fabric of Cameron House was undertaken, alongside archaeological monitoring during strip-out, downtakings and demolition. In addition, a number of test pits were monitored outside the house and within the basement.
Initial recording work revealed evidence for the incorporation of the remains of a mid-18th century classically detailed villa on the northern side of the existing building. This comprised a principal storey above a basement level, with probable upper level accommodation and a secondary wing, also of two stories, on its south side.
Archive: NRHE (intended)
Funder: Amicus Property Consultants on behalf of Cameron House Hotel
Tudor Skinner and Kenny Macfadyen - Addyman Archaeology
(Source: DES, Volume 20)
Watching Brief (23 June 2021 - 1 July 2021)
NS 37493 83090 A watching brief was undertaken at Cameron House in advance of landscaping works in front of the main entrance. The watching brief was part of a wider series of works conducted at Cameron House during the demolition and repair works after a fire in 2018, and took place in June 2021. Cameron House is a Category ‘B’ Listed 18th-century mansion.
An earlier 17th-century building was destroyed by fire and rebuilt as the present mansion around 1756. It has been suggested that the mansion may stand on the site of a 14th- century medieval building. Evidence of the earlier 17th-century building was recorded during the clearance phase immediately following the 2018 fire (DES Volume 20, 204–5).
No structures or deposits associated with either the 17th- century building, or its possible 14th-century antecedent were found during the ground-breaking works in the areas immediately surrounding the present house.
Archive: NRHE (intended) Funder: Cameron House Hotel
Antoine Ruchonnet – Addyman Archaeology
(Source: DES Vol 22)
