Project

Date June 2000 - August 2001

Event ID 546353

Category Project

Type Project

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/546353

NT 3269 7250 A major programme of monitoring, evaluation and architectural recording was undertaken at the mansion house and within its surrounding policies during conservation works between June 2000 and August 2001. The principal findings include:

Mansion house (NMRS NT 37 SW 168). Numerous features were recorded during reservicing throughout the mansion interiors. Some refinement of the original layout of the James Smith villa of c 1690 was achieved, particularly at basement level. A 'secret passage' was revealed that provided private access to a suite of panelled rooms at first-floor level; this had subsequently been blocked off during the installation of a dumb waiter. General analysis of the Smith period masonry fabric confirmed that it did not incorporate earlier structural remains. A detailed record was made of part of the exterior before repair and reharling works; this recorded details of the original pressed-back harl and its scheme of regular ruling-out to imitate coursed ashlar, and a number of subsequent repairs that generally employed cementitious mixes. Evidence for the original principal entrance arrangement on the NE facade was recorded beneath the existing stair; the original stair had been narrower, and had had a vaulted chamber below that led to a basement entrance, subsequently blocked.

Mansion forecourt. An extensive series of trenches were excavated within the area of the mansion forecourt in order to determine its original details, layout and metalling materials, datable to the second quarter of the 18th century. The edges of the original central lawn area - defined by stone bollards - were identified, many original bollard pads remaining in situ. The make-up of the cambered metalling of the carriage circle was recorded, grading successively to an upper surface of fine pea gravel. The limits of the surrounding verge and details of the construction of the base of the mansion stair were also recorded.

Trenching beneath the gravelled surface revealed substantial remains of what were interpreted as earlier garden bedding trenches. These seem to have been laid in groups that suggest a formal parterre in this area, presumably of the Smith period in the late 17th century.

N side of mansion. Services trenching along the NE side of the mansion revealed details of the early 18th-century garden surfaces in that area. These overlay deposits that include two discrete midden dumpings that contained bottle glass and ceramics (including parts of a blue Nevers-type Lambeth tin-glaze vessel) of the late 17th/early 18th century, i.e. the Smith period. Evaluation and services trenches at the NE wall foot revealed the profile of a sunken area that permitted light to the basement windows.

Ha-ha. Two evaluation trenches examined the details of construction of the ha-ha that encloses the lawned area on the NE side of the mansion. Both trenches revealed a roughly faced rubblework front some 2m in height, with a sandstone cope. This had been constructed against a vertical cut into the natural. The cut extended in front to form a broad ditch that gently sloped down to the foot of the wall; 0.5m+ of redeposition was identified behind. One trench was located on the central NE-SW axis of the mansion in the hope that an earlier axial drive might also be identified, but without success.

Canal. Services trenching just beyond the N corner of the stables revealed parts of a brick-built retaining wall that defined the SW limit of a long ornamental canal, otherwise earth-banked and subsequently infilled. A NE return section of this wall had been constructed with an ornamental curving profile.

Water and drainage systems. General monitoring of services installation trenches exposed the well-preserved remains of an extensive network of stone-lined drains and water channels associated with the use of both the mansion house and stable block from the late 17th to the early 19th century.

Miscellaneous. Amongst a number of miscellaneous finds,