Standing Building Recording

Date October 2006 - December 2006

Event ID 551318

Category Recording

Type Standing Building Recording

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/551318

NT 9474 6436 A comprehensive analytical and drawn record of the interiors of the three principal floors of this Category A-Listed classical mansion house by the Adam brothers, built c 1753-4, was undertaken during October to December 2006. Our understanding of the original arrangement and subsequent development of the interior space has been greatly refined. The work was undertaken in consultation with Allan Swan and Dr Alistair Rowan. The principal features of interest and discoveries include:

The reconstruction in two rooms of former box-bed arrangements, and the interior arrangements of many of the rooms. It was realised that manuscript plans by James Adam very accurately represented the building as first completed, but that this scheme changed in many respects only shortly thereafter.

A very extensive sequence of some 100 or more early wallpapers, revealed behind later linings. Many of these are of 18th-century date; some relate to a Regency period refurbishment.

The better understanding of a suite of concealed areas associated with smuggling activities of the early owners, the Nisbet family. These include voids within blocked window ingos accessed by removal sections of panelling and containing a hoist mechanism; a concealed hatch leading to a large sub-floor/intra-mural cavity; and a timber-formed and zinc-lined chute running through three floors, constructed for the concealment of illicit tea. Early paper backing to the zinc lining preserves a sequence of hand-painted Chinese characters; the lining of the shaft evidently reused linings from Chinese tea chests.

Stratigraphically it seems that these features were installed very shortly after the completion of the main construction works to the house - perhaps by trusted locals rather than the larger general team.

Further augmentation of the present record will be undertaken as conservation work progresses. It is hoped that the numerous historic wallpapers will be systematically sampled.

Archive lodged with NMRS.

Sponsor: Gunsgreen House Trust.

T Addyman 2006