Archaeology Notes

Event ID 700027

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/700027

NS44NW 8.00 42737 49312

NS44NW 8.01 42121 49519 West Lodge

(NS 4274 4931) Dunlop House on site of (NAT)

Castle (NR)

OS 6" map (1970)

Dunlop House is described by Pont as "an ancient strong house fortified with a deep foussie of water". Dobie notes that over its doorway was a stone dated 1599, which was moved to the present house, built on the site of its predecessor in 1834. Bayne considers that the original castle on this site was built to replace that on Dunlop Hill (NS44NW 1). J Dobie 1876; New Statistical Account (NSA) 1845 (M Dickie); J F Bayne 1935

No trace of the earlier Dunlop House, or of the moat, was found during field investigation. The estate gardener, whose father also worked on the estate, knows of no foundations and believes the present house to be built on the site. The stone referred to above, over the doorway of the present house, bears the date 1599 and the inscription "O Lord let ever thy blessings remain within this house."

The house is now owned by Ayrshire County Council, and is in use as a mental hospital.

Visited by OS (DS) 31 July 1956

General enquiries at Dunlop House produced no further information; its status is unchanged.

Visited by OS (JRL) 25 October 1982.

NS 4273 4931 A programme of archaeological investigative works was undertaken in respect of the new residential development within the grounds of Dunlop House. An evaluation was carried out in July 2006, with 12 trenches throughout the development area for the new residential units. Most of the trenches exhibited a common stratigraphic sequence of turf on a layer of topsoil overlying the natural boulder clay. The evaluation revealed two archaeological features of note: a linear feature consisting of compact red bricks covered with type 2 material, concluded to be the in situ remains of a 20th-century path; and the in situ stony base of an access road leading to Hunthall mapped on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey. Neither of these features is considered to be significant.

Report to WoSAS and archive to NMRS.

Sponsor: McTaggart Construction

Claire Shaw and Claire Williamson, 2006.

NS 4273 4931 Historic building recording was undertaken between 17-19 July 2006. Dunlop House is a three-storey

Baronial revival style tower house designed by David Hamilton, approximately 2km E of the village of Dunlop. The house

remained in the Dunlop family until 1932 when Ayrshire Council bought it. Many of the original features remain intact

throughout the house such as the intricate cornicing, marble fireplaces and striking large central skylight. However, the

insertion of modern services and the ongoing effects of damp threaten the survival of the ornate wood and plasterwork.

Report to WoSAS and archive to RCAHMS. Archive deposited with McTaggart Construction.

Funder: McTaggart Construction.

Alan Matthews, 2007.