Architecture Notes

Event ID 712920

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Architecture Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/712920

NMRS REFERENCES

Architect: Master James Smith 1690 - estimate of works to be carried out.

(From reference given in Topographical catalogue)

ABERDOUR CASTLE

Typescript of research files prepared by Dr M R Apted while the author was an Inspector of Ancient Monuments ( Scotland). Presented by Dr Michael R Apted.

EXTERNAL REFERENCES

NATIONAL LIBRARY OF SCOTLAND

Sketches of Scottish Scenery No. 25.1

SCOTTISH RECORD OFFICE

Morton Papers (Dalmahoy Collection) Box 117 - Aberdour Accounts 1657-1797

Slaterwork undertaken by James Gib about the Castle of Aberdour. It includes pointing the North side of the Gallery adn the woman house, the two ends of the brewhouse and parts of the washing house.

Receipted account.

1672

GD150/2390/2

Estimate of the expense of taking down Aberdour Castle to the West of the Gallery, the woman house and the Inner court wall. It amounts to ?1144.00 (Scots)

The Earl of Morton is to furnish tools and materials.

ND

GD150/2390/3

Payments for deals and slates for Castle and House. (1682-1689). Noted in James Hay's Account of the Earl of Morton's Money'.

Notebook.

1681-1696

GD150/2401/1

Repairs to (?Aberdour Castle).

Letter from Hugh Abercrombie (Chamberlain) to James hay. W S.

Mr Abercrombie has spoken to certain tenants to bring in lime. The repairs are necessary so that furnishings will not be spoiled.

April 14

1682

GD150/2405/53

Repair of the roof of the Castle.

The Slater and Wright have been consulted. Chrystie suggests that the timber of the old hosue may serve to repair it unless Master Robert Douglas prefers to order new.

ND (?1709)

GD150/2406/8

Payment of 3 guineas 'to Master James Smith, mason, for going to Aberdour and his measuring and surveying the house and drawing some draughts of a new house with a particular note of what the charge might be and for his other pains in that affair'. 1690.

James Hay's 'Account of the earl of Morton's Money'.

Notebook.

1681-1696

GD150/2410/1 Page 37

Estimate of work to be carried out on the old part of the House of Aberdour. It includes flagging of 40 doors and windows and rebuilding them in proper places and work on outer stair, the pavement walk and the cornice going round the front otthe house.

1690

GD150/2410/18

Estimate of the reparations to be made at the House of Aberdour. It includes flagging of 40 doors and windows and rebuilding them in proper places and work on outer stair, the pavement walk and the cornice going round the front ot the house.

1690

GD150/2410/18

Estimate of the reparations to be made at the House of ABerdour. It includes an addition to the house and improvements to the existing building. The cost is estamated at ?1210 16 4.

Unsigned.

1690

GD150/2410/18

(Some details follow)

(Cross ref GD150/2410/1 Page 31)

Addition to the House of Aberdour. Estimate of the cost, of digging the foundation, of stone for the Back Stairs and Great Stair, and of hewn work for the 17 door and windws on each storey.

1690

GD150/2410/18

Estimate of the alterations to be made at the House of Aberdour 'The whole length of the gallery to continue, the new adition to be made to the North side of its 28 ells long and the Wester gable is 6 2/3 and the Easter gable 6 2/3 and the great staircase 22 1/3 ells about and the small staricase and buttery 7 1/3 ells wich being accumulate in one the new addition is in the circumference 71 ells and multiplied by 11 which is the height is 781 ells'.

Total expense of estimate ?130.3.4

1690

GD150/2410/18

Repair of the Castle of Aberdour.

Account of money paid for slater and wright work.

?192.18.10

1682

GD150/2420/14

Wright work at the Castle of Aberdour.

Account from Thomas Livingston, wright. It includes a sum for working in the gallery.

1671

GD150/2448/26

Slater work at the Castle of Aberdour.

Receipted account from James Gib Slater in Burntisland for 'painting the gallery and chamber square'.

1675

GD150/2448/39

Smith work at the Castle of Aberdour.

Account form a chimney of 6 stone 6 pounds in weight, new locks and keys and various items of iron work.

1675

GD150/2448/40

mason, Wright and Slater work.

The work includes the quarrying of stone for the gates and the removal of the storm window in the gallery.

William Green's account book.

1741

GD150/2737/4/Page 29

Receipt from Robert Bennet, Wright at Whitehill for work in the gallery 'making things for observing the eclipse'.

1748

GD150/2483/1/30

The burning of the Earl of Morton's House of Aberdour. Army officers were lodged there and their servants had put on large fires after washing the rooms. At 5 a.m. fire broke out with great violence in teh room above the Dining room and all the apartments between the gallery and the castle were gutted. the Gallery was saved by building up the door to the Dining room with stone. Most of the paintings were destroyed.

'This accident must now push your lordship to build a new house'.

Letter. Robert Douglas to the Earl of Morton.

1701 (Cross ref. 1713 GD150/3460/18-19x)

GD150/3458/8

The burning of the House of Aberdour. Casued by the carelessness of the servants of the officers billeted there 'most of my old fyne valuable pictures, all the furniture I had and worst of all one of my ancient charters and papers' were lost. The Earl of Morton hopes that the Queen will take his 'deplorable condition under her Royal consideration'. Letter from James 10th Earl of Morton. consideration'. Letter from James 10th Earl of Morton.

1713 (Cross ref GD150/3458/8 1701)

GD1503460/18-19x

'Surely sooner or later Aberdour will be rebuilt unless some other house fit for the family both for size and situation fall in my lord's way'.

Letter from John Drummond to Lord Aberdour.

1731

GD150/3474/9