Architecture Notes

Event ID 832342

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Architecture Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/832342

NMRS REFERENCE:

Owner: Earl of Seafield

Architect:

Robert Adam - 1789 Design for house, stable offices, riding house and kitchen offices & bridge (not carried out)

David Bryce - large additions 1858-1861

James Smith & Alexander McGill 1709 - schemes for addition to Cullen - not executed

John Baxter - alts to stair & bow window 77/78

Source list of material on art and architecture in the SRO (GD248) - typescript (R6(P30))

Cullen House Drawings in NMRS:

Alexander and William Reid c.1855:

Drumbuie farm house and steading, Inverness, NH53SW46, photographic copies of drawings, BND/24/1-5

EXTERNAL REFERENCE:

Two portfolios are preserved in the Estate Office, one of the drawings by the Adam brothers containing plan of Gate House similiar to that erected but without pilasters, plan and elevation of staircase elevations of walls of library and drawings of ceilings of staircase, vestibule and library, all signed James Adam, Adelphi, 1767. The central ornament in the ceiling of the staircase is all that jow remains of the work shown on the drawings. This postfolio also contains drawings by Robert Adam for a Town House and a house on Speyside.

The other portfolio contains drawings signed by Playfair dated 1783 of a Temple with potico and semi-circular apse not unlike the existing one in style, also plans and elevations of a proposed house at Easter Elchies, Morayshire, and proposed elevations for the Hall in Cullen House of which there is now no sign and various schemes for altering front elevation making it 18th century Gothic.

National Library - Country Life, Jan 23rd 1948, p.178 - Article and photographs

SRO:

Stucco and plaster work at Cullen House.

Account for #89. 8. 8.

1778-79 GD 44/Sec 51/385

30th July 1785

Hailes Quarry steps sent.

New stables slated.

Jan 1789. Men's wages for filling ice house.

GD 248/588

Letter 1777 from brussels, E of Findlater to james Ross. Library finishing.

Granary at Portsoy to be built this summer.

Spa. Oct. 2nd, 1777. E. of Findlater to John Ross, interested to know if Mr Baxter saw house at Elchies, wiches to see his plan for the new stair and other alterations at Cullen House.

GD 248/800/4

E. of Findlater to John Ross wishes Baxter's opinion of another situation for a stair in case he wishes to change the present great stair and dining room, wants plan of present family apartments, wishes bow windows of a circular form. Would be glad that Mr Baxter take a look at the House of Elchies and make a plan and estimate for such alts. and adds necessary to make a commodious accomodation.

March 27th 1777 GD 248/800/4

John Ross to E. of Findlater. Bow window almost finished. Wishes his 'lop' would send drawings for finishing of the room.

Nov 1st 177.

State of buildings sketch of alts. of the stair to be made by mr baxter.

May 10th 1777

Brussels. French architect very good at internal distribution (planning of a house).

April 14th 1777

John Ross to E. of F. Sends his lop. Mr Baxter's sketch for finishing the Bow room.

6 January 1778.

John Adam to E. of F. Gate of Wilderness ordered from Carron.

26 Aug 1769 982/1

Seafield MSS GD248/182

1/43 Cheere statues

Charles Erskine (?brother to Thomas, Ld Erskine), to Lady Margaret Grant:

Hopetoun, 16th May 1754

"Ld Erskine left orders with Mr Chairs Statuary at Hide Park, from whom your Statue [s] are bespock, to put them aboord of a ship for Inverness, derected for Sir Lud: and to send by the post a Bill of loading & a copy of his account, Ld Erskine gave strick charges not to exceed Your Summ...he will be anxious to know how you approve of the Statues. The Dial Plate Ld E bought from Watkins & pay'd three Guineas for it, so it should not be charged in Chair's Account..."

GD248/583 Vouchers

Rt Hon Earl of Findlater in a/c with Rt James Adam

1779

June 24 Amount of Bills due to Tradesmen in London vizt

John Douglas, Mason, #34.11.5

Sefferin Nelson, Carver, #119.17

Anthony Zucchi for a painting in the Oval of Glass frame, #4.00

David Adamson, Painter #165.6

Seafield GD248/1174

1818 Nov 14, Repairs and improvements

Cullen House 1818-21

Thatching & whitewashing of Porter's Lodge (Deafening a partition with moss)

May 12 1821 cutting a subterraneous passage

May 19 Masonwork of " "

June 12 1819 Thatching of a Bee House

Nov 13 1819 Carriage of materials to build Tunnel

Nov 27 1819 Savoy timber for Tunnel

April 8 1819 Lime to build Tunnel

April 22 1819 Carriage of stores to do

May 6 1819 Carriage of material to do

April 28 1821 Thatching icehouse

June 28 1821 Thatching of grotto

Dec 25 1819 New iron wheel to Bathing machine

GD 248/1175

Nov 24 1821 Freight of freestone for Temple J Hay, #4.0.0

Dec 29 1821 Sawing Timber for Temple

I McDonald #1.16.8

Carpenter work at Temple, I Duffus, #5.15.0

Causewaying at Tunnel, #4.9.0

Jan 5 1822 Mason Work at Temple, I Smith #41.19.3.

Feb 15 1822 Freestone for Temple, I Gregor #18.12.5

July 27 1822 Carpet for room in Temple, I Munro, 4s.0

15/6/1789

Carron Co Invoice

Earl of Findlater

12 Columns

8 square Balusters

180 Furnace Bars

30 Doors and Frames

Plans: Photostats of original drawings in possession of leonard Ivall, Culoran, Lossiemouth, sgd Robert Adam

National Library of Scotland: Newhailes papers

Ms 25678

Views of Cullen House, library, drawing Room and part of painted ceiling c1905

Drawings stored in Edinburgh (see architecture catalogue Grampian - Moray - C-D) by James Munro 1930-31 - plan, elevation and details.