Lilliesleaf Manse

NT52NW 11 53593 25279.

Lilliesleaf Manse, and Carved Stones. Lilliesleaf Manse was built in 1821 and is a typical example of its period comparable with some contemporary and rather earlier cottages in the village (cf. No. 536).

A stone incised with the date 1664, presumably from the old manse, appears through the harling of the E wall near the SE corner. Close to this corner of the house there is a doorway in the garden wall, the lintel of which, on the E. face, bears the following sets of initials and dates, reading from left to right: M W W, M I C over R K, E W over 1642, 1686. The first two sets evidently refer to Mr William Wilkie and Mr John Chisholme, successive ministers of Lilliesleaf, who were inducted respectively in 1640 and 1674 (H Scott 1917).

Built into the coach-house there is a block of red sandstone which was once a sundial. Above the dial are incised the initials M M C, no doubt for Mr Matthew Couper, who succeeded Chisholme and was minister from 1691 to 1695 (H Scott 1917). On the other exposed face there are traces of some illegible figures.

RCAHMS 1956, visited 1951

This is a modern building still in use as a manse. The date-stone, the lintel over the doorway, and the former sundial, mentioned above, still remain.

Visited by OS (EGC) 15 February 1961.

EXTERNAL REFERENCE:

Scottish Record Office:

GD/157/549/2

Rebuilding of 'Mr Campbell's offices'. Division of the cost among the heritors, 1784