Brunton House
| Building summary | |
|---|---|
| |
| Name | Brunton House |
| Address | Brunton Street |
| Postcode | KY15 7BQ |
| Other names | Marchioness Dowager of Bute’s private school [1] |
| Date | 17th century |
| Architect | Robert Weir Schultz |
| See map | Map D (55) |
| OS grid ref | NO 25239 07311 |
| Latitude & longitude | 56°15′09″N 3°12′29″W |
Brunton House is a private house in Brunton Street, adjoining Little Brunton and Wester Brunton. It was once the residence of the Simson family, hereditary falconers to the Kings of Scotland.
It is probably older than the date of 1712 on the armorial panel.
It was restored in 1894–95 for the third Marquess of Bute by Robert Weir Schultz as a school for the Roman Catholic children of the village, and refurbished in 1910 for use for use by Lord Ninian's chaplain,[1].
In 1953 Major Michael Crichton Stuart presented it to the National Trust for Scotland, who restored it in 1970 under the Little Houses Improvement Scheme.
| HES listing details[2] | ||
|---|---|---|
| Reference: LB31328 | Date: 12/01/1971 | Category: A |
| Address/Site Name
Brunton House, Brunton Street (including garden walls) | ||
| Description
Dated 1712 at sculptured armorial panel, 3-storey 3-window, coursed rubble, moulded doorpiece; crowstepped and pantiled with slate skirting. Crowstepped stair tower at back. | ||
| Statement of special interest
Cobbled pavement | ||
| Little Houses Scheme details[3] | ||
| Restorer: NTS | Architect: NTS (in-house staff) | Date Restored: 1970 |
| Name and address
Brunton House, Brunton Street | ||
| Description
Category A; 18thC. | ||
Former residents
- 1906: George Lumsden[1]
- Around 1906: Mrs O'Connor (teacher / manageress)[1]
- 1911: Henley Woods (Roman Catholic Priest), aged 54, and his sister Cecilia Woods aged 32, both from Edinburgh, and a servant (housekeeper), Lily Preston aged 28, from Ireland.[4]
Further references
"The harled early C18 Wester Brunton House has been heavily restored. So too (by R. Weir Schultz in 1894–5, and again in 1970–1) has the adjoining Brunton House, crowstepped and with a smart armorial panel dated 1712."[5]
"Brunton House, Brunton Street, 1712 (restored 1894–5, and 1970–1, R W Schultz), a three-storey masterpiece in coursed rubble, pantiles and crowsteps, originally belonged to the Hereditary Falconers to the Crown."[6]
"As early as 1953, he [Major Michael Crichton Stuart] presented the early 18th century Brunton House, Brunton Street (dated 1712, and listed later as Category A) to NTS ... Despite the early transfer of ownership of Brunton House, it was not restored by LHIS until 1970.[7]
"It [the house in which Emilia Geddie lived] may be seen in the wynd which bears the name of Sharp's Close [sic]—a substantial three-storied house. Inserted beside the door is a deeply scuptured stone with heraldic emblems—with the initials, 'W.S. J.W. 1727.,' and the motto 'Diligentia et vigilantia.' The initials indicate William Stevenson and Jean Wallace."[8]
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Playfair and Burgess
- ↑ HES record for LB31328
- ↑ Watters and Glendenning, page 179).
- ↑ 1911 census
- ↑ Gifford, Fife, page 221.
- ↑ Pride, Kingdom of Fife.
- ↑ Watters and Glendenning, page 105).
- ↑ Historical Antiquities, page 58. The initials are correct, but inspection of the stone seems to confirm that the date is 1712, not 1727. Also the same book places the Royal Falconer at what is now the Bruce Inn, rather than Brunton House.
Further images
Armorial panel on the front of the house, dated 1712
Rear view from Cross Wynd showing stair tower
