Building record MAB38733 - HOUSE OF DUN, MONTROSE

Mansion house within grounds and designed landscape, category A-listed.

Mansion house within grounds and designed landscape, category A-listed. Now owned by the National Trust for Scotland and operated as a visitor attraction. It is a 2-storey, with basement and attic, rectangular building of ashlar masonry construction. The south frontage is astylar, and has a 3 window centre raised with arched windows at ground floor and a curved staircase. The north (entrance) frontage has a central triumphal arch entrance way with fluted Ionic pilasters. The centre is recessed, with groin vault and Venetian doorway. Built 1730-42 to the design of William Adam Sr. for the judge and landowner, David Erskine, Lord Dun. The interior was partly recast in the 19th Century. Some alterations were made in the 1980s by NTS prior to opening the building to the public. Within the grounds are various estate buildings, including offices and stables immediately to the west (NO65NE0126), ice-houses (NO65NE0114, NO65NE0010), gate lodges (NO65NE0012, NO65NE0113), and a rare wooden game larder (at NO 6700 5986, in the centre of the courtyard of the adjacent stables and offices). A historical designed landscape and archaeological survey was undertaken of the House of Dun Estate by GUARD in 2001. The project established that the landscape took much of its present shape in the later 18th century, during and after the construction of the house. Architect William Adam incorporated ideas offered by the architects Alexander McGill and the Earl of Mar for both the house and its landscape setting. Some of his plans for the landscape appear to have been implemented, although they nowhere approached the grand scheme he had envisaged. In particular, it appears that the north-south avenue focusing on the house, which Mar proposed, was realised, along with the court of offices (NO65NE0126) and walled garden (NO65NE0116) to the west and east of the house respectively. The parks that now frame the house to the north and south were established in the latter half of the 18th century, and additional parks to the east and south formerly extended the setting. The designed landscape saw its second major phase of development in the mid 19th century, particularly under the influence of Lady Augusta Fitzclarence, who developed the gardens and the Den of Dun as features of the landscape. The designed landscape has, since at least the 18th century, been fringed by land used for agricultural and industrial purposes, the latter most notably at Dun Mill (NO65NE0058), while the wooded ravine of the Den of Dun appears to have been a planted feature for several centuries. A watching brief was carried out in 2008 by SUAT Ltd during analysis of problems with the sewage system at three properties at the House of Dun. The work consisted of monitoring the excavation of an outflow pipe near the septic tank belonging to the Gardener's House. This excavation was located close to a 16th century arch and the probable site of the medieval Castle of Dun. The monitoring of the excavation of a new soak away pit at East Lodge was also carried out. In view of future excavations at West Lodge, a rapid walkover survey was also conducted north of the lodge. The excavations revealed no significant archaeology, but the survey to the north of West Lodge identified pieces of worked stone, bricks and pieces of concrete that probably relate to estate buildings/features that have since been demolished. A watching brief was carried out in January and February 2012 by Cameron Archaeology over civil engineering works along the main entrance drive to the house (centred on NO 6707 5953). No finds or features of archaeological significance were encountered. Geophysical survey in January 2013 within the walled garden (NO65NE0116) recorded a number of anomalies which may indicate earlier garden features. Survey around the mausoleum (NO65NE0002), south of the walled garden, detected a well defined rectangular anomaly indicating a western extension to the mausoleum. Anomalies within the walled garden were subsequently investigated by excavation in August 2013. Five trenches were dug, uncovering a ditch containing medieval pottery and the remains of plough marks. A second season of excavation in July 2014 at the site of the medieval castle of Dun (NO65NE0001) uncovered large foundations believed to be those of the medieval castle and a large ditch which may relate to some enclosing works or earlier defences.

Author unknown, , PRESS & JOURNAL, 15/06/89 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1416.

BARTON, T, 03/2008, ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF: HOUSE OF DUN, report (Bibliographic reference). SAB3728.

watching brief

Warden, A J, 1880-5, [Untitled], Vol. 3, 168 (Bibliographic reference). SAB10195.

Gaul, V M, 1951, Scot Fld 99 586, 22-4 (Bibliographic reference). SAB10950.

Cornforth, J, 1986, Country Life 180 4657, 1620-5 (Bibliographic reference). SAB11325.

Walker and Ritchie, B and {J, 1987, [Untitled], 73-4, no. 36 (Bibliographic reference). SAB10003.

Kay, W [R M], 1989, [Untitled] (Bibliographic reference). SAB11326.

Kay, W R M, 1989, [Untitled], 41-8 (Bibliographic reference). SAB12059.

Walker, D M, 1989, Heritage Scotland 6 1, 10 (Bibliographic reference). SAB11448.

Gow, I, 1989, Heritage Scotland 6 1, 11 (Bibliographic reference). SAB11445.

Morris, S, 1989, Heritage Scotland 6 1, 12 (Bibliographic reference). SAB11447.

Jack, W M, 1989, Heritage Scotland 6 1, 13 (Bibliographic reference). SAB11446.

Gow, I, 1989, Traditional Interior decoration, 13-17 (Bibliographic reference). SAB11439.

LELONG, O, 2001, HOUSE OF DUN. DES 2001 p16, 16 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1126.

CAMERON ARCHAEOLOGY, 2012, LAND AT HOUSE OF DUN, MONTROSE: WATCHING BRIEF REPORT, WB report (Bibliographic reference). SAB5317.

WHITE, H, 2012, MONTROSE BASIN SURVEY 1999-2012 (Bibliographic reference). SAB2127.

ARCHAEOLOGY SCOTLAND, 2014, DISCOVERY AND EXCAVATION IN SCOTLAND, NEW SERIES, VOLUME 14, 2013, p.34 (Bibliographic reference). SAB5483.

ARCAHEOLOGY SCOTLAND, 2015, DISCOVERY AND EXCAVATION IN SCOTLAND. NEW SERIES, VOLUME 15, 2014, p.38 (Bibliographic reference). SAB5542.

Aug 17 2001 , AAS/01/7/CT47-51,53, AAS/01/7/CT47-51,53 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB25279.

Aug 17 2001 , AAS/01/7/G10/8-10, AAS/01/7/G10/8-10 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB28425.

Jul 22 2008 , AAS/08/3/DG063-67,069,072, AAS/08/3/DG063-67,069,072 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB30029.

Jun 14 2013 , AAS-GR-13-06-392 - 395, AAS-GR-13-06-392 - 395 (Ground Photograph). SAB35013.

Jun 15 2004 , AAS/04/3/CT33-42, AAS/04/3/CT33-42 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB25848.

Jun 20 2008 , DG 9202-4, DG 9202-4 (Ground Photograph). SAB30052.

Oct 11 2007 , DG1911-23, DG1911-23 (Ground Photograph). SAB22332.

Oct 11 2007 , DG1982-6, DG1982-6 (Ground Photograph). SAB22333.

Record last edited

Jan 8 2021 8:32AM