Cromarty House

http://portal.historic-scotland.gov.uk/hes/web/f?p=PORTAL:DESIGNATIONS:0

Type of Site

An informal 19th century designed landscape, incorporating features surviving from earlier formal landscapes. Although little is known of the Cromarty Castle landscape pre-1753, its form dictated some of the subsequent landscape configuration, an example being the survival of The Causeway (known in the 18th century as Castle Street), the principal approach from town to Castle. The extensive mid 18th century formal landscape was designed by James May (c 1753) and remodeled during the early 19th century.

Location and Setting

Cromarty House and policies adjoin the east end of Cromarty town. The designed landscape lies on the lower, north-facing slopes of Gallow Hill, directly on the shores of the Cromarty Firth. The house faces northwards with parkland to its south and south-west. The parkland is enclosed by woodlands, which screen the town and the Firth. Principal views from the house lead south-westwards over the parkland.

The site of Cromarty Castle lies to the north-west of the house above the Chapel Burn, which flows from the south-west to form a deeply incised valley. To the north-east of Cromarty House, the opposite side of Chapel Brae, is the site of St. Regulus, a pre-reformation chapel with its graveyard, set within a triangular-shaped terrace. The Coalheugh Well, below the graveyard, is a domed masonry structure adapted c 1850 to form part of the public water supply.

The woodlands surrounding Cromarty House and forming the policies' field boundaries are prominent in the coastal landscape. To the south-east is Gallow Hill, originally planted as part of the designed landscape that retains remnants of a 19th century footpath network leading across the South Sutor. There are good vantage points from which to view Nigg Bay, the Cromarty and Moray Firths.

The designed landscape relating to Cromarty Castle and subsequently Cromarty House, incorporated Gallow Hill and most of the South Sutor. This formal landscape became progressively informal during the late 18th/early 19th century. By the mid-19th century when the policies were largely remodeled by the Ross family, the ornamental policies included the vestiges of earlier formal plantings in the form of avenues and perimeter belts delimiting formal enclosure fields. These survive as important landscape features. The extent of the designed landscape remains unchanged.

Landscape Components

Architectural Features

Cromarty House a classical mansion of 1772, comprises a main block with lower flanking wings. The architect is unknown. The main block, built of finely-dressed ashlar, has two storeys and attic, a five-bay front with slightly advanced and pedimented centre, approached by steps. The rear elevation has a bowed centre. South-east of the house are the Stables, a two-storey, seven bay U-plan range, contemporary with the house. The north side, facing the principal approach, is of ashlar and cherry-cocked rubble and Diocletian windows lighting the stalls behind. The stables were repaired and restored in the 1990s.

The late 18th century vaulted Servants' Tunnel leads north-eastwards, underground from the house, to the public road. Its roadside entrance has iron gates and flanking walls. The Graveyard, to the north of Cromarty House, contains the vault of the ruined St. Regulus' chapel, converted in the mid 19th century to form the Ross family vault.

Denny Road Lodge and entrance gate mark the north-west entrance to the policies. North of the house stands the hexagonal Walled Garden and the bottle-shaped Castle Well. Further north is a ruinous Ice House, set into the side of the hill.

Drives and Approaches

The main approach to Cromarty Castle probably led up a steep ramp (still discernable), directly in from Church Street, alongside and outwith the western boundary of the Walled Garden.

The main approach to Cromarty House was laid out uphill east of the town, to provide an elevated approach. The east drive curves northwards to terminate at a gravel forecourt at the south front.

The west drive, constructed in the mid 19th century, led directly in from the public road (now A832) at the Denny Road Lodge. Although now disused, it can still be traced with a row of lime on its north side and sheltered on its south by woodland. As it leads gently north-eastwards to the house, so it forms the north-west boundary of the park, sheltered on its north by woodland, interplanted with ornamental trees and shrubs, including Wellingtonia, Western hemlock, Irish yew, Western red cedar and fern-leafed beech. Banks of Rhododendron, Azaleas, cherry laurel and Portuguese laurel partially enclose the drive, forming an evergreen corridor.

Parkland

The parkland, roughly oval in shape, lies south-west of Cromarty House. Totally enclosed by mature mixed woodland, it is now in agricultural use (arable 1998). Early 20th century photographs show numerous, well-spaced parkland trees, which survive on the northern edge of the park.

The enclosures on the slopes of Gallow Hill were formed by 18th century agricultural improvements and related to the formal landscape design. Several mature tree boundaries and avenues survive forming important landscape features. The avenue on the south side of Cromarty headland is particularly significant.

Woodland

The oldest woodlands are found along the banks of the deeply incised burns to the north-west and south-east of Cromarty House. They appear semi-natural in origin containing mature oak, ash, elm, beech, sweet chestnut and lime, alongside numerous mature trees stumps, dating perhaps to 17th (?) and 18th century planting. The valley west of the house was laid out as a woodland garden, with serpentine walks leading down to the Walled Garden. The network of footbridges and minor paths, some lying on terraces with viewing points, survives in part.

The mid 19th century woodlands enclosing the parkland to south and west, have been restocked and regenerated during the last 40 years. Sitka spruce predominates in the southern belt, while the west combines young and semi-mature ash, oak, beech, elm and gean. Denny Road Lodge is set amidst mature trees dating from the 1850s, mainly oak, beech and mixed conifers. Nothing survives of the extensive formal planting scheme on Gallow Hill, now mostly hill pasture. Some woodland remnants exist on the raised beach east of the graveyard, and trees, especially beech, line several 19th century footpaths.

The Gardens

The gardens lie south of the house and Chapel Burn. There is an oval-shaped Rose Garden, enclosed by shrub roses and rhododendron. An ornamental well stands in its western corner. To the north of the stables, east of Chapel Burn, is an open area framed by a number of large ornamental shrubs, mostly Rhododendrons.

North of the house is a lawn, crossed by a straight walk lined with Lonicera hedges, which leads into woodland set above the walled garden. To the north west is a large lawn, which marks the site of Cromarty Castle and is a good vantage point overlooking the town and Cromarty Firth.

South of the house, a lawn, set against the gravel forecourt, is planted with specimen trees, sycamore, Wellingtonia and Thuja.

Walled Garden

The walled garden, on lower ground to the north of the house, is adjacent to the town. Roughly hexagonal in plan, it is divided east-west by a wall. The Garden House (20th century) stands in the north-west corner. The remainder of the garden is disused and the walls are deteriorating (2002).