Dundas Castle

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

Type of Site

An expansive 18th and 19th century landscaped park with picturesque loch and cliff walks, developed around a 17th century landscape.

Location and Setting

Dundas Castle lies to the west of the A8000, 1km south of South Queensferry. The estate is situated on north-east facing slopes rising up to 110m above the coastal lands bordering the Firth of Forth. The north-eastern parkland is set out on gentle slopes which contrast with the higher rocky outcrops of Dundas Hill. Extensive views lead along the ridge of Dundas Hill to the Pentland Hills in the distance with Lily Loch in the valley below. There are long-distance views over the parkland to the Firth of Forth and views northwards out to the Forth Bridges.

Little is known about the Renaissance garden or earlier layouts around the house. The diaries of George Dundas (1690-1762) describe improvements to the gardens and to the policies. Roy's Survey (1747-55) is disappointing in its lack of detail, apart from outlining enclosed fields and the rocky crag in the centre of the present designed landscape. Between 1854 (1st edition Os 6") and 1894 (2nd edition OS 6"), the landscape was extended to the north-west and to the south and with its new boundaries defined by extensive tree planting. These boundaries remain unchanged today.

Landscape Components

Architectural Features

Dundas Castle consists of a 1424 tower house, and a Gothic mansion of 1818, with an attached Stable Court and Offices, designed by William Burn. The Renaissance Fountain comprises a square fountain base, which bears Latin inscriptions, surmounted by a sundial on an octagonal pedestal now stands on a terrace to the east of the house. An arched stair leads up to the fountain.

An 18th century cylindrical Doocot, with a circular louver and five windows, is situated on hilly ground to the south of the castle.. it retains its 664 nest holes and potence. The early 19th century Walled Garden encloses an area of rocky ground and was probably built at the same time as the Gothic-style extension to the castle. The walls are brick with stone coping and ashlar dressings at the entrances. The greenhouses and potting sheds against the north wall were demolished in 1989. The Icehouse, constructed of brick with ashlar dressings, lies to the east of the walled garden. It is entered by a central door with a narrow window on either side. Two side passages have shelves for storage. The domed vault is made of brick with a stone oculus.

Castle Loch, by the walled garden, also known as the Swiss House, was built in the early 19th century. A late 19th century neo-Tudor Boathouse, now converted into a dwelling house, is situated at the central point of the southern shore of Lily Loch. At the south end of the loch is a four-arched bridge with timber transes.

The neo-Tudor North Lodge and Gateway, designed by William Burn c1820, has an L-plan layout with an open porch on columns. Two large, ashlar gate piers flank the semicircular entrance which has decorative 19th century cast-iron gates and railings. Chapel Acre, to the north-west of the castle, is a mid-19th century , two-storey, rubble house with canted south gable and later alterations. South Lodge is similar to North Lodge. West Lodge is c1900 single-storey and white rendered.

Drives and Approaches

The south drive, which may be the original approach to the castle was built by 1802 (Map of Linlithgowshire, 1802). This drive is bordered by wide, mown grass verges and separated from the parkland by estate railing. The north drive was probably created when the additions were made to the house in c1820, and is contemporary with the construction of the North Lodge and Gateway and South Lodge. It is lined with 19th century solid, wall-like plantings of early hybrid Rhododendrons and copper beech (Fagus sylvatica 'Purpurea'). The west drive is a service drive, and a lodge was added as noted above.

Parkland

The ground slopes gently south-eastwards from the castle to an area referred to as the Great Park (1854, OS 6"), Dundas Castle is partially screened from the public road to the east (A8000) by two clumps of mixed deciduous trees set centrally across the parkland. These were planted by the mid 19th century (1854, OS 6") and extended in the late 19th century (1897, OS 6"). The south drive passes through the Great Park, planted with lime, sycamore, oak and sweet chestnut. Between 1854 and 1896 a clump of Scot's pine (Pinus sylvestris), underplanted with Rhododendron ponticum with an edge of elder (Sambucus nigra), was planted in the parkland to the east of the south drive. The contrast between the light foliage of the elder and the dark foliage of the rhododendron and pine is particularly striking.

At the south end of the park, a large early 20th century plantation contains gean (Prunus avium), sycamore, copper beech (Fagus sylvatica 'Purpurea'), variegated sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus 'Leopoldii'), beech, silver birch, oak, and yew (planted after 1894; see 1894 OS 6").

A drystone dyke separates this field from the woodland on Dundas Hill.

Both James Russell and the Stewart Clarks carried out extensive planting, mainly for game cover (see 1st and 2nd editions OS).

Woodland

In the mid 19th century, the main area of the woodland was confined to Dundas Hill and around the walled garden, situated on its western extremity (1854, OS 25"). This belt continued to the south-east, parallel to the line of the south drive. Woodland was also planted along the north drive, with some short belts along the public road (A8000) to the east. Between these woodland belts the land appears to have been fairly open with some parkland trees around the house. However, by the late 19th century, James Russell had transformed the estate by a programme of prolific planting (1894, OS 6"). Existing belts to the north and south, leading along the drives, were broadened by belts of planting, principally yew, primarily for game cover. The southern area of the estate from Barrancraig Wood to Craigend, was completely planted up, as was the western part of the estate. The estate boundary was consolidated to the east enclosing an area of open parkland, and the boundary was extended to the north by the planting of the Echline Strip.

Woodland Garden

To the south of the house, a hand-gate leads through a stone wall to Dundas Hill which was laid out with Rock Walks in the 19th century. The walks on the upper part of the hill are accessible but those lower down on the slopes are completely overgrown. Common oak and Rhododendron ponticum are the two most common species to be found on Dundas Hill.

The southern perimeter belt is mostly mixed deciduous with some conifers. The deciduous trees include beech (Fagus sylvatica), sycamore, yew, horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum), copper beech (Fagus sylvatica 'Purpurea'), lime, and silver birch (Betulus pendula), underplanted with Rhododendron ponticum and daffodils (Narcissus sp.).

Water Features

Lily Loch is situated in the valley, to the south of Dundas Hill. Originally an area of swampy ground (1854, OS 6"), by 1894 James Russell had formed the area into a well-defined loch with several islands (1894, OS 6"). Although the islands and the boathouse in the north-west corner are no longer extant, a neo-Tudor boathouse survives on the southern shore.

The Gardens

Large sweeps of mown grass surround the house, with some remnant parkland planting including a sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) of 18th century origin, common oak (Quercus robur), wych elm (Ulmus procera), and sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus). To the south, the area is fringed by 19th century Rhododendron hybrids.

Immediately north-east of the house, a mixed deciduous and coniferous wood stands on what is thought to be the site of a 17th century walled, courtyard garden that housed the fountain sundial. According to Hannan (1928), there were banqueting rooms in the corners of the courtyard with the fountain sundial in the centre. The Latin inscription on the fountain states that it was built in 1623 by Sir Walter Dundas, and that it is surrounded by guardian spirits to frighten evil-doers. Friends and strangers are invited to make use of the gardens, the sundials, the fountain, and the cushions distributed on the seats (q.v. Pinkie House, pp 103-106). Some old yews (Taxus baccata) remaining in this area may have formed part of the 'twist walk' planted in 1716 by George Dundas. In the late 19th/ early 20th century more formality was introduced by the planting of a walk, now overgrown, of Irish yews (Taxus baccata 'Fastigiata'). Aerial photographs of c1943 clearly show that there were formal gardens situated to the north of the house but these are now completely overgrown. Other trees here and in the vicinity include lime (Tilia x europaea), deodar (Cedrus deodara), cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus), Portuguese laurel (Prunus lusitanica), oak and sycamore.

Walled Garden

To the south-west of the house lies the walled garden, sheltered in the lee of Dundas Hill. It was reached from the house by a walk still extant but now overgrown. The garden was partly ornamental, partly productive. The glass-houses by Mackenzie & Moncur, now demolished, were erected for James Russell in the late 19th century. Some ornamental planting, including Rhododendron sp. and specimen conifers, survives on the rocky outcrop in the centre of the garden.