Dunira

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

Type of Site

No information available.

Location and Setting

Dunira is set on a terrace above the valley of the River Earn where it broadens out between the hills of Mor Bheinn 2,100' (640m) to the south, and Creag Liath 1,637' (499m) to the north. The estate lies within the River Earn National Scenic Area, some 2 miles (3km) west of Comrie and 7 miles (12km) east of Lochearnhead. The Glen Boltachan burn cuts steeply down over waterfalls through the hills to the north- west of the park and flows through the west park to join the River Earn. The policies are sheltered from the north and east winds by the hills and the woodlands on their slopes, and the climate is relatively good, as are the soils. There are views from the site of the house across the valley to the Aberuchill Hills but the hills shelter and enclose the estate, confining the views from the policies. The main A85 forms the southern boundary of the policies and the designed landscape is significant in the view from the road.

The main house was set on terraces above the Allt Eas an Aoin; it was burned down in 1948. The designed landscape is bordered to the south by the A85 through Strathearn and is enclosed by the policy woodlands and hills on its other sides. The extent remains the same today as that shown on the 1st edition OS map of 1859. An outlying feature which is important to the views is the obelisk put up on Dunmore Hill to the east of the park near Crieff in memory of Viscount Melville who died in 1811. There are now 864 acres (350ha) in the designed landscape.

Landscape Components

Architectural Features

Dunira House was destroyed by fire in 1948. The east side of the house and its offices remain, as do the surrounding terraces. There are old photographs of the Baronial two-storey house designed by William Burn with additions by David Bryce. The walled garden and its associated conservatory were put up in c.1826 by W.M. Mackenzie and there is also an attractive small conservatory in the terraced gardens. The West Lodge dated from 1827 and the row of workers' cottages and the new steading were added in 1862 and 1879 respectively. The old steading remains near the walled garden, and there are some new houses within the designed landscape. Viscount Melville's statue erected in 1811 is a 72' high obelisk.

Parkland

The parkland landscape at Dunira is very distinctively defined by beech hedges, trimmed to A-shape, which enclose grazed pasture. The wooded knolls and roundels of beech, oak and birch with some conifers are significant features in the landscape viewed from the main road. There is a young beech and spruce avenue to the east steading.

Woodland

The steep slopes of the surrounding hills are clothed with plantations and in 1883 the plantations of larch, spruce and oak coppice were much admired (Woods, Forests and Estates of Perthshire, T. Hunter). Today the commercial woodlands are mainly of mixed coniferous species. Within the policies there are a greater variety of deciduous species including birch, oak and beech. There are numerous grand waterfalls in the glens within the woodlands and walks were made in the early 1800s, particularly up Glen Boltachan, where bridges cross the stream at its most picturesque points.

Water Features

To the south of the formal terraced gardens, the Allt Eas an Aion has been channelled through a carefully constructed rock garden of boulders, cascades and rockpools created out of the natural surroundings, and flows into a small loch which is still fringed with weeping trees and rock platforms. Much of the early rock garden planting, as described in the 1931 article, has since been lost and the loch has become invaded by reeds but the structure of the design remains.

The Gardens

The gardens laid out by Thomas Mawson between 1920-22 are beautifully illustrated and described in the Country Life article of 1931. Prior to their formation, the bold terraces constructed at the same time as the 1852 Burn house had been left as grass banks. Mawson added balustrades and flagged paths to the upper terrace with two stone staircases descending to the lower terrace to the rose garden, the central feature of which is a narrow canal which was fed from a wall fountain at its eastern end. At the far end are the remains of a circular pool and, parallel to the rose garden, the second set of steps led down to the circular paved area which was enclosed by lavender and centred on a sundial, which has since been lost.

A ha-ha fenced the garden from the park and a holly hedge now forms the boundary. On the lowest terrace level are the huge yew hedges which once were clipped low around a parterre of lawn with island beds filled with bedding plants and subdivided by trellis arches flanked by clipped hedges and adorned with climbers. The trellis is now enveloped within the enormous hedges but the lines and former arches can still be discerned.

Walled Garden

The walled garden lies to the north of the older, west, steading. It is 4.5 acres (1.8ha) in size, with attractive curved walls. There was once a 360' range of glasshouses which included vineries, peach-houses, greenhouses and the very attractive conservatory which has been retained. The garden is shown on the 1st edition map of 1863 as divided into ten main compartments, the eastern two of which appear to have been planted as orchards. In recent years, it has been put to grass and is at present used for grazing horses.

Arboretum

This was established in the later half of the 19th century by Sir David Dundas, and specimens recorded in 1883 included Abies menziesii, Cedrus deodara, several Araucaria and Sequioa, and three Thuja craigiana sent from British Columbia. Many of the specimen conifers survive in the area to the south of the ornamental gardens and are visible from the main road. Other interesting trees include a fine weeping birch and a Turkey oak, and Alan Mitchell has measured and recorded the several varieties of conifers along the West Drive.