Mount Stuart (also known as Kerryniven, Kirrieniven)

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

Location and Setting

Mount Stuart is situated on the Island of Bute, some 5 miles (8km) south of Rothesay. The setting of the house is important for the fine views it affords eastwards across the Firth of Clyde and out to Great Cumbrae. The designed landscape provides vistas through the policy woodlands out to sea. The policy woodlands are visible when approaching the island from the east.

The mansion house was built set back from the clifftop facing east with views across the gardens and out to sea. The designed landscape extends to the shore, the shore drive and Beech Walk skirting the former cliff line along the raised beach. When first laid out, the grounds extended northwards as far as Scoulag Church but were extended to Kerrycroy in c.1820. To the west, the folly on Mount Montague was a designed viewpoint which has since disappeared and the western boundary of the designed landscape is now formed by the minor private road through the estate to Kerrylamont. The South Lodge marks the southern extent of the designed landscape, which covers some 670 acres (283ha).

Landscape Components

Architectural Features

The Victorian House, Italian Gothic in style, was built by Rowand Anderson. Its Georgian predecessor, of which only the wings remain, was built by Alexander McGill for the 2nd Earl in 1722. The chapel at the north end has a tower which is a replica of the tower of Saragossa Cathedral. The house is also noted for its Great Hall, 60 feet square and supported with huge marble pillars. Mount Stuart is listed category A.

There are many other features and buildings in the grounds which are of architectural interest including the 'Beehive' Well, the Garden Cottage and the Park Lodges. The North Lodge is listed, category B; Kerrycroy village, to the north of the park, is listed as a group in category B. The Home Farm is also listed B, as is the 17th century sundial in the Wee Garden. The identity of the figure surmounting the column which stands to the left of a clearing near the house is not known but the inscription, a quotation from Virgil, reads (You will remain in my memory) 'So long as I am conscious and my spirit controls my limbs'. The Private Chapel, originally a Presbyterian church dating from the 17th century, is listed category A.

Paths and Walks

This area, the Green Paths Triangle, to the north of the Lime Tree Avenue and south of the kitchen garden, lies to the west of the main drive and is striking in its layout of converging paths. The current layout is shown on the 2nd edition OS map of c.1900, and the triangular layout is marked on the earlier 1st edition map of 1860 although at that time apparently not planted up. It is possible that this area was so delineated as early as the mid-18th century, as the gardener's notes of the 1750s refer to a Maze used as a tree nursery which is not obviously marked in the 1758 survey, although this plan does not extend as far north as the Green Paths Triangle. Today the hedges enclose conifers now grown to maturity.

Parkland

The parks are grazed; there are less individual parkland trees today than were shown on the 1759 plan but those shown on the 1st edition OS plan remain. The north-west Deer Park was severed by the movement of the public road in the 1820s and is now in arable use. The new main drive was planted up on either side with rhododendrons which are now c.50 years old; it by-passes the 1722 kirk and churchyard. The Forty Five Avenue, which runs north/south to the east of the house and is about one mile in length, is being kept as an avenue and the 200-250 year old beeches will be replanted. The Lime Tree Avenue is 600 yards long, 18' wide and contains 153 trees, while the Beech Walk is 510' in length and 12 yards wide. In 1881 the total length of walks at Mount Stuart was recorded as 8.75 miles.

Woodland

In 1879 the tallest ash in Scotland was recorded by Sir Herbert Maxwell as being one at Mount Stuart of 134' in height. He also referred to the fine specimens of cedar. The woodlands date from the early 18th century; some are now mature and very dense, and are being cleared and thinned. The woods to the north of the Lime Tree Avenue including the wilderness area, have not yet been cleared and have an undergrowth of self-seeded Rhododendron and bamboo. Knocknicoll Wood and Black Wood are mainly coniferous plantations now, with a deciduous edge on the side facing the house. There is also some coniferous planting along the coastal strip.

The Gardens

The layout of the Formal Garden is shown in the 1759 Fowles Survey. The gardener at this time was Alexander MacGregor who, when the 3rd Earl was in London, sent him a weekly record of the weather and the work carried out in the garden. These accounts provide a fascinating record of the gardener's work at that time, and also give tantalising glimpses of the complexity of the garden layout, referring to the 'twist walks on the east side of the bowling green, the Maze' (which possibly was used as a tree nursery), 'the Summerhouse Walk lined by beeches, the Clyde Walk, the Flower Garden, the Toward walk, the lime hedges about the parterre, the Laburnums in the Grove, the thorn hedges about the North (kitchen) Garden, the apple hedge in the South (kitchen) Garden, the Tulip Tree Cabinet, the Bastern (lime) Cabinet and the Ashleaf Cabinet... the limes and beeches in the lines next to the walk of the ring, the twist down by the cascades to the Summerhouse Walk, and also the condemned 30' walk to the west of the Bowling Green'.

While much of the detail of the layout has since gone, there are some fine trees in the garden and also the area south of the house, where specimen conifers have been planted. The formal garden at one time included the flower and vegetable gardens and also the Dahlia Collection introduced to this country from Mexico by the 3rd Earl. The parterre had been converted to a bowling green by the 1st Edition map of 1860; the steps to the earlier bowling green, now a tennis court, remain and this area is surrounded with bulbs in the spring.

The Ween Garden was put in south of the main Formal Garden and incorporated the Racers Burn within it. Its layout has remained substantially the same, although the large ring was originally subdivided into segments. It is a walled garden to the west of the Forty Five and was designed by the 2nd Marchioness in 1823, and is now known as the 'Wee Garden'. There was a summerhouse to the south of this garden; this has since disappeared and that area of the policies left in a relatively natural informal state. The sundial has recently been moved from a corner of the Wee Garden to the centre of the ring. The garden contains many southern hemisphere plants and ornamental shrubs which are being encouraged. More southern hemisphere plants are being added while maintaining the character of the garden. Interesting plants in the Formal and Wee Garden include:- Euchryphia, Kalmia, Cryptomeria, Brodick hybrid Rhododendrons, Griselinia, a weeping Sweet chestnut, also tree ferns, flax and Hebes from New Zealand.

The Racers Burn flows from the Wee Garden, under the Forty Five into the Water Garden created a few years ago and still under development. Today ornamental planting extends from the Wee Garden along the water garden with Gunnera, Embothrium, Iris and Primula spp.

The Rock Garden was created by the 3rd Marquess between 1893 and 1898 and put in at the west front of the mansion after rebuilding. It was originally designed by Thomas Mawson and Gibson but was remodelled by the Dowager Lady Bute after the last war. It has many water features, water being piped from the Scoulag Burn, and it is currently being restocked.

Walled Garden

The kitchen garden was one of two, and was divided into eight compartments in the 1850s. Only one wall remains today. Old orchard trees remain and the garden is also used for cut flowers and vegetables. Glasshouses are in use.