Torosay Castle (also known as Duart House)

http://portal.historic-scotland.gov.uk/designations

Location and Setting

Torosay Castle is situated near the most eastern point of the island of Mull and is separated from the mainland by the Firth of Lorne. The village of Craignure lies approximately 2km to the north-west. The A849 which links the villages of Mull now forms the western boundary of the site. The eastern boundary is marked by the shoreline of Duart Bay. At the low water mark, the inner shores of the Bay are transformed into extensive areas of mud flats. Inland, the island rises along a chain of mountain peaks, the highest being Ben More which rises to 3,171' (967m).

Magnificent views are gained across Duart Bay to Duart Castle and beyond across the Firth of Lorne to Ben Cruachan and Ben Nevis some 36 miles away on the mainland. The southern and eastern shores of Duart Bay are significant from the garden. The setting is vital to the designed landscape. The ferry from Oban sails near this north eastern coastline and views of the estate are dominated by the woodlands, which are now largely coniferous, and Duart Castle in the foreground.

Torosay Castle stands on the western shores of Duart Bay, an inlet of the Firth of Lorne. The designed landscape extends south to the Eas Mor Burn and north to the lodge on the A849. West of this road lie extensive areas of woodland which were part of the estate before their sale in the early part of this century to the Forestry Commission. North of the policies, lies the Glebe, an area which was Church Land and is now a camp-site. The extension of a new drive from Torosay to Craignure pier through these lands was blocked in the 1870s and through access was only gained in 1982 when the miniature railway was laid along the line of the former drive. Reference to the 1st edition OS map of c.1875, a plan of the policies of 1897, and the 2nd edition OS of c.1910 shows that the extent of the designed landscape has not changed to any great effect although the woodland strips on either side of the north drive have been extended. Views to Duart Castle and across the Firth to the mainland mountains, in particular Ben Cruachan and Ben Nevis, have influenced the designed landscape which includes some 279 acres (113ha) today.

Landscape Components

Architectural Features

Torosay Castle, a Scots Baronial style mansion, listed category A, was built between 1856-58 to the designs of David Bryce. The Terraced Gardens and their ornamental revetments, pavilions and statuary are attributed to Robert Lorimer in c.1900. One of the pavilions is now used to house an exhibition on the geology of Mull.

The walled garden dates from the 18th century. The Statue Walk, listed A, is composed of 19 statues in the style of the Italian sculptor Antonio Bonazza (1698- 1765). They were acquired by Walter Murray Guthrie from a derelict garden near Milan. The collection is said to be the finest example of 18th century statuary outside Italy. Various other pieces of ornamentation, including stone lions and many urns, are sited throughout the garden. The laundry lies to the south-east of the Castle. The Farm Square with square, Italianate tower, lies to the north-west of the Castle.

Parkland

The parkland lies to the north of the Castle where it is enclosed by woodland, to the shores of Duart Bay in the east, and between the Gardens and the B849 in the west. Access to the Castle is by the west drive along the edge of the west park. A drive extending between the north park and the farm square through the woodland to the B849 is now overgrown. A modern cottage has been built at the southern end of the drive where it meets the west drive. The north drive, now a grass path, ran through the park to the woodlands east of Druim Mor. Reference to available maps indicates few trees in the park except some oak, probably planted c.1900. An older group of trees stands east of the Castle, at the edge of the former North Drive. It includes some beech, planted in the mid-18th century, some ash, copper beech and horse chestnut planted c.1820 and some sycamore, planted c.1900. The parks are grazed.

Woodland

The policy woodlands extend to the north of the Castle, on either side of what was the North Drive and east flanking the route to the pier. Comparison of the 1st & 2nd edition OS maps shows that the north woods expanded in the late 19th century and incorporated clumps of trees in Druim Mor. The miniature railway runs to Craignure Pier along the line of the drive begun by Colonel Campbell during his residency. The woodland here is composed of sycamore of c.100 years old, and ash of c.50 years old, and some conifer plantations. It has been allowed to naturally regenerate with alder and rhododendron. The wood to the east is of similar composition. There is a forest walk to Craignure on the line of the old north drive. Since 1911, the woodlands have been neglected and a management policy is to be adopted by the owners.

Woodland Garden

The woodland garden lies to the west and south of the walled garden. To the west, the mill-lade was dammed to form a pond by Walter Murray Guthrie. The banks which surround it were planted with Rhododendrons and Azaleas which provide a fine display of colour in season, under a canopy of specimen trees. The mill-lade flows into the Easmore Burn and along its southern bank, a Eucalyptus Walk has recently been established by Lt Colonel Miller. It includes several hardy and some tender Eucalyptus species, all of which are labelled.

The Gardens

The formal gardens provide a link between the Castle and the walled garden. They were designed by Robert Lorimer for Walter Murray Guthrie between 1897 and 1906. A description of the gardens and walled garden, which was the kitchen garden prior to the re-design, is provided in the sales catalogue of 1897. A semi-circular lawn now lies on the west side of the Castle, its central feature being a white marble statue brought by Walter Murray Guthrie from his house in London. Steps lead down from this lawn to the Statue Walk which extends from the central axis of the walled garden. The north wall of the garden collapsed in the early 1950s but was restored by Lt Colonel Miller over the following 20 years. The present colonnade was built from marble pillars purchased by Walter Murray Guthrie. It stands on the site of the former glasshouses. The gargoyles in the wall came from Arundel. The interior of the walled garden is now grass with yew hedging along the central axis and specimen miniature conifers on either side. The yew hedges were cut back in 1976 and subsequently suffered in later dry summers. Until recently, herbaceous borders lined the interior of this yew walk.

Between the walled garden and the Castle are three terraces. The lowest, the Lion Terrace, is so-called because of the marble lions which overlook it. The rockery lies on the north-west corner of the Lion Terrace and was the only part of the garden which was maintained during the War by Olive Guthrie until her death in 1945. It has been restored since 1979 by the Hon Mrs Jaquetta James. It is separated from the Fountain Terrace by a retaining wall with flanking summerhouses reminiscent of those designed by Rowand Anderson at Pollok, Glasgow, some years previously. Mimosa, jasmine and other climbing shrubs line the wall. Steps beside the summerhouses lead to the Fountain Terrace, so called due to its central feature, and to the terrace level with the south-east entrance to the Castle.

The Japanese Garden was laid out in the early 1980s by Lt Colonel Miller. It lies east of the gardener's cottage and the Rock Garden. A view from the garden has been opened to Loch Linnhe and Ben Nevis beyond.