Crawfordton House
- Essay in Scottish Baronial
Shaun Castle 27 November 2006
Crawfordton House, Moniaive. Archive sepia postcard.
Crawfordton House, built between 1863 and 1866 for Colonel George Gustavus Walker, is an important essay in Scottish Baronial by prominent Victorian architects Peddie & Kinnear.
As noted by the RCAHMS, “in the mid 19th century, houses by this practice formed part of the new thrust for national romanticism in architecture with references to forms found in the tower houses and castles of the Scottish Renaissance period. The Scottish Baronial style, which was characterised by asymetrical elevations, corbelled turrets and crow-stepped gables, provided the semblance of fortified living on the exterior whilst insisting on the convenience and luxury of Victorian modern living on the interior.”
Crawfordton House is entered via an impressive main staircase - a familiar leitmotif of Peddie & Kinnear - which leads up to the principal rooms on the first floor, and family bedrooms on the second. As common to the period, servants’ quarters and services were set on the ground floor. The garden elevation exudes a Gothic air, with the house originally being the focal point of a picturesque landscape and estate.
Peddie & Kinnear would later develop their signature style at Threave House, and the practice went on to become one of the most prolific in Scottish architectural history, designing hundreds of buildings including churches, banks, offices and hotels, as well as many important public commissions, such as premises for hospitals, schools and town halls.
By World War II, Crawfordton House became a school, establishing an educational tradition at the property which continued until closure this year.
Extracts from the RCAHMS. Full article and details about the Peddie & Kineer Collection available at www.rcahms.gov.uk
Crawfordton House, circa 1960.
From The Francis Frith Collection www.frithphotos.com
