Feature: NJ34NW0045 - AUCHLUNKART HOUSE
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House, built in the early-18th century, with late-18th century additions and further additions and remodelling in circa 1825-30, in the style of William Robertson of Elgin. There were also additions and restoration work by Bruce and Sutherland, architects, Banff, 1886, which was mostly internal decoration and service additions. There is documentary evidence of a manor having previously been in this area (NJ34NW0004). It was the seat of the Steuarts of Auchlunkart and Forres, inherited from the Innes family through an heiress (presumably by marriage). It passed out of Steuart ownership in 1947. It is a two-storey harled house, with tooled and polished ashlar dressings. There is an East-facing seven-bay entrance front, with narrow windows that have chamfered margins. This is the earliest portion of the house. There are late-18th century projecting bowed outer bays, and a centre entrance that was re-modelled in 1825-30, with a centre door flanked by narrow lights and intermediate pilasters with incised keystoned detailing. It sits within a porte-cochere, which is supported by four Greek Doric columns standing on a continuous plinth. There is a five-bay South front, with slightly advanced centre three bays that are faced in tooled ashlar. There is a central niche in the first floor under a blocking course, with a centre ornamental urn-like circular corniced wallhead stack. The elevation is fronted by a 1825-30 conservatory comprising of four front and two side Greek Doric columns, linked by a panelled base course and deep entablature, and infilled with multi-pane glazing. The shallow piended glazed roof of the conservatory terminates with a decorative palmette and anthemion cast-iron brattishing. There is mainly 12-pane glazing, and ridge and end stacks on slate roofs. There is a walled service area to the North, with an entrance flanked by simple square gate piers that are initialled 'FDS' and dated 1886. Inside, the entrance hall is divided from the inner hall by a Greek Doric screen, infilled with later glazing. There is a stairhall, with an early-19th century reconstructed cantilevered staircase with later-19th century decorative cast-iron balusters. The drawing room has probably 1825-30 decorations and fittings, with a panelled dado, moulded doorpieces, overdoors and panelled window shutters. There is a decorative plaster ceiling cornice, with some additional later-19th century moulded borders. A white marble chimneypiece is supported by a pair of caryatids. The dining room was re-decorated in the late-19th century, incorporating earlier-19th century decorative features, such as moulded doorpieces and overdoors and a panelled dado. There is also a late-19th century chimneypiece. The conservatory has a simple chimneypiece, with a re-set 17th, or possibly early 18th, century armorial, with the initials 'MAD' and 'IG'.