Ascog House
Encyclopedia
Ascog House is a large 17th-century mansion house at Ascog
on the Isle of Bute
, southwest Scotland
. The house is in the care of the Landmark Trust
, and is protected as a category B listed building. Balmory Hall
lies just to the west of the house.
s. One dormer
bears the date 1678.
The building is similar in style and date to the Mansion House in nearby Rothesay, and is likely to have been built by the same architect.
The interior of the house dates from the 1990s restoration. The earlier interiors were mostly lost when the building was divided into flats, and further damage occurred when a fire broke out in June 1991 while the restoration was in progress.
.)
The present building was originally an L-plan tower house, with a projecting watch-chamber above the staircase, from which "missiles could be dropped on unwelcome and unsuspecting guests". Buildings of this type typically date from around 1600.
The stonework of the house bears witness to various changes to the floor levels and layout over the course of the building's history. The windows were enlarged in the 18th century.
During the reign of Victoria, a large servants' wing was added at the back; and during the reign of Edward VII
, a drawing room and staircase were added on the north side.
By 1970 the house had been divided into flats, but structural problems set in. Parts of the house became derelict, and the west wall was in danger of collapse.
A program of restoration was carried out in the early 1990s by the Landmark Trust
. This included the removal of the Victorian wing, and most of the Edwardian additions. The Edwardian staircase was left "in detached whimsy" as a free-standing turret containing an additional bedroom.
In 1673, his grandson, also named John Stewart, married Margaret Cunningharn. They may have been responsible for the rebuilding and enlargement that lead to the carved date 1678.
In 1773 or 1763 the then owner, another John Stewart, wrote a will
setting up a complicated entail
to ensure that the house remained in the Stewart family.
When he died without children, the house and estate passed to a distant relative Archibald MacArthur of Milton, who changed his name to Archibald MacArthur Stewart. This inheritance was noted by a contemporary writer, who stated that he was an eccentric, "exceedingly parsimonious", and that "he had a great attachment to swine, and kept a litter of pigs in his bedroom".
He also died without children, and the heir was an American citizen, Frederick Campbell. Under the terms of the will he had to change his name to Stewart and to become a British citizen. This took ten years and required a Special Act of Parliament
. He then tried to sell the Ascog estate, at which point a number of claimants emerged, insisting that under the terms of the entail they would be entitled to a share of the proceeds. Litigation ensued, in the course of which Frederick died.
The next heir was Frederick's brother Ferdinand Campbell. He succeeded where his brother had not: in only a short time he managed to become a British citizen, had the House of Lords
overturn the old will, and, in 1831, sold the estate. It was acquired by Robert Thom
, a civil engineer
, who then styled himself "Laird of Ascog".
After Thom the ownership is less well documented, but in 1939 the house was bought by the 5th Marquess of Bute
for housing estate workers.
The house was acquired by the Landmark Trust in 1989 and the building is now maintained using income from its use as holiday accommodation.
Ascog
Ascog is a village in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is largely residential and is located on the east coast of the Isle of Bute. It contains Ascog House and the Italianate style Balmory Hall....
on the Isle of Bute
Isle of Bute
Bute is an island in the Firth of Clyde in Scotland. Formerly part of the county of Buteshire, it now constitutes part of the council area of Argyll and Bute. Its resident population was 7,228 in April 2001.-Geography:...
, southwest Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. The house is in the care of the Landmark Trust
Landmark Trust
The Landmark Trust is a British building conservation charity, founded in 1965 by Sir John and Lady Smith, that rescues buildings of historic interest or architectural merit and then gives them a new life by making them available for holiday rental...
, and is protected as a category B listed building. Balmory Hall
Balmory Hall
Balmory Hall is a category A listed Victorian Italianate mansion located near Ascog in the Isle of Bute, Scotland, just west of Ascog House. The hall is set within of gardens. It is run as a privately-owned guesthouse and reportedly features a 7-course breakfast....
lies just to the west of the house.
Description
The present building is a large three-story house running north-south. On the east side is a stair turret with a small watch-chamber above. The roofs are steep with crow-stepped gableCrow-stepped gable
A Stepped gable, Crow-stepped gable, or Corbie step is a stair-step type of design at the top of the triangular gable-end of a building...
s. One dormer
Dormer
A dormer is a structural element of a building that protrudes from the plane of a sloping roof surface. Dormers are used, either in original construction or as later additions, to create usable space in the roof of a building by adding headroom and usually also by enabling addition of windows.Often...
bears the date 1678.
The building is similar in style and date to the Mansion House in nearby Rothesay, and is likely to have been built by the same architect.
The interior of the house dates from the 1990s restoration. The earlier interiors were mostly lost when the building was divided into flats, and further damage occurred when a fire broke out in June 1991 while the restoration was in progress.
Architectural history
There is no trace of the earlier castle that was only a "few minutes walk" away. (Although a ruined tower named "Ascog Castle" exists, it is not on the Isle of Bute but in mainland ArgyllArgyll
Argyll , archaically Argyle , is a region of western Scotland corresponding with most of the part of ancient Dál Riata that was located on the island of Great Britain, and in a historical context can be used to mean the entire western coast between the Mull of Kintyre and Cape Wrath...
.)
The present building was originally an L-plan tower house, with a projecting watch-chamber above the staircase, from which "missiles could be dropped on unwelcome and unsuspecting guests". Buildings of this type typically date from around 1600.
The stonework of the house bears witness to various changes to the floor levels and layout over the course of the building's history. The windows were enlarged in the 18th century.
During the reign of Victoria, a large servants' wing was added at the back; and during the reign of Edward VII
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
, a drawing room and staircase were added on the north side.
By 1970 the house had been divided into flats, but structural problems set in. Parts of the house became derelict, and the west wall was in danger of collapse.
A program of restoration was carried out in the early 1990s by the Landmark Trust
Landmark Trust
The Landmark Trust is a British building conservation charity, founded in 1965 by Sir John and Lady Smith, that rescues buildings of historic interest or architectural merit and then gives them a new life by making them available for holiday rental...
. This included the removal of the Victorian wing, and most of the Edwardian additions. The Edwardian staircase was left "in detached whimsy" as a free-standing turret containing an additional bedroom.
Ownership history
In 1594, John Stewart of Kilchattan bought the Ascog estate, and may have been the builder of the first house on the site.In 1673, his grandson, also named John Stewart, married Margaret Cunningharn. They may have been responsible for the rebuilding and enlargement that lead to the carved date 1678.
In 1773 or 1763 the then owner, another John Stewart, wrote a will
Will
Will may refer to:* Shall and will, the word will as a modal verb* Will , instructions for the disposition of one's property after death...
setting up a complicated entail
Entail
Entail may refer to:* Fee tail, a term of art in common law describing a limited form of succession....
to ensure that the house remained in the Stewart family.
When he died without children, the house and estate passed to a distant relative Archibald MacArthur of Milton, who changed his name to Archibald MacArthur Stewart. This inheritance was noted by a contemporary writer, who stated that he was an eccentric, "exceedingly parsimonious", and that "he had a great attachment to swine, and kept a litter of pigs in his bedroom".
He also died without children, and the heir was an American citizen, Frederick Campbell. Under the terms of the will he had to change his name to Stewart and to become a British citizen. This took ten years and required a Special Act of Parliament
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
. He then tried to sell the Ascog estate, at which point a number of claimants emerged, insisting that under the terms of the entail they would be entitled to a share of the proceeds. Litigation ensued, in the course of which Frederick died.
The next heir was Frederick's brother Ferdinand Campbell. He succeeded where his brother had not: in only a short time he managed to become a British citizen, had the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
overturn the old will, and, in 1831, sold the estate. It was acquired by Robert Thom
Robert Thom (engineer)
Robert Thom was a Scottish civil engineer who worked upon major hydraulic projects on the Isle of Bute and Inverclyde. On Bute, he created aquaducts to increase the flow of water which powered the cotton mills there, so that their capacity was increased. This economic success resulted in him...
, a civil engineer
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
, who then styled himself "Laird of Ascog".
After Thom the ownership is less well documented, but in 1939 the house was bought by the 5th Marquess of Bute
John Crichton-Stuart, 5th Marquess of Bute
John Crichton-Stuart, 5th Marquess of Bute was the son of John Crichton-Stuart, 4th Marquess of Bute and Augusta Bellingham....
for housing estate workers.
The house was acquired by the Landmark Trust in 1989 and the building is now maintained using income from its use as holiday accommodation.