Ross Priory

Last updated

Ross Priory
Ross Priory - geograph.org.uk - 190186.jpg
Ross Priory
Coordinates 56°03′17″N4°32′50″W / 56.0546°N 4.5473°W / 56.0546; -4.5473 Coordinates: 56°03′17″N4°32′50″W / 56.0546°N 4.5473°W / 56.0546; -4.5473
Listed Building – Category A
Designated14 May 1971
Reference no. LB7625
Designated1 July 1987
Reference no. GDL00329
West Dunbartonshire UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location in West Dunbartonshire

Ross Priory is an early 19th-century country house located west of Gartocharn, West Dunbartonshire, on the south shore of Loch Lomond, Scotland. From the 14th century the estate, known as The Ross, was owned by a branch of the Buchanan family of Buchanan Castle, who built a house here in 1695. The present house is the result of remodelling by James Gillespie Graham and was complete in 1816. The term "priory" does not imply ecclesiastical provenance, but is simply a 19th-century romantic affectation. [1] Sir Walter Scott spent time at Ross Priory in the years following the rebuilding. It was owned by subsequent members of the Leith-Buchanan family until the later 20th century. In 1973 it was sold to Strathclyde University and now serves as a recreational and conference centre.

Contents

Ross Priory is protected as a category A listed building, [1] and the grounds are included on the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland, the national listing of significant gardens. [2]

History

The history of Ross Priory began with the Buchanan Clan during the 11th century. A dwelling is known to have existed on the site from as early as 1693. It is reported that in 1745 the Buchanans were cursed by the Marquess of Tullibardine, who, in the aftermath of the Battle of Culloden asked James Leith-Buchanan, 5th of Ross, for shelter at the Priory but was instead betrayed and given over to King George's men. Tullibardine cursed them with the utterance:

"There will be Murrays on the Braes of Atholl land when there’s ne’er a Buchanan at the Ross.”

The Marquess's curse came to pass when, in 1925, the Leith-Buchanan's male line finally died out and the house was leased to Major George J.H. Christie, a veteran of World War I, remaining in the family's possession until shortly after the Major's death. Christie was responsible for the development and cultivation of the Priory's surrounding gardens. The Priory was sold to the University of Strathclyde in 1971, despite objections from the local population[ citation needed ]. [1]

Architecture

Ross Priory has been described as a Scottish Gothic style country house. [2] It was designed in 1812 by Dunblane-born architect James Gillespie Graham (1776–1855) as an extensive remodelling of the site's existing farmhouse. Ross Priory comprises approximately 200 acres (80 hectares) of land and includes a formal garden, parkland, a burial ground and golf course.

Famous visitors

Sir Walter Scott is said to have taken inspiration for his Waverley Novels from impressions formed during annual visits to the Priory. A room on the first floor is named for him. [3]

Current use

Ross Priory is now commonly used for meetings and entertainment by staff and graduates of Strathclyde University, as well as being a wedding venue. Its surrounding gardens, woodlands and parkland are open as part of Scotland's Gardens Scheme. [3] There are 11 en suite bedrooms within the house, each of which are let on a bed & breakfast basis. Dinner is available by prior reservation. There is also a self-catering cottage on the loch shore which is let per week or for a 3 night weekend.

Notes

  1. ^ Reid, Carol (Spring 2006). "Ross Priory". Friends of Loch Lomond Newsletter. Helensburgh: The Friends of Loch Lomond & the Trossachs. Archived from the original on 25 December 2007.
  2. ^ Deans, Joyce (22 January 2008). "Ross Priory". Rias. Edinburgh: Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland. Archived from the original on 25 September 2006.
  3. ^ Lockhart, J.G. (1871). "Chapters IV and VI". The Life of Scott. Edinburgh: Adam and Charles Black. Archived from the original on 2 April 2008.

Related Research Articles

Duke of Montrose Dukedom in the Peerage of Scotland

Duke of Montrose is a title that has been created twice in the Peerage of Scotland. The first creation was in 1488 for David Lindsay, 5th Earl of Crawford. He was forced to forfeit the dukedom later in 1488, but it was restored to him in 1489, although only for his lifetime. Thus, it was not inherited.

Stirling (council area) Council area of Scotland

The Stirling council area is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and has a population of about 94,330. It was created under the Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994 with the boundaries of the Stirling district of the former Central local government region, and it covers most of Stirlingshire and the south-western portion of Perthshire. Both counties were abolished for local government purposes under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Botanical garden in Edinburgh, Scotland

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) is a scientific centre for the study of plants, their diversity and conservation, as well as a popular tourist attraction. Founded in 1670 as a physic garden to grow medicinal plants, today it occupies four sites across Scotland—Edinburgh, Dawyck, Logan and Benmore—each with its own specialist collection. The RBGE's living collection consists of more than 13,302 plant species, whilst the herbarium contains in excess of 3 million preserved specimens.

The Lennox Region of Scotland

The Lennox is a region of Scotland centred on The Vale of Leven, including its great loch: Loch Lomond.

James Gillespie Graham Scottish architect (1776-1855)

James Gillespie Graham was a Scottish architect, prominent in the early 19th century.

New Town, Edinburgh Central area of Edinburgh, Scotland

The New Town is a central area of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. It was built in stages between 1767 and around 1850, and retains much of its original neo-classical and Georgian period architecture. Its best known street is Princes Street, facing Edinburgh Castle and the Old Town across the geological depression of the former Nor Loch. Together with the Old Town, and West End, the New Town was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. The area is also famed for the New Town Gardens, a heritage designation since March 2001.

Balnagown Castle

Balnagown Castle is located beside the village of Kildary in Easter Ross, part of the Highland area of Scotland. There has been a castle on the site since the 14th century, although the present building was remodelled in the 18th and 19th centuries. Balnagown is the ancestral home of the Chiefs of Clan Ross, although since the 1970s it has been owned by the Egyptian-born businessman Mohamed Al-Fayed. The castle is protected as a category B listed building, and the grounds are included on the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland, the national listing of significant gardens.

Clan Murray Highland Scottish clan

Clan Murray is a Highland Scottish clan. The chief of the Clan Murray holds the title of Duke of Atholl. Their ancestors who established the family in Scotland in the 12th century were the Morays of Bothwell. In the 16th century descendants of the Morays of Bothwell, the Murrays of Tullibardine, secured the chiefship of the clan and were created Earls of Tullibardine in 1606. The first Earl of Tullibardine married the heiress to the Stewart earldom of Atholl and Atholl therefore became a Murray earldom in 1626. The Murray Earl of Atholl was created Marquess of Atholl in 1676 and in 1703 it became a dukedom. The marquess of Tullibardine title has continued as a subsidiary title, being bestowed on elder sons of the chief until they succeed him as Duke of Atholl.

Balloch Castle

Balloch Castle is an early 19th-century country house situated at the southern tip of Loch Lomond, in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland. Balloch was a property of the Lennox family from the 11th century, and the old castle was built in the 13th century. In the 19th century the estate was purchased by John Buchanan of Ardoch, who demolished the ruins of the old castle and erected the present building. The Tudor Gothic architecture is the work of Robert Lugar. In 1915 Balloch was bought by Glasgow City Corporation, and has been leased by West Dunbartonshire Council since 1975. The estate was designated as a country park in 1980, and since 2002 has been part of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park. Although the house has been periodically used for visitor facilities and council offices, it is now included on the Buildings at Risk Register. Balloch Castle is a category A listed building, and the estate is included on the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland.

Clan Buchanan Highland Scottish clan

Clan Buchanan is a Highlands Scottish Clan whose origins are said to lie in the 1225 grant of lands on the eastern shore of Loch Lomond to clergyman Sir Absalon of Buchanan by the Earl of Lennox.

Restalrig Human settlement in Scotland

Restalrig is a small residential suburb of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located east of the city centre, west of Craigentinny and to the east of Lochend, both of which it overlaps. Restalrig Road is the main route through the area, running from London Road, at Jock's Lodge, to Leith Links. It is in the ward of Lochend.

Gartocharn Human settlement in Scotland

Gartocharn is a village in West Dunbartonshire in Scotland, United Kingdom. It is the only village in the parish of Kilmaronock. The parish has a population of c680.

Clan Galbraith Scottish clan

Clan Galbraith is a Scottish clan. The clan does not have a chief recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms. Because of this, the clan is considered an armigerous clan, and as such Clan Galbraith has no standing under Scots Law. The clan-name of Galbraith is of Gaelic origin, however its meaning denotes the bearer as of British origin, as opposed to Gaelic. The early Galbraiths were centred in the Lennox district, which spans the Highland and Lowland border of Scotland. The 17th chief of the clan brought ruin to the clan in the late 16th and early 17th century, and eventually lost his lands and fled Scotland for Ireland. His grandson, the 19th chief, was the last chief of Clan Galbraith.

Ochtertyre Human settlement in Scotland

Ochtertyre is a country house and estate in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It is located in Strathearn, between Crieff and Loch Turret, north of the A85.

Mounting block

A mounting block, horse block, carriage stone, or in Scots a loupin'-on stane is an assistance for mounting and dismounting a horse or cart.

Donibristle

Donibristle was a house and estate in Fife, Scotland, on the coast of the Firth of Forth. Only the wings of the house remain, within the modern settlement of Dalgety Bay. They are now protected as a category A listed building. Donibristle was the scene of the killing of James Stewart, 2nd Earl of Moray, in 1592, which is remembered in the ballad "The Bonnie Earl O' Moray".

Events from the year 1816 in Scotland.

Ardkinglas

Ardkinglas House is a Category A listed country house on the Ardkinglas Estate in Argyll, Scotland. The estate lies on the eastern shore of Loch Fyne, and the house is located close to the village of Cairndow. Dating back to the 14th century and originally a Campbell property, the estate now covers more than 12,000 acres (4,900 ha) of rolling hills and landscaped parkland. The centre of the estate was Ardkinglas Castle until this was replaced by a new house in the 18th century. This house was itself replaced by the present Ardkinglas House in the early 20th century, designed by Sir Robert Lorimer for Sir Andrew Noble. It remains the property of the Noble family, and is open to the public on a limited basis. The woodland gardens are open all year round.

Catherine Elizabeth McDonnell Graham, Duchess of Montrose, was the wife of The 8th Duke of Montrose. She became well known for her philanthropy.

References

  1. Historic Environment Scotland. "Ross Priory (Category A Listed Building) (LB7625)" . Retrieved 26 March 2019.
  2. Historic Environment Scotland. "Ross Priory (GDL00329)" . Retrieved 26 March 2019.
  3. "Ross Priory". Scotland's Gardens. Retrieved 27 August 2013.