St Peters-Section 12 Appendices - Historic Scotland

vi. Significance
The significance of Kilmahew Castle lies upon a number of levels and is partly recognised by its status
as a Scheduled Ancient Monument and its Category B listing as an historic building.
Kilmahew Castle and nearby St Mahew’s chapel together constitute the only tangible reminders of the
presence of an extraordinarily long-lived local family, the Napiers of Kilmahew, who held the lands
from the 13 th to the early 19th century.
The earlier parts of the structure, though incomplete, nevertheless constitute a good example of tower
house architecture of its period.
The earlier parts of the tower are of considerable archaeological interest as they appear to incorporate
remains of what may have been an even earlier fortified structure and also retain possible evidence of
a later remodelling, perhaps in the 17 th century.
The immediate surroundings self-evidently have considerable archaeological potential. Such
structures did not exist in isolation and an accompanying complex of ancillary building would be
expected, these perhaps protected by further defences or an enclosure wall.
Kilmahew Castle has very considerable significance as a mansion recast in the gothick manner, albeit
never completed. The architecture of the principal façade is of unusual quality, well proportioned and
of sophisticated detail. Though no clear historical dating evidence has so far been identified it is
possible that the design dates to the mid-late 18 th century rather than to the early 19 th century as some
commentators have suggested. This whimsical gothick was popularised by Batty Langley in the mid
18 th century in his 1742 treatise, and exemplified by Horace Walpole’s Strawberry Hill House. The
style remained popular throughout the later 18 th century and into the early 19 th . In the Scottish context
such an architectural composition is a great rarity and the Kilmahew frontage is an accomplished
example of its type – the recasting of an ancient family seat into a modish country villa. If the
structure can be attributed to the likes of John Douglas and dated to the second quarter of the 18 th
century (1740s?) then the significance of the structure is self-evidently on a national level.
Kilmahew Castle also has considerable inherent fascination as an incomplete 18 th century building
project, whereby many of the construction processes are laid bare.
vii. Policies
The condition of Kilmahew Castle should be properly assessed by an historic buildings architect and a
conservation-trained structural engineer, from which a scheme for stabilisation should be evolved.
The ruin, though generally stable, has localised areas of instability, particularly at the wall heads. This
will constitute an increasing liability and risk to the public – a popular footpath runs along the E side
of the tower and the tower itself is generally accessible.
Any proposed works to the tower will necessarily be subject to the normal Scheduled Monument
Consent process, all proposals to be agreed in consultation with Historic Scotland
Works to the castle, whether clearance or consolidation will necessarily require associated
archaeological involvement, whether monitoring, excavation or recording of the upstanding fabric.
2. Stone bridge over the Wallacetown Burn
CONSERVATION ASSESSMENT - VOLUME 1: ST PETER’S SEMINARY FEBRUARY 2008 280 Final Issue
A stone bridge that crosses the Wallacetown Burn and presently giving access to the 1860s walled
garden also appears on the 1 st Edition Ordnance Survey where the track that crosses it angles N to a
settlement marked as Triangle of Mildovan. This bridge marks the crossing point of the Wallacetown
Burn of the original farm track that led off Carman Road at the area of the existing South Lodge. The
track ran westwards, crossing the burn, and then angled to the N, running up along the side of the burn
and then into the triangle itself and the farm steading.
At the time of the construction of Kilmahew House the track was re-routed; from this time on it
accessed the eastern entrance to the walled garden and part of its old northwards-angling route reused
as an access to the potting sheds behind the walled garden N wall.
Though the bridge is now very overgrown it is neatly built of large slab like pieces of reddish purple
sandstone, a simple single arch springing from vertical abutments on either side that are built against
outcropping bedrock. After crossing the burn and where it angles up to the N the parapet is partly
corbelled out over the arch of the bridge itself. The parapets are just less than 1m in height and are
capped off with roughly dressed rounded red sandstone coping stone.
It appears the bridge is of two phases. The arch and abutments and lower part of the bridge itself are
generally formed of more elongate slab-like, often roughly squared pieces of standstone, whereas the
parapets themselves are generally made of much larger stones that are less slab-like and often roughly
dressed but nevertheless fairly coarse. This suggestion is further supported by the evidence of the
parapet and abutments. Where the parapet angles around to the NW the side of the burn has been built
up with an additional thickening of masonry against the pre-existing W abutment. This secondary
work has been partly washed away to reveal the original face of the bridge continuing behind. This
additional thickening is of similar masonry character to the upper part of the bridge parapet.
Upstream side of the bridge
12. APPENDICES