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MHG4702 - Old House of Inverlaidnan - Duthil and Rothiemurchus

Summary

Ruins of the Old House of Inverlaidnan in Duthil and Rothiemurchus

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

Schedule: described as upstanding ruins of C18 Laird's House - HAW 11/2003

NH82SE 5 8619 2145.
NH 8610 2145. The ruins shown on the 1/10,000 sheet (OS 1/10,000 map, 1975) are those of the old House of Inverlaidnan, where Prince Charles Edward stayed a night in the spring of 1746.
Information contained in letter from D C Murray, Tighandallan House, Evanton, Ross and Cromarty to OS, 23 January 1978.

A project to survey and record archaeological features at Inverlaidnan and Sluggan (originally named Inchluin) was undertaken by NOSAS members in 2018.

Site 17/17A. The ruins of the Old House are situated on a river terrace, facing ESE and overlooking the grassy haughs of the River Dulnain. The house sits at the centre of the enclosure and the remains of the three associated buildings to its SE are also within the enclosure. This layout is marked on the Roy map of 1750 and on the estate plan of 1771.

The monument comprises the upstanding ruins of Inverlaidnan Old House, an 18th-century laird's house, located in a shallow valley, 350m SW of the confluence of the Allt an Aonaich burn and the River Dulnain, at about 300m. OD. The house was built almost certainly by John Grant of Dalrachney sometime between 1717 and his death in 1736. He was succeeded by his son, Alexander, but the house was extensively damaged by fire in 1739. It was rebuilt by 1746, when Bonnie Prince Charlie is thought to have stayed there one February night. The Grants continued to occupy the house for some time thereafter, but, by 1851, the roof of 'the old house of Inverlaidnan' had fallen in. The remains today consist principally of the W and N walls of the house, which stand to full height, and the E and N corners of the S elevation. The outbuildings survive as turf-covered footings and the enclosure as a substantial bank, in parts spread to 3m across, and ditched along its W side.

The laird's house was originally rectangular in plan, of two storeys and garret, and aligned N-S with subsidiary buildings to its E. The house measures about 16m N-S by 11.5m E-W over walls about 0.9m thick. The original entrance was located probably midway along the E elevation; at a later date a doorway was inserted at the N end of this same elevation. Each floor would have been two rooms deep with a stairway located centrally along the W elevation. Windows were positioned between the flues at attic level on the end gables and two small fireplaces would have provided warmth to each of the four principal rooms on the first floor. The large W-facing first floor windows had inner relieving arches behind their lintels. The house and outbuildings stood in the centre of a walled enclosure which measures approximately 65m. N-S by 40m E-W over all. One of the outbuildings probably housed the kitchen. Evidence of some re-building survives, in particular at the NW corner.

The monument is of national importance as a good example of the layout and architecture of a type of monument about which little is presently known. Its importance is enhanced by its potential, together with the contemporary documentary sources available, to improve our understanding of the social structure and culture of landed families in the 18th century. Given its early abandonment and lack of later disturbance, the monument also has high archaeological potential. <1>

NGR adjusted based on 1999-2001 aerial photographs <2>

1st Edition OS 6" <3>

Roys Military Survey of Scotland, 1747-55 <4>

Sources/Archives (6)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 8619 2144 (17m by 21m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NH82SE
Civil Parish	DUTHIL AND ROTHIEMURCHUS
Geographical Area	BADENOCH AND STRATHSPEY

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Investigations/Events (1)

External Links (2)