Description

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 area proposed for scheduling comprises the remains described and an area around them within which related material may be expected to survive. It is rectilinear on plan with maximum dimensions of 79m N-S by 54m W-E, as marked in red on the accompanying map.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

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.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as NH 82 SE 5.

Bibliography:

Blaikie, W. B. (1897) Itinerary of Prince Charles Edward Stuart, Scottish History Society, reprinted 1975, 39.

Fraser, W. (1883) The Chiefs of Grant, Vol. 1, 505, and 526-527.

Mac William, H. D. (1927) Letters of Patrick Grant, Lord Elchies with Memoir, etc., 94, 103, and 225.

The Seafield Estate Papers, National Archives of Scotland, GD248/170/3 and GD248/38/1.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland