Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
July 2010
TRAPRAIN HOUSE
LUGGATE BURN
WHITTINGEHAME
EAST LOTHIAN
EH41 4QA
1.0 SUMMARY 2
2.0 INTRODUCTION 2
3.0 OBJECTIVES 3
4.0 METHODOLOGY 3
5.0 RESULTS 8
ILLUSTRATIONS
North Sea
Inverness
Aberdeen
Site
Glasgow
Edinburgh
100 km
Garage/Bothy
Culross Palace
1866 OS Survey Map
1.0 SUMMARY
1.2 The work will inform reconstruction and consolidation of the existing
fabric and may involve some minor reconstruction of the existing fabric.
2.0 INTRODUCTION
The structure is located directly to the east of the backlot entrance vennel
that ascends from the northeast corner the Palace, site centred at NS 986 859
(Fig. 1).
The existing structure is to the east of a steep stairway that separates backlot
gardens that extend from the rear of the 16th century properties now in the
care of the NTS. The terraced gardens have been returned to use as
vegetable and herb gardens, much as the original function was intended.
The ‘Garage Bothy’ is built in an area that has been cut into the slope of the
hill, meaning the west elevation acts as a revetment wall to the side vennel
and the rear of the property is overlooked by the garden, that has a high
revetment wall, creating a yard to the rear.
The rear retaining wall that towers over the slope is later in date, and the
walls have obviously undergone several rebuilds and alterations, though
keeping roughly to the original layout. This wall was subject to an earlier
investigation (Culross Palace Garden Wall, Culross, CHC, Data Structure
Report, 2007)
Bruce, persuaded King James VI to grant the town Royal Burgh status,
allowing it to trade with the continent and it was said that as many as 170
ships could be seen sheltering in the bay of Culross harbour.
This trade with the continent defined the architecture of Culross and the
whole area of the Forth. Scottish ships sailed for the Low Countries carrying
raw materials, such as coal, salt and wool, and returned with luxury goods -
ceramics, silk, glassware, and works of art but they often returned with red
pantiles as ballast which along with other architectural influences, shaped
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Bothy Garage, Culross, July 2010
the look of the area. Indeed the recorded structure also maintains a roof
constructed of pantiles, which is in keeping with the history of the area.
Bruce's mansion was started in 1597 and completed in 1611, additions being
made as his wealth increased as no great plan for the building exists and it
grows organically as the whim took Bruce. The house is built with a heavy
Dutch influence, from its pantile roof and crow-stepped gables to the
furniture inside, which was all purchased in Holland with even the painted
ceiling based on a Dutch pattern book.
The gardens to the rear also respect this continental connection – while the
lines of the south facing sloping burgage plots (backlots) represent the
medieval lines of the village.
The Garage bothy is a small single roomed structure orientated north south
along its long axis, that has been converted over time into its current
configuration of blocked windows, expanded carriage entrance and other
minor blockings and openings. The building does not have any great
antiquity being 19th century in construction, however, there is a related story
which bears recording.
The structure is known locally as the “Hearse Inn”, and on the window lintel
is the inscription JRLK which refers to the undertaker John Kerr, who
owned the building in the 20th century. He kept a horse drawn hearse within
the building, which may explain the need to widen the main entrance in the
south elevation. In the mid 20th century, a quantity of casked whiskey was
stolen from a nearby railway yard, and the rumour is now circulated that
some of the contraband was hidden in a pit beneath the hearse, thus giving
the structure its’ unusual local name.
3.0 OBJECTIVES
3.1 To record with photographic rectification and written description the interior
and exterior elevations to be affected by future works, and inform the
rebuilds with evidence recovered from the record.
3.2 To create accurate plans and elevations showing the phased development of
the structure.
4.0 METHODOLOGY
4.1 The elevations were photographed using a 10megapixel digital camera with a
0.5m ranging rods used for scale.
4.2 The wall photographs were rectified and used as the base for interpretation, a
further site visit was conducted to enhance the drawn record.
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002
001
003
001
005
004 006
0 5 10
metres Figure 2 : North External and South external
002
009
reversed skewput
001
007 008
0 5 10
metres Figure 3 : West external
002
009
G1
G6
G2 G3
G5 001
012
G4
0 5 10
metres Figure 4 : East elevation external
001 main wall fabric
012 011 010
005
014
006
007 008
Step
Step
Step
North
0 5 10
metres Figure 5 : Ground plan
Bothy Garage, Culross, July 2010
5.0 RESULTS
The simple near rectangular structure measure circa 11.60m north/south and
5.60m east west. Walls are on average 0.60m wide.
The chimney on the north gable elevation is a later addition [002] relating to
a period when the interior is heated with what seems to be a stove, as no
fireplace can be located in the interior. The insertion of the flue must have
taken place entirely in the interior elevation, as no sign of rebuild can be
seen in the exterior stonework. Given the type of droving and the style of
the stack it is of a mid to late 19th century date.
A raggle line is just visible [003] on the east side of the north elevation
(Figure 2) and an interior plaster coating [004] (circa 0.5m high and 1m
wide where surviving) is also located in this area, providing evidence for a
small structure with pitched roof extending from this northeast corner of the
structure though no groundplan is available to show its full extent.
The south gable elevation is dominated by a large double leafed coach door
(3.02m wide and 2.96m high), with wooden plank construction and 4 iron
hinge brackets opening outwards. [006]. However, it is clear from
examination of the jambs that the west side is original, with well dressed
quoin, while the east side has been extended, leaving only a rough edge of
rubble [005].
The timber lintel will also have been inserted at this time, and both brick and
tile fragments are in evidence in the reconstruction of the gable end, along
with several patches of cement repair around the gable coping stones, giving
further evidence of a reconstruction, albeit using the original stonework.
The wooden frame of the doorway has a timber mark which may relate to
the date of the alteration. It is clear this is a timber from a source that has a
1
(Culross Palace Garden Wall, Culross, CHC, Data Structure Report, 2007) p8
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Bothy Garage, Culross, July 2010
The northwest corner shows a confused picture of both being tied into the
continuing vennel wall and being distinct from it (evidenced by the clear
quoins that lie beneath the oddly reversed skewput (Figure 3)
On the east elevation, there are three openings along the length of the wall.
In the south there is an original window [010] 1.02m high and 0.70m wide
with a two over six hopper window. This has remained untouched from
construction and has a hard grey/pink sandstone surround with broad raised
margins and droved quoins. The lintel is carved with graffiti, two of which
relate to Jock Kerr – G1 - (a onetime owner of the building) - other graffiti
surrounds this opening and the sill is well worn from constant rubbing (G2 –
G6) The initials represented are (2) WR (3) DM (4) WR? (5) JJ ? (6) JM
and AH.
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Bothy Garage, Culross, July 2010
Further to the north is a large blocked doorway [011] – 1.45m wide and
2.06m high – with grey/pink sandstone surrounds and broad raised margins
and droved quoins. This has been blocked with coursed rubble [012] and
will predate the insertion of the following feature. At the north end of this
elevation, lies a narrow doorway [013], (0.90m wide and 1.89m high) that is
formed by the alteration of an original window. The upper lintel and jambs
clearly show the original size of the window, matching window [010] in size
and construction. The lower part of the doorway is of rubble, with a rubble
sill. A wooden plank door leads to the interior.
The roof [009] is constructed of a simple A-frame with spaced purlins and
pantiles.
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002
009
012
001
0 5 10
metres Figure 8 : East elevation internal
002
009
016 001
008
015
0 5 10
metres Figure 7 : West elevation internal
002
014
006 001
005
0 5 10
metres Figure 6 : North External and South internal
Bothy Garage, Culross, July 2010
The main interior feature that gives a clue to alteration is the flue hole [014]
and the adjacent brick blocking on the south internal elevation. It is clear
that the flue insertion must relate to a requirement for a heated interior, and
given the lack of fireplace at ground level, this must represent a stove and
pipe. The simpler option of running a flue pipe up and through the roof does
suggest that there was more to this requirement for a chimney than simply
putting in a stove. The wall elevation is however thickly whitewashed, and
only removal and examination of the stonework and brickwork would
answer this question.
The interior is whitewashed and in some places (over door blocking [012])
rendered with multiple layers. On the west elevation the lower third of the
wall is rendered in a thin cement coat [015] and to the south of this elevation
there is a thick limewash [016], respecting the blocked window [007]. This
window has been blocked [008] flush to the wall [001] a wooden beam
forms the wallhead at this point.
The east elevation also has the visible remains of the blocked doorway [011]
and the blocking [012]. The window [010] to the south is set back in an ingo
with a small shelf above.
The floor itelf is dirt, however, there is suggestion that this may have
originally had a slab surface, in at least part of the structure, given the floor
surface now being lower than the exterior which would allow for a makeup
layer and slabs.
There are several graffiti inscriptions on the east external elevation – the
most important being that of Jock Kerr with the well carved initials (1)
JRLK above window [010]. These form an important part of the history of
the structure. The initials represented are (2) WR (3) DM (4) WR? (5) JJ ?
(6) JM and AH.
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Bothy Garage, Culross, July 2010
A simple building that has its origins in the 19th century, with a
refurbishment and reorganisation of openings in the late 19th / early 20th
century. This was a utility building that during the 20th century functioned as
garage for a hearse, and must have always had some form of large ‘cart’
entrance in the south elevation given the height of the surviving quoins of the
entrance on the west side of [006] – though is has been widened from the
original construction to the east, but apparently not altered in height.
The windows in the east elevation are certainly not older that 18th century in
style and this would give a good date for construction of around 1800
onwards. The blocked window on the west elevation is of distinct 19th
century typology with well tooled narrow droving.
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Bothy Garage, Culross, July 2010
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Appendix 3
A simple building that has its origins in the 19th century, with a
refurbishment and reorganisation of openings in the late 19th / early 20th
century. This was a utility building that during the 20th century functioned as
garage for a hearse, and must have always had some form of large ‘cart’ Comment: What evidence?
entrance in the south elevation – though is has been widened from the
original construction.
The windows in the east elevation are certainly not older that 18th century in
style and this would give a good date for construction of around 1800
onwards. The blocked window on the west elevation is of distinct 19th
century typology.
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Culross