Dunderave Castle Restored

 

In the early 20th century, the masonry shell of Dunderave Castle remained sound enough for the Nobles of Ardkinglas to picnic in its first-floor great hall.

 

Prior to the lat 19th century, the restoration of a castle usually involved incorporation within a large and convenient mansion. Only a few rare individuals such as Robert Lorimer’s own father, who repaired Kellie in Fife, were prepared to respect the integrity of the original building.

 

They allowed it to take precedence over contemporary standards of comfort and decorations. But by the end of the 19th century, the growing influence of the Arts and Crafts movement, with its rejection of modern standardization. Its concern for texture, scale and silhouette, in the relation of part to part, the pitch of the roof, the subtle battering of walls, the pleasant irregularity which enlivens work done by hand and eye without mechanical guides, made sensitive and minimal adaption of old castles seem slight less outré’.

 

At Miss Noble’s request, the castle was restored.  They commissioned Sir Robert Lorimer to restore the castle to its former glory, completing the work in 1912 for her occupation. In a letter dated 21st February 1911, Lorimer quotes a reduced price of £4,609 from £6,109 for the construction of the “reduced plans” of the castle.

 

Although Lormier designed cottages and gate-lodges, his clients were the rich and not the poor. In small buildings, however, Lorimer generally lavished as much attention on detail. Little is known of Miss Noble herself, but it can safely be assumed that she was an ideal client for such a job. Rich enough to pay for what she wanted.

 

At Dunderave, the greatest care was taken with the siting of the new wings, kept low so as not to detract from the character of the old castle which was interfered with as little as possible The old fabric suffered no structural change except the breaking through of openings into the new wings. Indeed, the new heating, water and waste pipes as well as the kitchen flues were discreetly disposed in the ample shaft of the old chimney.

 

Almost the first task in the Lorimer restoration was the reroofing of the old castle with large stone slabs The tower and turret roofs were given a subtle bell-cast, contrasting charmingly with the almost clumsy heaviness of the great slabs as they seemingly strove to mould themselves to the turret contours, creating an effect both contemporary and very “Lorimer.”

 

Before the new wings were built, full-size wooden skeletons were set up to see how they would group with the tower. Both client and architect were commendable taking no chances. The result was that their disposition, which looked satisfactory enough on paper, was considerably altered and the new buildings were set, not at right angles with the old tower, as had been intended, but in the irregular way shown by the plans.  The additions have the charm of the apparently haphazard that so often produces the most subtle combinations of form in old buildings.

 

The planned effect, the wings were grouped to suggest a courtyard but left open so that a view looking into the L was visible from the approach of the drive. The visitor then experienced the differing visual and special effects of. The open forecourt above the loch, the strong, dark enclosure of the long entrance pend itself. The buildings were grouped round the entrance to the tower.

 

The rooms have exquisite ceilings not merely the style but also the irregularities of 17th century plaster work. New beamed ceilings roughly finished with the adze to lose any regularity the saw might have left.

 

Wandering from room to room, one is moved by the sensitivity and joy of this most careful revival. Lorimer’s own love for old craftsmanship: the old unconscious lads, struck a keynote – set a tune. Their tune, the only tune that existed for them and on this tune they played in room after room the most delicious variations.

 

And so, at Dunderave, Lorimer transcended preservation, offering the future to the past and the past to the future with brilliant impact. In architectural terms, Lorimer left Dunderave immeasurably more significant than he found it.

 

Convenience certainly took second place (in Miss Nobles’ intentions) to a thorough rapport with the West Highland setting in all its moods, for an open loggia provide the only means of communication with the new library.

 

Woven together in Robert Lorimer’s superlative restoration of 1911-12, it represents something almost indefinable with a palpable physical substance. A strong thread of nostalgic sentiment ran through Lorimer’s vision. His upbringing with its central event of the restoration of Kellie (discovered in sumptuous and almost French dereliction on a family walk when he was thirteen) imbued him with a deeply ingrained love of traditions craftsmanship and colored in art. Lorimer’s appreciation of the forms and textures of old Scottish work and his sympathetic contact with craftsmen stems from this period of his youth and the vine ceiling at Kellie was to be reinterpreted a number of times in his adult work, notably at Ardkinglas and Dunderave.

 

The appeal of Dunderave is not simply clannish or even nationalistic, but tactile lay with the beautiful nature and art.

 

Thanks to the prose of Christopher Hussey’s 1931 book on the work of Sir Robert Lorimer, Dunderave Castle did not sink into obscurity but became a place of pilgrimage for a discerning few. In 1980, a second book on Lorimer by Peter Savage was published. There were articles in Country Life and Scottish Field and the 1998 book by Matthew Cock. It was no longer possible to ignore Lorimer.

 

In the second decade of the 20th century, revitalizing of the ancient Scottish tradition of building – by giving new work the refreshing qualities of things made by men’s hands, lovingly, with an old song in their hearts empowered the Arts and Crafts idea and gave it substance for the future.  The best of Lorimer’s work indeed stands apart from that evolved in the stress and clamour of the modern world.

 

Thomas Howarth conceded that Lorimer’s work was often delightful and charming, and invariably the craftsmanship is of the highest order. He succinctly “damned” him by declaring that Lorimer’s positive contribution to architectural development is questionable. Today, when the outcome of the very development is open to criticism. These words of censure may seem like a compliment.

 

Lorimer’s restorations work of their own time.

 

In 1990 with the purchase of Dunderave Castle, the Joffes wanted to keep Dunderave Castle in good working order. The Joffe family immediately interviewed several highly respected architects with major interest in historical restoration.

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They spent over £1 million to waterproof the walls and recondition and decorate the interior.

 

Today we have a greater understanding of how these castles were originally constructed. We have rediscovered old techniques and craftsmanship.

 

The history of Dunderave has not yet finished. The present owners have completed additional works to exclude dampness from the thick walls.  This includes reroofing, rebuilding chimneys, grouting walls, restoring downspouts for drainage, and waterproofing the exterior walls.

 

Doubtless, this shall not be the last time Dunderave will be repaired or even restored. But in its present form Dunderave is a very special work of art, and one hopes that this shall always be respected.