Description

The monument consists of the remains of a fifteenth century Mansion house, courtyard and arched gateway with a later terraced garden. Also included is a pair of gatepiers situated about 450m to the northeast. The monument is situated on a gentle south facing slope.

The estate of Scotscraig, first mentioned in a charter of 1452, was acquired by James Sharp, Archbishop of St Andrews about 1661 after which the terraced garden was added. Only the northwest gable of the house remains. It is of rubble masonry and is 7m long, 1m thick and about 10m high. The gable is built into an extensive system of high walls. The wall running north-south along the length of the old house forms the western boundary. The area to the south is rectangular and divided by a wall into two parts: the upper section forms a courtyard which contains the remains of the house and arched gateway; the lower section holds the terraced garden. There is a connecting doorway in the dividing wall, and a side entrance to the lower garden in the east. The gateway in the courtyard has a semi-circular arch with quoins and voissoirs pulvinated alternately. The keystone has a cartouche with the initials of Bishop Sharp and the date 1667. There are staircases at the north and south levels of the lower garden. A pair of renaissance gatepiers with globular finials dated 1680 are situated 400m NE of Old Scotscraig. This gateway has been blocked off.

The scheduled area is in two parts; one area covers the Mansion house and terraced garden and the other area covers a pair of gatepiers located 450m NE of the Mansion house, as shown in red on the accompanying map. The scheduling specifically excludes modern fences, modern gates and the stone wall between the pair of gatepiers located 450m NE of the Mansion house.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance as one of the few surviving structures of this period. This importance is enhanced by the fact that the property has been documented since the 15th century. Several commemorative architectural features in the garden are of historical interest due to their association with Archbishop Sharp's tenure of the estate.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as NO 42 NW 9.

Canmore

https://canmore.org.uk/site/33170/

Source: Historic Environment Scotland