The Construction Chronology and Significance of Timber for Building Panmure House, Angus
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Proc Soc Antiq Scot 141 (2011), 293–326 PANMURE HOUSE, ANGUS | 293 The construction chronology and significance of timber for building Panmure House, Angus Kate Newland ABSTRACT This paper presents the first comprehensive analysis of Panmure House, Angus (NGR NO 53734 38625), as originally built for the earls of Panmure between 1666 and 1670. Although considered in its day as one of the finest houses in Scotland, Panmure has never been the subject of an individual study. An extensive collection of building accounts and contracts found in the Dalhousie Muniments, supplemented by William Adam’s drawings have, however, afforded the opportunity to investigate in some detail how the building works for the earl of Panmure were organised and executed. Through careful examination of this evidence, a clearer understanding of the design and development of Panmure has emerged, revealing how such building works were organised, which craftsmen were employed, and what materials were required for its completion. In particular, the increasing use and significance of timber for building works in 17th-century Scotland can be recognised at Panmure, a development which can be directly linked to the emergence of Norway as the prime supplier of building timber to Scotland from the 16th century onwards. Unless stated otherwise, the pound Scots is used throughout this work. INTRODUCTION building, its layout and the motives for its construction (Howard 1998: 14–29). Although Panmure is an example of a house built Panmure’s demolition effectively ruled out during a period of extensive country house any detailed examination of the fabric of the building in post-Restoration Scotland, a house, a site visit confirmed that the 18th- time when many members of the nobility century stable block (probably built by John updated and remodelled their properties, Smart of Dundee) is still standing, as are the often quite extensively (McKean 2001: 240; adjoining remains of the 17th-century kitchen Wemyss 2002: 4–8). Panmure was regrettably court, remodelled by David Bryce in 1852. demolished, like many other great Scottish The site has the potential for archaeological houses which have been lost, in this case excavation, which would establish the in 1955 (Gow 2006: 54). In order to further footprint of Panmure and confirm the exact our understanding of this building there are length and width of the building. several factors which need to be considered, Fortunately, drawings of Panmure (illus 1 including analysis of any physical remains & 2) published in William Adam’s Vitruvius and visual documentation, the location of the Scoticus (Simpson, 1980: 129–31) provide Risbakken 21, 4013 Stavanger, Norway 294 | SOCIeTy OF ANTIqUARIeS OF SCOTlAND, 2011 us with a representation of the house, Room with ‘sixteen japan armed chairs’. The probably dating from c 1726 when Adam apartments for family and guests were equally started collecting work for his publication. well furnished with arras hangings, beds, cane His elevation of the west front shows an chairs, cabinets and mirrors. There are very impressive 11-bay building, with viewing few houses documented as having comparable platforms, bastions and numerous windows.1 furnishings at this time; examples include Importantly, Panmure is an example of a Hamilton, Glamis and yester (Wemyss 2009: building that incorporated the use of longer 127–84). Panmure was clearly built and span timbers – allowing for a building with furnished as a statement to reflect the Maule larger rooms – than those found in Scotland’s family’s rising status amongst the Scottish earlier Renaissance country houses, where nobility. the maximum room width was customarily Panmure House was much admired by con- 20ft (c 6m). each room required flooring, temporaries and in 1682 was thought by many, panelling, doors, windows, shutters, except Halyruidhouse, the best house in the partitions, plaster ceilings, and furniture. The kingdome of Scotland, with delicate gardens, with surviving contracts and accounts have been high stone walls, extraordinaire much planting, used to analyse what timber was required young and old; many great parks about the new for Panmure to determine the principal types and old house; . in a word, is a most excellent, and cuts of timber used for these different sweet, delicate place. The familie is very ancient purposes (for example, structural elements and honourable, and has been always very great, and were reckoned, before they were nobilitat, the such as roofing, and flooring, finishing work, first Barons of the shyre (Ochterlony 1969: 36). and furniture). An inventory dated 1686 (NAS The Maule family already had a long GD45/18/857) describes Panmure’s 49 association with the lands at Panmure, and hearths and its well-furnished interior: the it was here that the family’s ancient paternal Great Hall with several large oak tables, 26 seat of Panmure Castle – the ‘old house’ – was leather chairs, leather wall hangings and located (NGR NO 54464 37661). The castle painted screens; the Great Dining Room with was probably built by Sir Peter Maule around its ‘fyne new arras hingings’, 24 cane chairs 1224, and though many of the buildings had and three walnut-tree tables; the High Drawing become ruinous, a new hall and round tower, Illus 1 Panmure House as portrayed by William Adam. The kitchen court and woman’s court added in the 1690s are also shown (© University of Strathclyde. licensor http://www.scran.ac.uk) PANMURE HOUSE, ANGUS | 295 built on the north side of the castle in the early parish churches (lamb Collection, Central 16th century, were believed to have remained library Dundee). He was then created the 1st habitable until the mid-17th century (Millar earl of Panmure, lord Brechin and Navar on 1890: 278–84). The initial idea for building a the 3 August 1646 (Maule 1874: 327). new house at Panmure was mooted by the 1st Adam’s plans clearly point to an existing earl, Patrick Maule (1585–1661). He had been building incorporated into the new house at a gentleman of the bedchamber to James VI Panmure (McKean 2001: 252). A study of and Charles I – who appointed him ‘keeper of the first floor shows distinctly thicker walls in the park and palace of eltham (in Kent) and the central and southern parts of the building High Sheriff in Angus’ (lamb Collection, (illus 2). This is indicative of a newer building Central library Dundee). In March 1632, he being built over the remains of an existing received a charter for the Barony of Dounie, one, as was often the case in Scottish houses, followed by Panmure in December of the for example, Brechin Castle (NGR NO 59782 same year. In October 1634 he also received 59892), another property belonging to the earl the lordship of Brechin and Navar, plus further of Panmure (Walker & Dunbar 1971: 378–81). lands and baronies at later dates. During the The question regarding Panmure is, which 1640s, he purchased from the earl of Dysart building was modified and why did the family the lordship and superiority of the Abbey apparently abandon their ancient paternal seat of Arbroath, which included patronage of 33 of Panmure Castle? Plan of the First Floor of Panmure House N 10 5 10 20 30 40 Illus 2 First storey of Panmure House from by William Adam, adapted from the original with the dotted line indicating the original thicker walls of Boishen (© University of Strathclyde. licensor http://www.scran.ac.uk) 296 | SOCIeTy OF ANTIqUARIeS OF SCOTlAND, 2011 SITE LOCATION a short distance to the north of Panmure Castle. Thus a move to Boishon – a property An agreement between the future earl already associated with the Maules – in Patrick and Andrew Drummond (minister of the early 1600s would not have meant the Panbride), dated July 1619, indicates that, when abandonment of the ancient paternal seat. in Angus, the family no longer used Panmure It was here at Boishon that Patrick, the 1st Castle as their main residence, and Bauishen earl, began preparations for building his new was named instead (lamb Collection, Central house within the locality known as Panmure, library Dundee). This place name appeared which extended from the castle in the south often in earlier connections with the Maules to Guildy in the north. where many different forms are used. According to the Registrum de Panmure, the lands of Balyshan had been ‘conveyed by Sir Thomas Maule to his grandson and heir’ in 1497 (Maule 1874: 260). In 1532, Robert Maule and his wife elizabeth Mercer obtained a 19-year lease of the tithe sheaves of the Mains of Panmure, Pitlivie and Ballischane from the Abbot of Arbroath. letters dating 1640 are written by Patrick Maule from the same place, which implies that he resided here both before and following his being Illus 3 Timothy Pont’s map of lower Angus and Perthshire shows Boishen just made earl. Further evidence north of Panmure and Pitlivie c 1590. It would seem that at the time when points to extensive lands Pont recorded this area of Angus, Panmure Castle was still in habitable being farmed by tenants; condition (National Library of Scotland) James Petrie in Bawishen paid a portion of the minister’s victual in 1631 In 1648, Patrick Maule purchased the and Andrew Ramsay was recorded living rights of various leaseholders at Boishon. One at the Cotton of Bauishen in 1643 (Dundee of these was a John Pitire, who occupied two Advertiser 1872: 2). parts of the land. He agreed to ‘flitt and remove It would have been unusual for a family his wife, bairnes, servants, famillie, gudes and to completely abandon their ancient paternal geir’ at Whitsunday of the same year, from seat and an examination of Timothy Pont’s the houses and lands in his occupation at map of Lower Angus and Perthshire east of Ballishane (NAS GD45/18/283; Warden 1885: the Tay dated from 1583 to 1596 shows the 65).