Listed Building: Kilravock Castle, Dovecote and Garden Walls (LB1841)

A composite building dating from mid-15th to mid-20th century, sited on steeply sloping, SE facing site. Rubble tower and dovecote, remainder harled with ashlar margins and dressings. Large square rubble built keep, circa 1460, with corbelled and crenellated wallwalk, angle bartizans, cap house and square south angle turret, forms NE arm of U-plan entrance court. Tower linked to long, SE facing 17th century range by square 17th century stair tower with ground floor entrance in NW (now masked from outside by service passage). Moulded doorpiece, decorated with crude stars and rosettes, gives onto square stair well rising 3 storeys. 17th century mansion of 3 storeys (ground vaulted), 6 irregular bays with angle and near centre projecting stair turrets; 4 swept dormers rise through wallhead. Later wings of 2 builds and varying height project at NW to complete rear court; rear NW elevation has later 18th century centre projecting stair compartment, with centre entrance masked by small square projecting crenellated porch. Small, sympathetic, 3-storey over basement single bay service wing in SE angle. Further 2-storey, irregular 5-bay rubble service range at NE linked to main dwelling by harled wall with ashlar cope and segmental headed, margined entrance to form service court. Later 18th century Venetian window in SW elevation (drawing room). Multi-pane glazing. Pair bee boles in base of mansion in SE elevation. 2 mural sundials at angles of main SE elevation. Ridge and end stacks; crowsteps; slate roofs. Interior; 15th century tower retains original plan form, with mural wheel stair giving access to 4 floors and wallhead walk. Modern chimney piece with carved quotation replaces original in 1st floor hall, with corbelled and beamed ceiling. 17th century range re-modelled and coved drawing room ceiling with Adamesque chimney piece. Later 18th century stair case with carved balusters, in north entrance wing and entrance hall, which also contains re-sited ornate 1662 chimney piece (from 1st floor hall in old tower). Dovecote; sited at south corner of castle to which it is linked by section of former barmkin wall. 2-stage 15th/16th century corner tower, with stone seated privy in ground floor chamber and pigeon loft above, with door and small square flanking pitching-eye, formerly fitted with iron yett. 19th century shallow pyramidal slate roof, raised at centre to accommodate flight holes. Garden Walls; rubble garden wall with dressed stone cope and segmental headed arched entrance, possibly incorporating sections of earlier castle barmkin, fronting 19th century walled garden. Statement of Special Interest Lands of Kilravock acquired by Hugh Rose of Geddes in 13th century and in same family ever since. Keep thought to date from circa 1460, when the Baron of Kilravock obtained a licence from Lord of the Isles to build defensive tower. By tradition an earlier building, cell or chapel was sited where the abvesite now stands. Prince Charles Edward dined at Kilravock before Battle of Culloden, and Duke of Cumberland visited castle soon afterwards. Robert Burns visited Sept 6, 1787. Entrance hall re-sited chimney piece dated 1662, initialled HR and MI for Hugh Rose and Margaret Innes, married that year. 1631 datestone at NW corner of house, inscribed NON EST SALUS NISI IN CHRISTO and initialled WR, came from Old Nairn Bridge in Nairn, built by Provost William Rose. Pigeon loft only accessible by ladder; pitching eye for ejection of pigeon manure.