Society hears of Asknish House’s place in history
Inveraray History Society had an excellent turnout for its AGM held in Asknish House near Lochgair last month.
Reports were given by office bearers and the committee was re-elected with reduced numbers according to the recently updated constitution.
After, James Fraser welcomed members to Asknish House, his recently-refurbished historical home.
He gave the group a summary of how the houses and grounds at Lochgair have been owned by branches of Clan Campbell, Auchenbreck and Asknish, for almost 600 years, and their families closely involved with the Dukes of Argyll, their ancestors and the history of Scotland.
In 1660 a “mansion of great size” was built at Lochgair by Sir Duncan Campbell, the 4th Baronet of Auchenbreck, and shown on maps as “Kenlochgair Castle”.
This historical building’s name was changed after Robert MacIver Campbell of Asknish, deputy sheriff of Argyll, bought the estate in 1768 and replaced the former Campbell of Auchenbreck mansion, which had been located closer to the loch shore, with the current house (the original estate of Asknish on Loch Melfort was sold in 1897 and the name then changed to Arduaine).
Although the architect is unknown, the current building resembles Barbreck House, Strachur House and John Adam’s Inveraray Town House as well as numerous others across Scotland of similar Palladian design. It seems the old house was demolished at the same time, possibly re-using some building elements including cornices, stair treads and corner stones found in the recent refurbishment.
In 1936 the house and the Lochgair lands were sold outside the family for the first time since 1768 to a captain Alan Walmsley of Wigtownshire; the Forestry Commission bought the bulk of the estate land, with the Lochgair Hotel and village itself being sold separately.
During the Second World War, the house was used as a school for evacuees.
After the war, the estate, by then only 170 acres, was put on the market again and bought by JS Douglas Dixon. The Dixons hosted the local pony club in the fields around the house and many locals remember coming to ride around the estate.
After David Dixon died in 1981, the house was used as holiday rentals, with no maintenance apparently done, and the house became unoccupied in 2000, leaving many personal possessions behind, which were still there 20 years later.
By 2016, the Dixons were unable to afford to maintain or continue owning the dilapidated mansion and it was put on the market. Bought by James and Victoria Fraser in 2017, they discovered the building to be more derelict than anyone had realised.
They found water running down the main staircase, ceilings falling in, carpets holding floors up and even the main truss beams holding up the entire roof were rotten throughout. With no deeds or paperwork to assist them, the Frasers embarked on a five-year complete restoration.
Society members were fortunate in being able to see for themselves the impressive transformation the Frasers have managed to create to preserve such an important part of Argyll’s history for future generations.
Inveraray History Society will meet again on Tuesday October 3.