Tuesday, March 19, 2024
NewsStunning photos show abandoned mansion designed by famous Scottish architect

Stunning photos show abandoned mansion designed by famous Scottish architect

A COLLECTION of stunning photographs have captured an abandoned mansion designed by an acclaimed Scottish architect.

Front of house and overgrown garden

Stronvar House in Balquhidder, Stirling, was designed by Edinburgh-born architect David Bryce, who also worked on buildings such as Fettes College, where former prime minister Tony Blair attended, and the former Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

The house was built in 1850 for David Carnegie, who owned a large expanse of farming land in the area.

He lived in the house until his death in 1890, and it remained in the family until 1952, when the Scottish Youth Hostel Association took it over.

Ripped carpets lead upstairs

Most recently, the property has been used as a hotel although new photographs suggest that it’s not been occupied for a number of years.

Photographer Lee Gannon, from East Kilbride, Scotland, has ventured inside to capture amazing images of the sad decline of the wonderful building steeped in history.

The first image shows the stunning facade of the house, with overgrown grass and a patio set in the foreground and boarded up windows and moss covered walls in the background.

One photo shows the grand stairway inside the property, however, it’s in a sad state of disrepair with torn carpets and brickwork clearly visible through the walls.

The aging stairway

A second snap of the stairway shows the wooden panelling has started to rot and dust and debris has gathered on the floor.

One of Lee’s photos shows the upstairs of the building, with peeling wallpaper and a mouldy lamp hanging from the ceiling.

Cobwebs can be seen on the stairway bannister and the wallpaper is covered with black marks.

View from the bay window of the grounds

An old bike is abandoned next to the front bay window, whilst the wall is exposed next to it and covered in moss.

Lee has also captured a picture of one of the old room keys, presumably from when Stronvar was a guest house, which has been left to gather dust.

A room key: traces of the building’s past role as a guesthouse perhaps.

In one eerie image, a shelf full of cans has been photographed. The cans feature old styles of Tesco and Sainsbury’s brandings whilst there are also numerous Safeway cans, a brand which disappeared from the UK in 2005.

14-bedroom Stronvar House was built by 65 men and 3 women over two years.

The aging stairway

David Bryce was a 19th century architect and designed many famous buildings across Scotland, including the redesign of the Bank of Scotland headquarters on The Mound in Edinburgh.

He also oversaw the development of Balfour Castle in Orkney and Torosay Castle in the Isle of Mull.

The famous Victorian architect died in 1876 and is buried at the New Calton Cemetery in Edinburgh.

Related Stories