Art Treasures of Kinloch Castle

KINLOCH CASTLE

HOT-HOUSES AND TREE-NURSERY

Researched, written and illustrated by George W. Randall co-founder in 1996 and former Vice Chairman Kinloch Castle Friends' Association.

(Dated c.1951 by Jimmy Smith, island resident 1938 - 1967.)

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BACKGROUND INTRODUCTION TO THE AUTHOR:

(The Newsletter was deemed by a certain self-appointed KCFA member to

"have little value" at which point publication ceased.)

The height at the rear wall was 13 feet 8 inches.

The height to the Apex was 15 feet 8 inches.

The floor inside (wall to wall) was 18 feet 3 inches.

(Source: Jimmy Smith, island resident 1938 - 1967.)
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The Victorian Age ushered in the Golden Era of greenhouses.

Glass was manufactured in vast quantities as the wealthy competed to build ever more elaborate structures for exotic fruit and flowers.

Victorian walled gardens had extensive, multi-sectioned greenhouses facing south
against their north wall for controlling the growing stages of plants.
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Another example of a greenhouse of the period similar to the survivor at

Meggernie Castle, Highland home of John Bullough, Sir George Bullough's father.

NOTE: The Glasshouses at Kinloch Castle both in size and extent were in no way similar to the greenhouse at Meggernie Castle as has been claimed.

BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF THE KINLOCH CASTLE GLASSHOUSES

Builder’s Plan Scale: ⅛ inch equals 1 foot or 1 : 96

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SOUTH FACING PAVILION AND STOVE FERNERY

THE STOVE FERNERY, was a glasshouse kept at high temperature for growing tropical plants. The Kinloch Castle stove fernery included a Tank 8 ft. 6 inches wide by

30 ft. 6 inches in overall length including 9 inch block retaining wall all round.

It held approximately 460 cubic feet or 24,600 gallons of water which weighed eleven tons.

Turtles, (more likely terrapins), were kept in the central Stove Fernery Tank which had an internal length of 29 feet 6 inches and width of 7 feet. The tank itself had a depth (below floor level) of two feet, i.e. floor of tank to top of surrounding wall four feet.

The 9 inches thick retaining wall was two foot high all round.

There is no evidence alligators were kept, but I was told by former islander Jim Smith there was a heated snake pit between the castle and walled garden,

and a mounted snake is displayed in the castle.

(Source: Jimmy Smith, island resident 1938 - 1967.)

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STOVE FERNERY AND TANK (DETAIL)

THE CAMELIA HOUSE

Where Humming Birds flew freely.

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Layout at time of Sir George Bullough's death in 1939.

(Source: Jimmy Smith, island resident 1938 - 1967.)

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Heating for the glasshouses was provided from a dedicated boiler house against the
north facing back wall through a double row horseshoe pipes running along the front
of the multi-sectioned greenhouses, with sunken pipes underneath a grilled walkway
full length at the back and all around the Palm Houses.

Full eave and ridge vents circulated fresh, cool air over the growing beds,