Dunlossit House is a Category C listed[1] country house near Port Askaig, Islay in the county of Argyll, in western Scotland..

Dunlossit House
Dunlossit House from the ferry arriving into Port Askaig
Map
Former namesGlenlossit House
General information
Town or cityPort Askaig, Islay
CountryScotland
Coordinates55°50′46″N 6°6′18″W / 55.84611°N 6.10500°W / 55.84611; -6.10500
Website
www.dunlossitestate.com/estate/about-the-estate
Listed Building – Category C(S)
Designated28 August 1980
Reference no.LB12160

History and architecture

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The house, originally known as Glenlossit House, was a shooting lodge which was rebuilt as a larger residence for Kirkman Finlay, a partner in Finlay, Thompson and Company. Kirkman Finlay purchased the estate from Sir Smith Child, 1st Baronet in 1869[2] and began to develop the estate by planting trees on a large scale.[3] Construction work on the extensive rebuild started in 1871[4] and took until 1874. The architect was William Spence, the clerk of works was William Henderson and the foreman joiner was Robert Girdwood.[5]

 
Advertisement from The Scotsman 27 June 1936

In 1890 it was purchased by Donald Turner Martin of Kintour for £66,000[6] (equivalent to £9,170,000 in 2023)[7] and was rebuilt in 1909 following a fire.

In 1912[8] it was purchased by William Albert Bankier. His wife Esther Finlay Methuen Bankier died on 20 June 1915 at Dunlossit and after the First World War he decided to sell it.[9] It was purchased by Nathaniel Dunlop in 1920 who owned it until his death in 1931.

The house and estate was advertised with an asking price of £23,000[10] (equivalent to £1,970,000 in 2023)[7] and purchased in 1937 by Helmut Schroder and following his death, his son Bruno Schroder owned it. It remains in the family today. The estate currently comprises around 18,500 acres of land.

References

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  1. ^ "Dunlossit House". Historic Scotland. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  2. ^ "Changes in Islay". Greenock Telegraph and Clyde Shipping Gazette. Scotland. 25 February 1869. Retrieved 23 October 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. ^ "Notes from Islay". Coleraine Chronicle. Northern Ireland. 2 December 1871. Retrieved 23 October 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. ^ "Notes from Islay". Coleraine Chronicle. Northern Ireland. 4 November 1871. Retrieved 23 October 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ^ "Glenlossit House. Port-Askaig". Coleraine Chronicle. Northern Ireland. 14 March 1874. Retrieved 23 October 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ "Sales of Scottish Estates". North British Agriculturalist. Scotland. 24 December 1890. Retrieved 23 October 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ a b UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017). "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  8. ^ "The residential and sporting estate known as "Dunlossit"". Banffshire Herald. Scotland. 23 March 192. Retrieved 23 October 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ^ "By direction of W.A. Bankier Esq". Pall Mall Gazette. England. 3 April 1920. Retrieved 23 October 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. ^ "Argyllshire. The Sporting Estate of Dunlossit, Islay". The Scotsman. Scotland. 27 June 1936. Retrieved 23 October 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.