Basic Site Details

Name: Skibo Castle
Town, district or village: Skibo
City or county: Sutherland
Country: Scotland
Parish:  
Status:  
Grid ref:
Notes: Also info from undated cutting DMW notes. Ross additions cost £25,000.

Because Ross himself was very busy woth the alterations and renovations at Ardross at this time, much of the work at Skibo was undertaken by Macbeth.

Glasshouses by Mackenzie & Moncur

Building Type Classification

The building is classified under the following categories:
 ClassificationOriginal classification?Notes
Item 1 of 1Country House  

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:
 FromToEvent typeNotes
Item 1 of 81880  Reconstruction for Mr Buchanan
Item 2 of 818971898 Andrew Carnegie leased Skibo
Item 3 of 818981899 Alterations and additions, including swimming and Turkish baths, power station, dairy buildings, principal lodge etc
Item 4 of 81898  Date of drawings for alterations and additions, including swimming and Turkish baths, power station, dairy buildings, principal lodge etc
Item 5 of 8Mid 1898  Andrew Carnegie purchased Skibo
Item 6 of 8June 1899 Foundation stoneFoundation stone laid by Carnegie's daughter Margaret.
Item 7 of 8May 1902 CompletionMassive additions completed in time for Carnegie's summer visit
Item 8 of 81904  Gardens and terrace

People

Design and Construction

The following individuals or organisations have carried out design/construction work. Where architects or practices worked together, matching letters appear beside their names in the Partnership Group column.
 NameRolePartnership GroupFromToNotes
Item 1 of 8Clarke & BellArchitectural practiceA1880 Reconstruction
Item 2 of 8George Bell IIArchitectA1880 Reconstruction
Item 3 of 8Alexander RossArchitectB1899After 1902Alterations and additions, including swimming and Turkish baths, power station, dairy buildings, principal lodge (probably) etc
Item 4 of 8Robert John MacbethArchitectB1899After 1902Alterations and additions, including swimming and Turkish baths, power station, dairy buildings etc
Item 5 of 8Ross & MacbethArchitectural practiceB1899After 1902Alterations and additions, including swimming and Turkish baths, power station, dairy buildings etc
Item 6 of 8William Wardlaw SclandersArchitectB1899After 1902Alterations and additions, including swimming and Turkish baths, power station, dairy buildings etc - as assistant to Ross & Macbeth
Item 7 of 8Thomas KerrArchitectB1902 * Alterations and additions, including swimming and Turkish baths, power station, dairy buildings etc - as assistant to Ross & Macbeth
Item 8 of 8Thomas Hayton MawsonGarden designer, Landscape architect, Town Planner 1904 Gardens and terrace

* earliest date known from documented sources.

Clients

The following individuals or organisations have commissioned work on this building/design:
 NameNotes
Item 1 of 2Buchanan, Mr 
Item 2 of 2Carnegie, AndrewClient for 1900s work

Related Buildings, Structures and Designs

Child Structures

This structure or site has the following component or child structures (click on an item to view details):
 Building NameNotes
Item 1 of 1Factor's House, Overskibo 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this building:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 4Gifford, John1992Highland and Islands (The Buildings of Scotland) Penguin Booksp591
Item 2 of 4Gordon, Ian and Inglis, Simon2009Great Lengths: the Historic Indoor Swimming Pools of Great Britain English Heritagep98
Item 3 of 4Wall, Joseph Frazier1984Skibo Castle OUP 
Item 4 of 4Waymark, Janet2009Thomas Mawson: Life, Gardens and Landscape Frances Lincoln Ltd. Londonp232, pp59-62 illus

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this building:
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 3Builder5 January 1901  p22
Item 2 of 3Inverness Courier5 February 1880  Clarke and Bell work
Item 3 of 3Scottish Local History Forum2007Autumn pp24-29

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this building:
 SourceArchive nameSource catalogue no.Notes
Item 1 of 7Courtesy of Stafford WattersInformation given to Yvonne Hillyard Sent June 2011
Item 2 of 7Highland ArchivesAlexander Ross collection with handlist Two bags of drawings and other papers on Skibo
Item 3 of 7Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register597House, garden terraces etc
Item 4 of 7Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register600Power station
Item 5 of 7Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register280Principal gatelodge
Item 6 of 7National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMSDrawings Collection Ross & Macbeth drawings in survey of private collections
Item 7 of 7RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers George Bell II: F v17 p69 no1131 (microfilm reel 12); Thomas Kerr: L v18 no1383; Robert John Macbeth: F v17 no1115; William Wardlaw Sclanders: L v20 no1572 (particular phase of work unspecified)