Great Ruffins (EHER 38865)

House built circa 1904 with twentieth century extensions designed by A. H. Mackmurdo. The house was constructed on an estate planned by Mackmurdo. Bankruptcy prevented the estate from being completed. Brick built and rough rendered. Slate roofs, hipped to left and right crosswings. Chimney stacks not visible from front. Symmetrical. Two storeys. The tall square central tower is balustraded and surmounted by an octagonal domed lantern. Small unglazed lanterns to right and left hipped roofs. The tower breaks forward from the centre bays, these with recurved walls to ground floor. Forward right and left crosswings are jettied and have central oriels. Projecting and heavily moulded and dentilled cornices to eaves, jetties and tower balustrade.

August 1985. Grade II* listed. A house built in around 1904 and designed by Arthur H Mackmurdo. It is brick built and rough rendered, and has slate roofs. The building is two storeys and symmetrical. It has a tall square central tower and crosswings to the left and right. There are many decorative details. No entry allowed at time of re-survey, but interior said by owner to be intact. <1> See photos <2>. This is a large Italianate mansion, built by A.H. Mackmurdo and intended for himself. Begun in 1904, it was incomplete in 1914 when construction was halted by the war. It was probably not complete when Mackmurdo sold it in 1920. The house is dominated by a large central tower, and has striking views over the garden to the south and to the countryside beyond. <3> NRHE data transfer: Great Ruffins [NAT]. <4> See also <5> <6>. NRHE summary description: House built circa 1904 with twentieth century extensions designed by A. H. Mackmurdo. The house was constructed on an estate planned by Mackmurdo. Bankruptcy prevented the estate from being completed. Brick built and rough rendered. Slate roofs, hipped to left and right crosswings. Chimney stacks not visible from front. Symmetrical. Two storeys. The tall square central tower is balustraded and surmounted by an octagonal domed lantern. Small unglazed lanterns to right and left hipped roofs. The tower breaks forward from the centre bays, these with recurved walls to ground floor. Forward right and left crosswings are jettied and have central oriels. Projecting and heavily moulded and dentilled cornices to eaves, jetties and tower balustrade. Note: No source is provided by NRHE for this information, but it has probably been derived from source <1>.