Entering at
fig. 2, we had the Billiard room on our right (fig 1) and my first impression
on walking into Ardverekie House was of death. The entrance hall is a beautiful
wood panelled space, but around the edges of the space between ceiling and wall
are the heads. Deer skulls, some fully restored with fur and eyes, and all with
antlers. When James Ramsden, the millionaire Huddersfield industrialist who
built the existing house, went hunting, he aimed his gun at the perfect 12 or
14 point specimen.
Today game is stalked with different priorities in
mind. But those heads filled the billiard room as well; many initialled by
those who killed them. It took my attention from the full size billiard table
and the ancient books and the even more ancient Persian rugs that lie rumpled,
torn and wrinkled beneath my feet. They are part of a large collection of
Persian rugs kept in the house. I’m happy to report that the others all seemed
in better condition.
It is part of the charm of Ardverekie that it is a
family home and nothing is behind glass or fenced off by ribbons.
We saw so much and before it becomes a jumble in my
mind, and want to retrace my steps. The beautiful wood panelling is now drying
out because of the modern central heating but so far I saw no signs of damage. We
were shown through a door and tucked in the corner off the entrance hall was a
wooden bench type toilet with a porcelain bowl. I remember it featured (or one
like it) in the tv series with the banker having difficulties getting the loo
to flush)
From there we progressed to fig 3, the main hall
where we gazed at the stairs almost expecting to see a portrait of Hector
MacDonald staring back at us. There isn’t a tartan carpet on the stairs; the tv
company put it down and hung tartan curtains at the huge window, but when they
left they took carpet and curtains with them.
From there we went into fig 5, the library with its
fire and vast numbers of books plus a ladder to access them. The wood panelling
made the room dark and by contrast the ladies parlour, fig 4, was much lighter
and brighter, so that they could read and do their needlework. The huge dining
room, fig 6, was also dark but I imagine with candlelight and ladies in
diamonds and silverware gleaming on the table, it would look magnificent. The
table seats 14, but if the guests number only 13, then a teddy bear seated in a
baby chair in the corner window takes
his place at table to make up the numbers. A smaller round table in the window
is where the family have breakfast when they are in residence. A dumb waiter at
the side held pots of jam and tomato ketchup.
Just outside was the “modern” kitchen, fig 7, which
did not look that modern to me until we went and found “Lexie’s old kitchen.” A
monstrosity! The old sinks have been removed and new washing machines
installed, plus a sheet press and iron. The old iron was almost too heavy to
lift and the gas iron was a scary thing. I often wondered how Lexie managed her
skimpy outfits in the Scottish climate (think heat, cold and midgies!) but the huge
black cast iron range was taller than me and probably threw out enough heat to
keep her warm.