Dunmore Pineapple
The Pineapple, c1776. Folly, for John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore, as birthday present for his wife Susan, daughter of 9th Duke of Hamilton, brilliant and mouth-watering focus of six-acre brick walled garden and pavilion, 1761, set on sloping site against middle of retaining wall between flanking greenhouses or pineries. Huge and magnificent carving of the fruit, each leaf cantilevered out from meticulously coursed masonry (its last spiky leaf some 45ft above ground level) serves as hollow bottle-shaped roof with circular roof light to delightful small circular chamber entered from upper level.
Accompanying ingenuities, wedding beauty to practicality, include veranda flower urns which, in connection with cavity walls, act as heating flues for the greenhouses. Restored for The Landmark Trust, 1972, Stewart Tod, Saltire Society Award for Reconstruction, 1975.
Owned by National Trust for Scotland; rented for holiday accommodation by the Landmark Trust.
Opening Hours
All year, daily 9.30sunset
Contact
Mr
Alasdair
Eckersall
Dunmore Pineapple
by Airth
Stirlingshire
FK2 8LU
Scotland
Tel: +44 (1324) 831137
