M126 Repairs and alterations to Achamore House, Gigha

This large, rambling, Scottish Baronial house was originally built to the designs of John Honeyman between 1882 and 1886 for the laird of Gigha, Captain W. J. Scarlett. It was damaged by fire in 1896 and reconstructed by John Honeyman & Keppie in 1896–7. The extent of the reconstruction is unclear, but it included re-roofing, as well as much interior woodwork and plasterwork.

Authorship: As designer of the original Achamore House, John Honeyman is likely to have overseen its post-fire reconstruction. Stylistic evidence suggests Mackintosh may have worked on the interior detailing: the drawing-room ceiling has sinuous, Art Nouveau plasterwork comparable to that in the editor's room of the Glasgow Herald building. Corroboratory evidence is provided by Ronald Harrison, an early student of Mackintosh's architecture in the 1930s who had access to the office records. He included Achamore House on lists he compiled of works he believed were by Mackintosh and of drawings produced in the office during Mackintosh's time. A ground-floor plan of the house, apparently drawn in Mackintosh's hand, dated 1903, remained in his possession at his death.