# Vallay House



## Castledown (Jun 21, 2009)

Situated in an amazingly isolated spot, Vallay house is an impressive Edwardian mansion which has been empty since the mid forties. Along with its few outbuildings it is the sole occupant of Vallay island off the north coast of North Uist and is accessible only at low tide across a wide strand. 
I'd had my eye on this one for some time and managed to get here during a tour of the Western Isles in June 2009. I wasn't too confident about a successful explore due to the hit and miss nature of access but it turned out to be a great visit. I reckon there would be about a 6 hour window you could make it seeing as I turned up around 3 hours before low tide and walked it no problem in half an hour.

The place has quite an interesting history:
Vallay House was built between 1902 and 1905 for Erskine Beveridge, a linen manufacturer from Dunfermline who bought the island having fallen in love with the setting. Fresh water was piped over from North Uist and electricity presumably created by a generator on the island. The house was originally beatifully decorated with different coloured fireplaces in every room and numerous round stained glass windows displaying the initials EB. The building was supposed to have 365 panes of glass in its structure and cost around £8000 to build - roughly £2,000,000 in today's money. Erskine Beveridge was a pioneering photographer (a book of his photographs has just been published entitled 'Wanderings with a camera in Scotland') and also undertook a number of archaeological excavations on the island before his death in 1920. The house was then inherited by his son George who lived there until he drowned while crossing the strand one night in Novemeber 1945. After this the contents of the house were auctioned off and it has been abandoned ever since.

Considering the amount of time the place has been empty it's in reasonable condition, but with sections of the roof and internal floors having collapsed it probably won't be long before only the shell remains sadly.


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## Darkness (Jun 21, 2009)

That's so cool! good shots too. shame it's falling apart, would make an excellent house if someone threw some pennies at it.
Good history there too dude!


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## Black Shuck (Jun 21, 2009)

I agree what a cracking site. I love the green tile surrounding the fireplace.


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## Seahorse (Jun 21, 2009)

How very, very sad to see a house like that fall into disrepair. 

What am I havering on about??? What a fantastic opportunity for an explore, I mean. 

Nice one. I must get meself off to the west coast at some point. I'm missing out on a heck of a lot.


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## Castledown (Jun 21, 2009)

Seahorse said:


> How very, very sad to see a house like that fall into disrepair.
> 
> What am I havering on about??? What a fantastic opportunity for an explore, I mean.
> 
> Nice one. I must get meself off to the west coast at some point. I'm missing out on a heck of a lot.



It's true there is loads to see over there. I'll probably put a report together of all the other places i got to, but thought this one deserved a thread of its own


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## lost (Jun 21, 2009)

Looks a really interesting place, I've been curious about it since I saw it on Buildings at Risk. Wasn't sure if it'd be do-able without a boat though.


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## escortmad79 (Jun 21, 2009)

Another from Scotland's endangered houses which is on the to do list


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## boxfrenzy (Jun 21, 2009)

These are some of my favourite types of reports, and I love the picutres. The fourth internal one is great.


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## GeorgieKirrin (Jun 21, 2009)

Great report and photos - thanks for all the history. I never really understand why properties like that aren't snapped up - who owns the land now? It kind of reminded me of the house in Father Ted!


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## Castledown (Jun 21, 2009)

laurabops said:


> Great report and photos - thanks for all the history. I never really understand why properties like that aren't snapped up - who owns the land now? It kind of reminded me of the house in Father Ted!



The only thing I know about ownership is that a neighbouring landowner bought it some time after it was left but didn't have any plans to restore it. Not sure if it will be the same person who owns it now or if it might have been passed on...


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## Alir147 (Jun 21, 2009)

top stuff castledown!  very nice.


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## escortmad79 (Jun 22, 2009)

laurabops said:


> Great report and photos - thanks for all the history. I never really understand why properties like that aren't snapped up - who owns the land now?


The Earl of Gr-Gr-Granville according to BAR Register who is anti selling


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## djrich (Jun 22, 2009)

I love this place! Nice pics


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## Foxylady (Jun 22, 2009)

I really like this. Fabulous photos, Castledown...you've picked out some great details and that first pic is superb.
Lovely find.


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## swanseamale47 (Jun 22, 2009)

Lovely pics mate. What a waste of a lovely building, you'd think it would have been bought up as a hotel or something.


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