Geograph - photograph every grid square

This is the third oldest structure in Dumbarton (after Dumbarton Rock – Link – and the College Bow - NS3975 : The College Bow), and the town's oldest standing building. It is sometimes also called Glencairn Greit House. It is shown in context here: NS3975 : Glencairn's Greit House in the High Street.

See the link in the end-note for a photograph of the house as it looked in c.1893; it is clear that the lower part of the building has been altered considerably; according to Frank Arneil Walker, in "North Clyde Estuary – An Illustrated Architectural Guide" (1992), the three arched openings at street level were created in 1924-25.

The book "Historic Dumbarton - the Scottish burgh survey" (by Dennison and Coleman) provides some information about the house, including the following: the building is dated 1623 on its western dormerhead – NS3975 : Glencairn's Greit House (detail) – but may incorporate earlier fabric at basement level; it was built as a three-storeyed town house for the Earls of Glencairn, and was later occupied by the Dukes of Argyll.

There are two plaques on the front of the building, located on either side of the main entrance. One of them explains that the house was acquired by Dumbarton Town Council in 1924: NS3975 : Plaque on Glencairn's Greit House. The other plaque commemorates a visit of Robert Burns to Dumbarton on the 29th of June, 1787: NS3975 : Plaque on Glencairn's Greit House.

The little opening at the left-hand side of the house leads to a pend (a vaulted passageway) called NS3975 : Quay Pend; the view through this cobbled passageway is shown here: NS3975 : Arch tunnel by Dumbarton High Street. The two projecting stones that can be seen above its entrance are much older than the house or the pend: NS3975 : Ancient stones, Glencairn's Greit House.

A much more recent stone is located at ground level, immediately to the left of the entrance of Quay Pend: NS3975 : The former Burton's building: foundation stone / NS3975 : Quay Pend.