28-513: Ardkinglas House is a Category A listed country house on the Ardkinglas Estate in Argyll , Scotland. The estate lies on the eastern shore of Loch Fyne , and the house is located close to the village of Cairndow . Dating back to the 14th century and originally a Campbell property, the estate now covers more than 12,000 acres (4,900 ha) of rolling hills and landscaped parkland. The centre of
56-505: A Christmas tree . Its lumber is a softwood , and it is harvested as a hem fir . It is used in paper-making, as well as construction for framing and flooring, where it is desired for its resistance to splitting and splintering. Abies grandis is a large evergreen conifer growing to 40–70 metres (130–230 feet) tall, exceptionally 100 m (330 ft), with a trunk diameter of up to 2 m ( 6 + 1 ⁄ 2 ft). The dead tree tops sometimes fork into new growth. The bark
84-459: A fuel ladder , enabling crown fires . Grand fir's bark is thinner than that of white fir, making the former species more susceptible to threats like fire and rot. Specimens have historically been able to live up to nearly 300 years, but in modern stressed conditions, 100 years is more typical. A number of defoliating insects threaten the tree; in the late 20th century, western spruce budworm epidemics killed sizable populations of grand fir in
112-603: A garden toy for the estate's 17th Laird, George Livingston-Campbell-Callander. A single steam locomotive operated the line; rolling stock consisted of a two-seat open passenger carriage and several wagons. The railway had been dismantled by 1897 and the equipment sold. The boiler from the locomotive was still in situ on the beach at Tayvallich on Loch Sween until the early 1950s. 56°15′00″N 4°57′02″W / 56.25007°N 4.95062°W / 56.25007; -4.95062 Listed buildings in Scotland This
140-454: A rain shelter for humans. Native Americans used both grand fir and white fir, powdering the bark or pitch to treat tuberculosis or skin ailments; the Nlaka'pamux used the bark to cover lodges and make canoes, and branches were used as bedding. The inner bark of the grand fir was used by some Plateau Indian tribes for treating colds and fever . The Okanagan-Colville tribe used the species as
168-543: A strengthening drug to nullify the feeling of weakness. The foliage has an attractive citrus -like scent. It is sometimes used for Christmas decorations in the United States, including Christmas trees , although its stiff branches do not allow it to be economically packed. It is also planted as an ornamental tree in large parks. The lumber is non-resinous and fine textured. In the North American logging industry,
196-416: A trunk girth of over 31 feet (9.4 m). The Ardkinglas Railway was a 12 in ( 305 mm ) narrow gauge estate railway built to serve the Ardkinglas Estate, former seat of Sir James Campbell, 2nd Baronet, of Ardkinglass , on the shores of Loch Fyne . The railway ran along the shore of the loch from a boat house at Caspian. The railway was built as a transportation system for the estate and as
224-427: Is 5 centimetres (2 inches) thick, reddish to gray (but purple within), furrowed, and divided into slender plates. The leaves are needle-like, flattened, 3–6 cm ( 1 + 1 ⁄ 8 – 2 + 3 ⁄ 8 in) long and 2 millimetres ( 3 ⁄ 32 in) wide by 0.5 mm thick, glossy dark green above, with two green-white bands of stomata below, and slightly notched at the tip. The leaf arrangement
252-573: Is a list of Category A listed buildings in Scotland , which are among the listed buildings of the United Kingdom . For a fuller list, see the pages linked on List of listed buildings in Scotland . Download coordinates as: The organization of the lists in this series is on the same basis as the statutory register. County names are those used in the register, and in the case of Scotland they parallel
280-535: Is spiral on the shoot, but with each leaf variably twisted at the base so they all lie in two more-or-less flat ranks on either side of the shoot. On the lower leaf surface, two green-white bands of stomata are prominent. The base of each leaf is twisted a variable amount so that the leaves are nearly coplanar . The green-to-reddish cones are 6–12 cm ( 2 + 1 ⁄ 4 – 4 + 3 ⁄ 4 in) long and 3.5–4.5 cm ( 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 – 1 + 3 ⁄ 4 in) broad, with about 100–150 scales;
308-603: The Blue Mountains and Oregon East Cascade Slope are intermediate between the two species in genetics and appearance. The intergrades are often referred to as " Abies grandis x concolor ", a variety which itself intergrades into Abies concolor lowiana farther south, around the California state line. The species was first described by Scottish botanical explorer David Douglas , who in 1830 brought its seeds back to Britain; in 1831 he described specimens he had collected along
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#1733084806168336-759: The Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest . The coastal variety of grand fir grows in temperate rainforest environments along the Pacific coast from southwest British Columbia to Northern California , with the inland variety growing in montane conifer forests of eastern Washington , the Idaho Panhandle , and far western Montana. It can be found growing at elevations of up to 1,700 m (5,600 ft). Habitats typically receive at least 640 mm (25 in) of annual rainfall, but are still too dry or outside
364-623: The current administrative areas . Abies grandis Abies grandis ( grand fir , giant fir , lowland white fir , great silver fir , western white fir , Vancouver fir , or Oregon fir ) is a fir native to northwestern North America , occurring at altitudes of sea level to 1,700 metres (5,600 ft). It is a major constituent of the Grand Fir/Douglas Fir Ecoregion of the Cascade Range . The tree typically grows to 40–70 m (130–230 ft) in height, and may be
392-444: The "Douglas fir-South" and "spruce-pine-fir (South)" species combos (both umbrella terms for a number of species with similar wood). Because it is nearly as strong as Douglas fir-larch, it often meets the structural load-bearing requirements for framing in residential, light commercial, and heavy construction. Excluding Douglas fir-larch, hem fir's modulus of elasticity value as a stiffness factor in floor systems (denoted as MOE or E)
420-483: The 14th century. It was built in the form of a quadrangle around an inner courtyard measuring 98 feet (30 m) in each direction. There were large turrets on three of the corners, to the front there was a large gate tower with two flanking defensive turrets. By 1769 the castle was reported destroyed. James VI of Scotland made James Campbell of Ardkinglas comptroller and in February 1584 "general searcher" of customs of
448-486: The 18th century the Campbells commissioned designs for a new house at Ardkinglas from some of the leading architects of the day, including Colen Campbell , Robert Adam and James Playfair . None of these designs were built, and the house constructed in 1795 has been described as "rather dull". This house was destroyed by fire in 1831 and, despite further designs from architects including William Burn and Alexander Binning,
476-584: The 18th century, are open year-round with views of the exterior of Ardkinglas House and its backdrop onto Loch Fyne. The Arboretum was planted in the 1860s-70s by the Callander family and has some specimens of large trees. One of these trees a Grand Fir (Abies grandis) held the record for many years as "The Tallest tree in Britain", another tree a Silver Fir (Abies alba) is described as the "Mightiest Conifer in Europe" with
504-818: The West Sea, with powers to apprehend ships with forbidden cargoes. On 23 March 1679, Colin Campbell of Ardkinglas was made a baronet . His son Sir James Campbell, 2nd baronet , (died 1752) sat in the Parliament of Scotland from 1702 and, following the Union of Scotland and England , in the Westminster Parliament until 1741. He purchased the Dunderave estate around 1700, and was succeeded by his grandson, Lt.Col. Sir James Livingston-Campbell, son of his eldest daughter Helen. During
532-611: The eastern Cascades and Blue Mountains . The lack of an ability to use pitch to patch wounds, including those from logging and small fires, provides a weakness exploited by rot fungi. East of the Cascade ridge, grand fir trunks are infected by Indian paint fungus , indicating a rotten core; such specimens are often waterlogged and thus crack apart in freezing weather. Pileated woodpeckers search grand and white firs for insects and places to nest. Rotten cores open shelters for various animals, including black bears . The boughs create
560-470: The estate was Ardkinglas Castle until this was replaced by a new house in the 18th century. This house was itself replaced by the present Ardkinglas House in the early 20th century, designed by Sir Robert Lorimer for Sir Andrew Noble . It remains the property of the Noble family, and is open to the public on a limited basis. The woodland gardens are open all year round. Ardkinglas Castle is thought to date from
588-483: The family moved into the stable block which was adapted as the main house. In 1810, when Sir Alexander Livingston-Campbell died, Ardkinglas was inherited by his cousin James Callander of Craigforth , who subsequently changed his name to Campbell and adopted the style of a baronet, although he was not entitled to do so. In 1905 Ardkinglas was purchased by Sir Andrew Noble , an expert on ballistics and gunnery who
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#1733084806168616-402: The grand fir is considered a softwood . As such, it is used for paper making, packing crates, and construction. Hem fir is frequently used for framing , and is able to meet the building code span requirements of numerous construction projects. As a hem fir, the trunk of the grand fir is considered slightly below the "Douglas fir- larch " species combination in strength, and stronger than
644-502: The grand fir is often referred to as "hem fir", with hem fir being a number of species with interchangeable types of wood (specifically the California red fir , noble fir , Pacific silver fir , white fir, and western hemlock). Grand fir is often shipped along with these other species. It can also referred to as "white fir" lumber, an umbrella term also referring to Abies amabilis , Abies concolor , and Abies magnifica . Lumber from
672-446: The loch. In 1988 he opened the first Loch Fyne Oyster Bar , now a national chain. The house has been used as a filming location for television series, including The Crow Road and films including The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep . It is open to the public, although not on a regular basis. The house's original "Butler's Quarters" can be rented out. The Woodland Gardens, dating back to
700-457: The range of more shade-tolerant competitors like western hemlock and western redcedar . Along with the closely related white fir, grand fir is more shade tolerant than Douglas-fir . Due to wildfire suppression , grand fir was able to proliferate in areas previously dominated by the relatively fire-resistant inland Douglas fir, ponderosa pine , and western larch . The lack of smaller fires allows both grand and white fir saplings to form
728-403: The scale bracts are short, and hidden in the closed cone. The winged seeds are released when the cones disintegrate at maturity about 6 months after pollination. There are two varieties, probably better treated at subspecies rank though not yet formally published as such: Grand fir is very closely related to white fir ( Abies concolor ), and intergrades with it in central Oregon. Firs of
756-511: The tallest Abies species in the world. There are two varieties , the taller coast grand fir , found west of the Cascade Mountains, and the shorter interior grand fir , found east of the Cascades. It was first described in 1831 by David Douglas . It is closely related to white fir . The bark was historically believed to have medicinal properties, and it is popular in the United States as
784-539: Was chairman of Lord Armstrong's artillery works in Newcastle . Ardkinglas House was designed by architect Sir Robert Lorimer , and construction began in May 1906. Although Noble's deadline for completion of 1 August 1907 was not met, the house was fully completed in 21 months. The house was lit with electricity powered from a hydro-electric plant on the estate. John Noble inherited the estate in 1972, and began farming oysters in
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