It was the former seat of philosopher Edward Caird (March 23 1835-November 1 1908), younger brother of the theologian John Caird (December 15 1820-July 30 1898).
Edward was born in Greenock, and educated at Glasgow and Oxford Universities, where he became Fellow and Tutor of Merton College. In 1866 he was appointed to the Chair of Moral Philosophy at Glasgow, which he held until 1893, when he became Master of Balliol College, from which he retired in 1907.
The house was converted into an hotel prior to the outbreak of World War Two, when it was requisitioned by the United States Navy for use as an administration block for the oil jetty constructed on the site to provide bunkering facilities for navy vessels.
Returned to its owners after the war, it prospered as a hotel until the site was taken over by the Anglo Iranian Oil Co.
The building is listed in the Buildings at Risk register, together with an associated lodge abandoned at the side of the A814. Both are shown as Crown property owned by the Ministry of Defence.
Arddarroch House, also attributed to William Burn, is a substantial gabled villa built in 1838 for John McVicar, a Glasgow merchant, and was altered and extended with the addition of a conservatory (now demolished) in 1846-7 by David Bryce, a pupil of Burn.
The house now forms offices and accommodation for the oil terminal, with an associated lodge at the side of the A814 serving as a gatehouse.
Just north of Finnart is the MOD jetty at Glenmallon, and from time to time some very large naval supply ships berth there.
The top picture shows a tanker unloading oil at the terminal circa 1954, and is from the collection of Stella Trainor, Ontario, Canada.
LAST UPDATED ( FRIDAY, 29 JULY 2011 16:58 )