Milngavie and Bearsden Herald 15 January 1949
The mansion house and part of the lands of Ardgare, Shandon, Dunbartonshire, have been gifted to the British Legion (Scotland) by Lieutenant-Colonel R G Sillars as a house for ex-service personnel.
The property is situated on the eastern shore of the Gareloch and includes two cottages, stables, a large walled garden with greenhouses, woodlands, fields and lawns.
Some necessary interior alterations to the house are being carried out and it will be some months before it can be established as a home.
Colonel SIllars, who took up the duties of County Army Welfare Officer for Dunbartonshire after the termination of a War Office appointment in 1946, has been interested in the British Legion and Earl Haig Fund since their inception. Knowing the urgent need in Scotland for a country house in which ex-members of all the Services could be given a period of peace and rest after illness or distress, he considered that Ardgare might be suitable for a project of this kind. His offer was welcomed by the British Legion (Scotland) who have also obtained a property at North Berwick for a similar purpose. Comfortable accommodation and amenities will therefore exist on the east and west coasts of Scotland for members of the Legion who are in need of them.
Ardgare, originally built in the early days of the last century, was considerably enlarged about 1880/ The architecture is in the Italian style with large windows and high-ceilinged spacious rooms. The ground around the house slopes gradually to a terraced lawn with a balustrade overlooking the loch.
There will be comfortable accommodation in the mansion house for about 25 persons once the alterations are completed.
At the request of the donor Ardgare will retain its present name. The property at North Berwick will probably be known as the Sir Ian Hamilton House.
Shandon People and History 