Formakin House, which is also known as the Monkey House, has been an object of curiosity to Renfrewshire residents for years. The monkey reference relates to the stone monkeys adorning the roofs of the gatehouse and other buildings, some of which appear to be frolicking along the ridge of the roof. Many have been lost or removed over the years, however those on the gatehouse have survived intact. Within the main house, door lintels and fireplaces are also decorated with relief carvings of more monkeys.
Formakin House was designed by the architect Sir Robert Stoddart Lorimer for John Augustus Holms (1866-1938) at the start of the 20th century. An accomplished horticulturist, Holms planned and laid out the formal gardens before the house was was built, including a fountain, oriental and walled gardens, all joined by paths set with heart shaped stones.
The building's style is that of the 17th century, and it has a carved date of 1694 on one of the walls, accompanied by the letters DL, standing for Damned Lie! The date really being some 200 years later. Work came to a stop in 1912, when Holms' funds were exhausted, thanks to his extravagant demand for the highest of standards, even for the most utilitarian of items. For example, his specification for the electricity supply switch board called for "polished marble mounted in a polished teakwood frame having a teakwood door with lock and key". The house remained an empty shell, and was never actually lived in. No plumbing was ever installed in the house, nor was there a kitchen, but this did not stop Holms from holding dinner parties there. His collection of tapestries would be hung on the walls, which were never plastered, and the meal would be cooked in the gatehouse, and transported along the driveway to be served to his guests.
By 1940, the estate had been sold to AE Pickard (1874-1964), a Glasgow based millionaire. In 1984, the estate was taken over by the Formakin Trust, assisted with a grant from the National Heritage Memorial Fund, and opened to the public. Unfortunately, the trust ran at a deficit, unable to attract sufficient visitors, and closed after a few years. At the start of the 21st century, the estate was successfully developed as private housing, providing some 17 exclusive domiciles and finally occupied almost 100 years after it was started.