Ardgowan House
Encyclopedia
Ardgowan House is a late 18th-century mansion and estate on the Firth of Clyde
near Inverkip
, Scotland
. Ardgowan is located in Inverclyde
, in the former county of Renfrewshire
. The Ardgowan estate has been held by the Stewart family since the early 15th century. The present house was begun in 1797, and is currently the seat of the Shaw-Stewart Baronets
. The house is protected as a category A listed building, and the grounds are included in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland
, the national listing of significant gardens.
granted the lands of Ardgowan to his natural son, Sir John Stewart. In 1667 Archibald Stewart was created a baronet
. The 3rd baronet married, in 1730, Helen Houston, heiress of the Shaws of Greenock. Their son Sir John Shaw-Stewart, 4th baronet, commissioned a design for a new house from the architect Hugh Cairncross. Construction began in 1797, and was completed around 1801. The grounds were laid out to designs by James Ramsay from 1800.
In 1825 William Burn
was appointed by the 6th baronet to extend the house. Sir Michael Shaw-Stewart, 7th Baronet
and his wife Lady Octavia, daughter of the 2nd Marquess of Westminster
, continued improvements to the grounds, employing their gardener brought from Eaton Hall, Cheshire to install formal gardens. In 1904 the 8th baronet
commissioned Robert Lorimer
to design the conservatory. Planting of new trees and shrubs continued until the Second World War, during which the house was employed as a hospital. The house remains home to the Shaw-Stewarts, and is also operated as a venue for rent.
, also known as Inverkip Castle. The three-storey ruin is protected as a category B listed building.
The gothic Chapel of St Michael and All Angels, built in the mid 19th-century, is also on the estate.
Firth of Clyde
The Firth of Clyde forms a large area of coastal water, sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the Kintyre peninsula which encloses the outer firth in Argyll and Ayrshire, Scotland. The Kilbrannan Sound is a large arm of the Firth of Clyde, separating the Kintyre Peninsula from the Isle of Arran.At...
near Inverkip
Inverkip
Inverkip is a village and parish falling within the Inverclyde council area and historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies about southwest of Greenock on the A78 trunk road...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Ardgowan is located in Inverclyde
Inverclyde
Inverclyde is one of 32 council areas used for local government in Scotland. Together with the Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire council areas, Inverclyde forms part of the historic county of Renfrewshire - which current exists as a registration county and lieutenancy area - located in the west...
, in the former county of Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire (historic)
Renfrewshire or the County of Renfrew is a registration county, the Lieutenancy area of the Lord Lieutenant of Renfrewshire, and one of the counties of Scotland used for local government until 1975. Renfrewshire is located in the West Central Lowlands of Scotland, south of the River Clyde,...
. The Ardgowan estate has been held by the Stewart family since the early 15th century. The present house was begun in 1797, and is currently the seat of the Shaw-Stewart Baronets
Shaw-Stewart Baronets
The Stewart, later Shaw-Stewart Baronetcy, of Greenock and Blackhall in the County of Renfrew, is a title in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia. It was created on 27 March 1667 for Archibald Stewart. This family is descended in the direct male line from Sir John Stewart, illegitimate son of Robert III...
. The house is protected as a category A listed building, and the grounds are included in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland
Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland
The Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland is a listing of gardens and designed landscapes of national artistic and/or historical significance, in Scotland. The Inventory was originally compiled in 1987, although it is a continually evolving list...
, the national listing of significant gardens.
History
In 1403, King Robert IIIRobert III of Scotland
Robert III was King of Scots from 1390 to his death. His given name was John Stewart, and he was known primarily as the Earl of Carrick before ascending the throne at age 53...
granted the lands of Ardgowan to his natural son, Sir John Stewart. In 1667 Archibald Stewart was created a baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
. The 3rd baronet married, in 1730, Helen Houston, heiress of the Shaws of Greenock. Their son Sir John Shaw-Stewart, 4th baronet, commissioned a design for a new house from the architect Hugh Cairncross. Construction began in 1797, and was completed around 1801. The grounds were laid out to designs by James Ramsay from 1800.
In 1825 William Burn
William Burn
William Burn was a Scottish architect, pioneer of the Scottish Baronial style.He was born in Edinburgh, the son of architect Robert Burn, and educated at the Royal High School. After training with the architect of the British Museum, Sir Robert Smirke, he returned to Edinburgh in 1812...
was appointed by the 6th baronet to extend the house. Sir Michael Shaw-Stewart, 7th Baronet
Sir Michael Shaw-Stewart, 7th Baronet
Colonel Sir Michael Robert Shaw-Stewart, 7th Baronet was the son of Sir Michael Shaw-Stewart, 6th Baronet...
and his wife Lady Octavia, daughter of the 2nd Marquess of Westminster
Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Marquess of Westminster
Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Marquess of Westminster KG, PC , styled Viscount Belgrave from 1802 to 1831 and Earl Belgrave from 1831 to 1845, was an English politician, landowner, property developer and benefactor....
, continued improvements to the grounds, employing their gardener brought from Eaton Hall, Cheshire to install formal gardens. In 1904 the 8th baronet
Sir Hugh Shaw-Stewart, 8th Baronet
Sir Hugh Shaw-Stewart, 8th Baronet was a Scottish politician.He was the eldest son of Sir Michael Shaw-Stewart, 7th Baronet, and Lady Octavia Grosvenor, daughter of Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Marquess of Westminster, and was educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford.In 1883 he married Lady Alice...
commissioned Robert Lorimer
Robert Lorimer
Sir Robert Stodart Lorimer was a prolific Scottish architect noted for his restoration work on historic houses and castles, and for promotion of the Arts and Crafts style.-Early life:...
to design the conservatory. Planting of new trees and shrubs continued until the Second World War, during which the house was employed as a hospital. The house remains home to the Shaw-Stewarts, and is also operated as a venue for rent.
The estate
The estate includes the remains of the 15th-century Ardgowan CastleArdgowan Castle
Ardgowan Castle, also known as Inverkip Castle, is located in the grounds of Ardgowan House near Inverkip, Scotland. It is by the Firth of Clyde in Inverclyde, in the former county of Renfrewshire. The three-storey ruin is protected as a category B listed building.-History:In 1306, Inverkip was...
, also known as Inverkip Castle. The three-storey ruin is protected as a category B listed building.
The gothic Chapel of St Michael and All Angels, built in the mid 19th-century, is also on the estate.
External links
- Ardgowan House website
- Ardgowan House, Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland