Balbardie House
Encyclopedia
Balbardie House was a country house in West Lothian
, Scotland, near to the town of Bathgate
. Designed by Robert Adam
, this great neoclassical
mansion was demolished in two stages in 1954 and in 1975.
The seat since 1624 of the Marjoribanks family, the house was constructed at the end of the 18th century and situated within a park of 100 acre (0.404686 km²). One of Adam's final designs, it is doubtful he saw the completed project, as the plans are signed and dated 1792 shortly before his death. The house is typical of his neoclassical style, the corps de logis
having similarities with another of Adam's great houses, Kedleston Hall
, except that at Balbardie Adam used a single small pediment at the centre rather than fully suggesting the Arch of Constantine
as he did at Kedleston. Another common Adam feature which is highly defined but in an unusual setting at Balbardie are the recessed apse
s behind screening columns in the low wings connecting the three bayed pavilions to the corps de logis. This was a feature Adam often used internally but seldom externally. That Adam was not present during the final stages of drawing and completion of the house is evident by the prominence of the chimneys at Kedleston and elsewhere so carefully disguised; the pitch of the roofs suggests a northern Baroque
such as the Nymphenburg (where the chimneys are equally visible). However, these features are part of the character of the house and should not be seen as detracting from its architectural importance.
The glory of Balbardie as one of Scotland's grandest private houses was to be short-lived - barely sixty years. In 1861 it was purchased by the trustees of a hospital, and later converted into apartment
s for miner
s. The house with the exception of one of the pavilions was demolished in 1954; the remaining pavilion was demolished in 1975. The author Ian Gow described the demolition thus: "the dilapidation and staged demolition of Balbardie.....due to a lack of funding, diminished the heritage of the work of one of Scotland's most celebrated architects, Robert Adam".
Following the demolition of 1975 the Bathgate Leisure Centre was erected on the site.
West Lothian
West Lothian is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland, and a Lieutenancy area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Falkirk, North Lanarkshire, the Scottish Borders and South Lanarkshire....
, Scotland, near to the town of Bathgate
Bathgate
Bathgate is a town in West Lothian, Scotland, on the M8 motorway west of Livingston. Nearby towns are Blackburn, Armadale, Whitburn, Livingston, and Linlithgow. Edinburgh Airport is away...
. Designed by Robert Adam
Robert Adam
Robert Adam was a Scottish neoclassical architect, interior designer and furniture designer. He was the son of William Adam , Scotland's foremost architect of the time, and trained under him...
, this great neoclassical
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
mansion was demolished in two stages in 1954 and in 1975.
The seat since 1624 of the Marjoribanks family, the house was constructed at the end of the 18th century and situated within a park of 100 acre (0.404686 km²). One of Adam's final designs, it is doubtful he saw the completed project, as the plans are signed and dated 1792 shortly before his death. The house is typical of his neoclassical style, the corps de logis
Corps de logis
Corps de logis is the architectural term which refers to the principal block of a large, usually classical, mansion or palace. It contains the principal rooms, state apartments and an entry. The grandest and finest rooms are often on the first floor above the ground level: this floor is the...
having similarities with another of Adam's great houses, Kedleston Hall
Kedleston Hall
Kedleston Hall is an English country house in Kedleston, Derbyshire, approximately four miles north-west of Derby, and is the seat of the Curzon family whose name originates in Notre-Dame-de-Courson in Normandy...
, except that at Balbardie Adam used a single small pediment at the centre rather than fully suggesting the Arch of Constantine
Arch of Constantine
The Arch of Constantine is a triumphal arch in Rome, situated between the Colosseum and the Palatine Hill. It was erected to commemorate Constantine I's victory over Maxentius at the Battle of Milvian Bridge on October 28, 312...
as he did at Kedleston. Another common Adam feature which is highly defined but in an unusual setting at Balbardie are the recessed apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
s behind screening columns in the low wings connecting the three bayed pavilions to the corps de logis. This was a feature Adam often used internally but seldom externally. That Adam was not present during the final stages of drawing and completion of the house is evident by the prominence of the chimneys at Kedleston and elsewhere so carefully disguised; the pitch of the roofs suggests a northern Baroque
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
such as the Nymphenburg (where the chimneys are equally visible). However, these features are part of the character of the house and should not be seen as detracting from its architectural importance.
The glory of Balbardie as one of Scotland's grandest private houses was to be short-lived - barely sixty years. In 1861 it was purchased by the trustees of a hospital, and later converted into apartment
Apartment
An apartment or flat is a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building...
s for miner
Miner
A miner is a person whose work or business is to extract ore or minerals from the earth. Mining is one of the most dangerous trades in the world. In some countries miners lack social guarantees and in case of injury may be left to cope without assistance....
s. The house with the exception of one of the pavilions was demolished in 1954; the remaining pavilion was demolished in 1975. The author Ian Gow described the demolition thus: "the dilapidation and staged demolition of Balbardie.....due to a lack of funding, diminished the heritage of the work of one of Scotland's most celebrated architects, Robert Adam".
Following the demolition of 1975 the Bathgate Leisure Centre was erected on the site.