Preston Hall, Midlothian
Encyclopedia
Preston Hall, or Prestonhall, is a late-18th-century mansion in Midlothian
, to the south of Edinburgh
, Scotland
. It is located 1.5 kilometre (0.93205910497471 mi) north of Pathhead
on the east side of the Tyne Water
, opposite Oxenfoord Castle
on the west side. The house, together with several estate buildings, are the work of architect Robert Mitchell (fl.
1770–1809), and are protected as Category A listed buildings, the highest level of protection for a historic building in Scotland.
, who became a law lord
as Lord Prestonhall in 1703. In 1738 the estate was bought by Henrietta, the widow of Alexander Gordon, 2nd Duke of Gordon
, and additions were made to the house in 1740 by William Adam. Lady Gordon laid out the extensive parkland around the house before her death in 1760, after which work on the estate was continued by her son Lord Adam Gordon.
In 1789, Preston Hall was purchased by Alexander Callander. Callander had made his fortune in India, and had already purchased the nearby estates of Crichton
and Elphinstone
. He found the house to be in poor condition, and it was demolished shortly after. Callander hired London-based architect Robert Mitchell to design a replacement house, and the foundation stone was laid on 18 March 1791. Alexander Callander died the following year, and the house was completed by his brother John (later Sir John Callander, Bt.) in 1800.
In 1812 the house passed to John Callander's nephew John Alexander Higgins, who left it to his nephew William Burn-Callander in 1828. Alterations made to the house in the early 19th century included the reversal of the front and rear elevations, and further development of the grounds. A porch was added by David Bryce
in around 1850. The Callander family continue to own Prestonhall, and currently operate accommodation in the house.
but practiced in London from 1782. Moore Place, Hertfordshire, and Nelson's Column, Montreal
, are among his few other surviving works.
The front facade of Preston Hall has been compared to an illustration in the 1728 Essay in the Defence of Ancient Architecture by Robert Morris, and was considered somewhat dated at the time of its construction. The rear is more neoclassical
in style, comprising a large central block flanked by pavilions. The pavilions may predate the main building, possibly being part of William Adam's scheme, albeit remodelled by Mitchell. Significant features of the interior include four life-size female figures in the stairway, which are made from Coade stone
, a type of ceramic used as an artificial stone.
. The south entrance to the grounds is known as the Lion Gate, as the gate piers are topped by lion statues made from Coade stone. The walled garden
includes two brick gazebo
s, which served as viewing platforms. In 1842, 40 varieties of fig
were being cultivated in the garden and adjacent hot houses.
The house is protected as a Category A listed building, as are the North Gate, Lion Gate, walled garden, stables, and the Temple. The grounds of the house are listed on the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes, the national listing of historic gardens in Scotland, and is considered to have "outstanding" architectural and scenic value.
Midlothian
Midlothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy area. It borders the Scottish Borders, East Lothian and the City of Edinburgh council areas....
, to the south of Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, 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...
. It is located 1.5 kilometre (0.93205910497471 mi) north of Pathhead
Pathhead, Midlothian
Pathhead is a conservation village in Midlothian, Scotland.-Location:Pathhead is located around south east of Dalkeith and south of Scotland's capital city, Edinburgh. It lies above the east bank of the River Tyne. The name of the village is due to its position. It stands above sea level and is...
on the east side of the Tyne Water
River Tyne, Scotland
The River Tyne is a river in Scotland, UK. It rises in the Moorfoot Hills in Midlothian near Tynehead to the south of Edinburgh, at the junction of the B6458 and the B6367. It continues for approx...
, opposite Oxenfoord Castle
Oxenfoord Castle
Oxenfoord Castle is a country house in Midlothian, Scotland. It is located north of Pathhead, and south-east of Dalkeith, above the Tyne Water. Originally a 16th-century tower house, the present castle is largely the result of major rebuilding in 1782, to designs by the architect Robert Adam....
on the west side. The house, together with several estate buildings, are the work of architect Robert Mitchell (fl.
Floruit
Floruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
1770–1809), and are protected as Category A listed buildings, the highest level of protection for a historic building in Scotland.
History
A house was built here in 1700 for Roderick Mackenzie, brother of the Earl of CromartieGeorge Mackenzie, 1st Earl of Cromartie
George Mackenzie, 1st Earl of Cromartie FRS , known as Sir George Mackenzie, 2nd Baronet from 1654 to 1685 and as The Viscount of Tarbat from 1685 to 1703, was a Scottish statesman....
, who became a law lord
Senator of the College of Justice
The Senators of the College of Justice are judges of the College of Justice, a set of legal institutions involved in the administration of justice in Scotland. There are three types of Senator: Lords of Session ; Lords Commissioner of Justiciary ; and the Chairman of the Scottish Land Court...
as Lord Prestonhall in 1703. In 1738 the estate was bought by Henrietta, the widow of Alexander Gordon, 2nd Duke of Gordon
Alexander Gordon, 2nd Duke of Gordon
General Alexander Gordon, 2nd Duke of Gordon , styled Earl of Enzie until 1684 and the Marquess of Huntly from 1684 to 1716, was a Scottish peer....
, and additions were made to the house in 1740 by William Adam. Lady Gordon laid out the extensive parkland around the house before her death in 1760, after which work on the estate was continued by her son Lord Adam Gordon.
In 1789, Preston Hall was purchased by Alexander Callander. Callander had made his fortune in India, and had already purchased the nearby estates of Crichton
Crichton, Midlothian
Crichton is a small village in Midlothian, Scotland, around 2 miles south of Pathhead and the same east of Gorebridge. The name is derived from the Gaelic word crioch, which means border, and the Old English word tune which means farm or settlement....
and Elphinstone
Elphinstone
-Places:* Elphinstone, East Lothian, Scotland* Elphinstone, Victoria, Australia* Elphinstone, Manitoba, Canada* Elphinstone College, college of the University of Mumbai* Elphinstone Hall, part of King's College, Aberdeen, Scotland...
. He found the house to be in poor condition, and it was demolished shortly after. Callander hired London-based architect Robert Mitchell to design a replacement house, and the foundation stone was laid on 18 March 1791. Alexander Callander died the following year, and the house was completed by his brother John (later Sir John Callander, Bt.) in 1800.
In 1812 the house passed to John Callander's nephew John Alexander Higgins, who left it to his nephew William Burn-Callander in 1828. Alterations made to the house in the early 19th century included the reversal of the front and rear elevations, and further development of the grounds. A porch was added by David Bryce
David Bryce
David Bryce FRSE FRIBA RSA was a Scottish architect. Born in Edinburgh, he was educated at the Royal High School and joined the office of architect William Burn in 1825, aged 22. By 1841, Bryce had risen to be Burn's partner...
in around 1850. The Callander family continue to own Prestonhall, and currently operate accommodation in the house.
Architecture
The house is considered to be Robert Mitchell's most important architectural work. Mitchell was born in AberdeenAberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
but practiced in London from 1782. Moore Place, Hertfordshire, and Nelson's Column, Montreal
Nelson's Column, Montreal
Nelson's Column is a monument in Place Jacques-Cartier, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.Installed on the Place Jacques-Cartier in 1809, Nelson's column was the second monument to be erected in Montreal.- History :...
, are among his few other surviving works.
The front facade of Preston Hall has been compared to an illustration in the 1728 Essay in the Defence of Ancient Architecture by Robert Morris, and was considered somewhat dated at the time of its construction. The rear is more 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...
in style, comprising a large central block flanked by pavilions. The pavilions may predate the main building, possibly being part of William Adam's scheme, albeit remodelled by Mitchell. Significant features of the interior include four life-size female figures in the stairway, which are made from Coade stone
Coade stone
Lithodipyra , or Coade stone, was ceramic stoneware that was often described as an artificial stone in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It was used for moulding Neoclassical statues, architectural decorations and garden ornaments that were both of the highest quality and remain virtually...
, a type of ceramic used as an artificial stone.
Estate
The North Gate into the grounds also survives from the earlier phase, and dates from around 1740. The remainder of the estate buildings were designed by Robert Mitchell and built in the 1790s. At the end of a tree-lined vista to the north of the house is the octagonal-plan Temple, originally intended as Alexander Callander's mausoleumMausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
. The south entrance to the grounds is known as the Lion Gate, as the gate piers are topped by lion statues made from Coade stone. The walled garden
Walled garden
A walled garden is specifically a garden enclosed by high walls for horticultural rather than security purposes, though traditionally all gardens have been hedged about or walled for protection from animal or human intruders...
includes two brick gazebo
Gazebo
A gazebo is a pavilion structure, sometimes octagonal, that may be built, in parks, gardens, and spacious public areas. Gazebos are freestanding or attached to a garden wall, roofed, and open on all sides; they provide shade, shelter, ornamental features in a landscape, and a place to rest...
s, which served as viewing platforms. In 1842, 40 varieties of fig
Ficus
Ficus is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes, and hemiepiphyte in the family Moraceae. Collectively known as fig trees or figs, they are native throughout the tropics with a few species extending into the semi-warm temperate zone. The Common Fig Ficus is a genus of...
were being cultivated in the garden and adjacent hot houses.
The house is protected as a Category A listed building, as are the North Gate, Lion Gate, walled garden, stables, and the Temple. The grounds of the house are listed on the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes, the national listing of historic gardens in Scotland, and is considered to have "outstanding" architectural and scenic value.