Dalkeith House
Dalkeith House , also Dalkeith Palace , is a castle in the Scottish city of Dalkeith in the Midlothian Council Area . In 1971 the building was included in the Scottish List of Monuments in the highest category A. Furthermore, various external buildings are independently classified as monuments of the categories A, B or C. The category A buildings are also combined to form a category A monument ensemble. The entire property is on the Scottish Landscaping Register . In four out of six categories the highest rating “outstanding” was awarded.
history
The Dalkeith lands were owned by the Grant clan . In the early 14th century they passed to the Clan Douglas . In the mid-15th century, James Douglas was named first Earl of Morton . At this point in time there was already a castle on the land. After Cardinal David Beaton claimed the reign after the death of the Scottish King James V for himself, he was captured and detained at Dalkeith Castle. English troops destroyed the castle in 1547. James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton had a new fortress built on this site in 1575, which King James VI. Visited in 1617.
The Earl of Morton hoped to sell Dalkeith Castle to King Charles I and had the important bulwark at the gates of Edinburgh modernized. However, the king showed no interest. Francis Scott, 2nd Earl of Buccleuch acquired the lands in 1642. His descendant Anne Scott, 4th Countess of Buccleuch , was appointed Duchess of Buccleuch in 1763 . She married James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth , an illegitimate son of King Charles II . This triggered the Monmouth Rebellion by claiming the throne in place of his uncle James II , as a result of which he was executed. From then on, his wife lived in London . George Melville, 1st Earl of Melville administered the Dalkeith lands during this period. It was not until 1701 that the Duchess turned back to Dalkeith Castle.
She commissioned the Scottish architect James Smith to design what is now the castle. The L-shaped Dalkeith Castle should form the core and be partially integrated. The total cost was £ 15,225. A design by the architect James Craig for the redesign of Dalkeith House exists from 1776, but it was not implemented. A design by William Burn from 1831 was also rejected. In the meantime, the British King George IV was a guest at Dalkeith House on his only visit to Scotland. He preferred Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh. Until the beginning of the First World War , Dalkeith House was the seat of the Dukes of Buccleuch .
Dalkeith House
The castle is located on the southern edge of a spacious property. This begins on the northern edge of Dalkeith and almost reaches the city of Musselburgh in the north . To the west, the A720 borders the property while the A1 and A68 pass through it. About two kilometers north of the castle, South Esk and North Esk flow together to form the Esk , which from now on divides the property.
Dalkeith House is based on a design by the architect James Smith. James Playfair is responsible for a later revision and addition . The three-story sandstone building has a roughly U-shaped floor plan. A triangular gable with colossal Corinthian pilasters dominates the front of the classical building, which is exposed to the southeast .
Glasshouse
The greenhouse was built between 1832 and 1834 based on a design by William Burn. It is located around 500 m northeast of Dalkeith House near the west bank of the South Esk. The symmetrical, twelve-sided building is designed in Jacobean style . Below the floor there is a boiler room for controlling the temperature of the greenhouse. It is designed with Doric columns that support a tent roof . This was once covered with glass segments. A richly ornamented frieze runs around below the roof . Originally, lattice windows closed off the interior. The greenhouse is classified as a category A single monument.
Historical illustration
Current condition
Dark Walk
The Dark Walk is on the southeast edge of the property near Dalkeith. It is an 18th century gate that once delimited an access road to Dalkeith House. The high, two-winged gate is made of wrought iron . The wings are hung on a low wall. The quarry stone wall ends with flat stone blocks and once supported a wrought iron fence. Since 2008, the Dark Walk has been on the register of endangered buildings in Scotland. Its condition was classified as very poor in two inspections and at the same time as being at high risk. The sometimes fine ornaments are loosening and have already been partially lost. Ivy and other vegetation overgrow the structure. The Dark Walk is classified as a Category A structure.
King's Gate
The King's Gate is a gate with a lodge. It is located on Old Dalkeith Road around 300 m north of Dalkeith House on one of the access roads. The Category A structure, dating from 1852, was designed by William Burn and David Bryce . The richly ornamented two-winged gate is made of wrought iron and closes with a round arch. It is hung on both sides on embossed pillars that tower over the gate. Smaller pedestrian gates flank the main gate on both sides. They are stylistically adapted to this, but close with an architrave . Urns with floral motifs are installed on the four goal posts. The asymmetrical lodge is on the east side beyond the gate.
stables
The stables are located about 450 m northeast of Dalkeith House. William Adam designed the building erected in 1740. The stables have a U-shaped floor plan and enclose an inner courtyard on three sides. It is a quarry stone building, which is designed with a few classical details. Various arched entrances are decorated with keystones and pillars. The elongated east side is 14 axes wide. The roofs are covered with gray slate. In the Scottish monument lists, the stables are listed independently as category A monuments.
Montagu Bridge
The sixth structure on the property, the Montagu Bridge is classified as a Category A structure. The building was built in 1792 based on a design by Robert Adam . The stone arch bridge spans the North Esk with a 21 m diameter semicircular arch. The layered masonry is designed with deep niches and floral motifs. A frieze with a round motif in square elements runs along the parapet. On the east side there is a passage with a barrel vault . Cast iron railings limit the driveways.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
- ↑ a b c d Garden and Designed Landscape - entry . In: Historic Scotland .
- ^ Entry in the Gazetteer for Scotland
- ↑ Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
- ↑ a b Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
- ↑ Entry on buildingsatrisk.org.uk
- ↑ Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
- ↑ Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
- ↑ Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
- ↑ Entry on Montagu Bridge in Canmore, the database of Historic Environment Scotland (English)
Web links
- Entry on Dalkeith House in Canmore, Historic Environment Scotland database
- Entry in the Gazetteer for Scotland
Coordinates: 55 ° 53 '58.8 " N , 3 ° 4' 4.4" W.