Mavisbank House

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Mavisbank House

Mavisbank House , formerly New Saughton Hall , is a ruined mansion near the Scottish village of Loanhead in the Midlothian Council Area . In 1971 the building was included in the Scottish List of Monuments in the highest category A. In addition, it forms a category A monument ensemble with various external buildings. In addition, the property was formerly classified as a Scheduled Monument . Finally, various outbuildings are independently classified as monuments of categories A, B or C. The entire property is on the Scottish Landscaping Register . The highest rating “outstanding” was awarded in three of the seven categories.

history

In 1695 John Clerk, 1st Baronet, acquired the lands of Mavisbank. He originally planned to build a small building there to manage his coal mines. However, these plans were never implemented. In the 1710s, Clerk's plans to build a mansion took shape and began to take shape. Until his death in 1722 there was no construction activity. The property went to his son John Clerk, 2nd Baronet . He designed the current mansion in collaboration with the Scottish architect William Adam . As inspiration, they both previously visited Castle Howard in England and the Mauritshuis in the Netherlands . Mavisbank House was built between 1723 and 1728. Until 1815 the property was inherited within the family. That year Graeme Mercer acquired the lands. He continued the continuous development of the property until he sold the house to the Liverpool merchant George Clerk Arbuthnot .

In 1877 Mavisbank House changed hands again and was henceforth used as a private sanatorium. In this context, a name change was made to New Saughton Hall . The operating company was dissolved in 1853 and the former head of the institution acquired the property. In 1954 he obtained permission to pull down the wings that were added in the 19th century. He also reinstates the original name of Mavisbank House . In the same year the property changed hands again. In 1973 a fire devastated the building, which has only been in ruins since then. Several changes of ownership followed until Historic Scotland bought Mavisbank House in 1995. It had previously been saved from the threat of demolition. In 2007, the building was in the BBC telecast Restoration shown. Funds are to be raised to meet the then estimated restoration costs of £ 7 million. The Mavisbank Trust, founded in 2002, is in charge of raising the funds.

Mavisbank House

Drawing by William Adam from 1812

Mavisbank House is a few hundred yards southeast of Loanhead. The property is bordered to the southeast by the North Esk River . The two-story classicist mansion has pavilions in front of it, which are connected to it by a curved curtain wall. The northeast-exposed front is five axes wide. The masonry consists of sandstone blocks , while the rest of the stone was used, which was once plastered with Harl . A tapering front staircase leads up to the entrance portal. This is flanked by colossal blinding pillars that also set off the edges of the building. On it sits a richly ornamented triangular gable with ox-eye . Segment gables or triangular gables crown the windows. The side facades are constructed identically and are four axes wide. A portico emerges in the center of the rear, which is five axes wide, accessible via a front staircase that was formerly designed with a balustrade . The portico is designed with Tuscan columns and corresponding Tuscan pilasters.

Outbuildings

Gardens

The gardens, which were created in the 1730s, are located in a protected location southeast of the manor house. They consist of a horseshoe-shaped fenced area, which is adjoined by another roughly triangular area in the southwest. Two paths probably crossed the complex, the main path of which was on an axis with the main building. Two yew trees probably marked the ends of the path. Ornate sandstone pillars with wrought iron gates are set into the wall at the ends of the paths. At the north-west gate a staircase leads down to the kitchen garden. While the entire gardens are now covered with natural grassy vegetation, fruit trees have been preserved in the kitchen garden. The smaller, triangular area in the southwest was once a flower garden. The gardens are classified as a category A monument.

Garden shed

The garden house, listed as a category A building, dates from 1731. It is located directly west of the dairy near the wall surrounding the former flower garden. The building has a square floor plan. On the front side, cream-colored sandstone hewn into cuboids was used, while only rubble was used on the remaining outer walls. The north side is decorated with pilasters that support a cornice . The entrance is made with a round arch with a keystone . The roof is no longer preserved today.

Game cellar

The former game cellar is classified as a category B monument. The one-story building with a square floor plan dates from the later 19th century. It was used to store game that had been shot. In order to ensure a favorable temperature and ventilation, it is located on a shady hill between the manor house and the dairy. The masonry consists of cream-colored sandstone carved into blocks . The building roof is covered with gray slate. Variable grids are installed in the interior. The floor is made of stone slabs. The ceiling is made with a slatted construction, which was previously hidden behind a gypsum plaster, but which is largely missing today.

Ice house

Directly north of Mavisbank House is the Ice House. The category B structure dates from the early 18th century. The facades are clad with sandstone. Underneath there is a barrel vault consisting of a two-row brick wall . This was once plastered.

dairy

The dairy and dairy barn is across a hill on North Esk south of Mavisbank House. The complex now used as a residential building probably dates back to an 18th century farm that was rebuilt in the 1840s. The one-story building complex made of gray sandstone almost completely surrounds an inner courtyard. An access road was only left on the southwest side. The east facade is ten axes wide, which are arranged in the scheme 3–4–3. On the outside, the gable ends of the transverse structures tower above the flatter eastern section. A modern garage door is embedded on the left. In contrast, the two original wooden gates with segmental arches can still be found on the right. Another such gate is on the courtyard side. A more recent glass winter garden emerges to the left. This side of the building is asymmetrical and designed with a dormer window.

The southern part of the building is also constructed asymmetrically. At various points, former arched windows were filled with masonry and modern rectangular windows were used. The north side is approximately symmetrical and eight axes wide. Two axes on the gable ends of the transverse buildings flank the four-axis north building. Here, too, arched portals with double-leaf wooden gates are installed. Wooden doors with combat windows are let into both outer sides . This part of the building has no symmetry on the courtyard side. Among other things, an arched window and a modern entrance door can be found there. The four axes wide west side is designed symmetrically. Here, too, some modern windows and the original arched windows can be found. The former dairy is itself categorized as a Category C monument, but is part of the Category A monument ensemble.

Pigeon tower

A pigeon tower can be found in the northeast part of the property, around 800 m northeast of Mavisbank House . Possibly it is a former watchtower that was reused in 1738. In the original landscape plan of the property, the tower seems to have played an important role as an eye-catcher. The three main paths and a canal converge near the tower. It is a cylindrical tower that is only preserved as a ruin today. The roof and parts of the upper quarry stone masonry are missing. There are no more nesting boxes in the interior. A simple cornice protrudes about two-thirds of the height . The entrance, which is now partially hidden by earthwork, is located on the southwest side. On the opposite side there is an ox eye . The pigeon tower is classified in category A both as an individual monument and as part of the ensemble.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  2. ↑ Scheduled Monument - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  3. ↑ a b c d Garden and Designed Landscape - entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  4. ↑ a b Information in the Gazetteer for Scotland
  5. ↑ Mavisbank Trust website
  6. ↑ Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  7. ↑ Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  8. ↑ Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  9. ↑ Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  10. ↑ a b Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  11. ↑ Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  12. ↑ Entry on the pigeon tower of Mavisbank House  in Canmore, the database of Historic Environment Scotland (English)

Web links

Commons : Mavisbank House  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 55 ° 52 ′ 27 "  N , 3 ° 8 ′ 21.5"  W.