Mertoun House

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Mertoun House

Mertoun House is a manor house in Scotland . It is located around two kilometers east of the village of St Boswells in the Scottish Borders Council Area on the left bank of the Tweed . In 1971, the building was included in the Scottish monument lists in the highest monument category A. Furthermore, the associated pigeon tower is separately protected as a category A monument.

history

In 1677 a building was erected on the property. It is now known as the Old Mertoun House and is not far from Mertoun House. In 1702, William Scott of Harden commissioned the Scottish architect William Bruce to design a mansion, the construction of which was completed the following year. It was a three-story building in the Scottish Baroque style . The Scottish writer Walter Scott was a relative of the owners and stayed at Mertoun House regularly. The property is mentioned in the poem Marmion , while Eve of St. John was written on Merton House.

In 1843 Mertoun House was redesigned, giving it today's classicist style. The south wing was added in 1843 based on a design by the architect William Burn . After the Scotts sold the property to Lord Brackley , he added a compensating north wing in 1913. The extensions were demolished in 1956 with the planning of the architect Ian Lindsay .

Pigeon tower

Pigeon tower from Mertoun House

The pigeon tower is isolated around 200 m northeast of Mertoun House. The tower, around 9.1 m high and 5.5 m in diameter, was built in 1576. A corresponding information can be found above the entrance. This is possibly the oldest known and preserved pigeon tower in Scotland. Four cornices structure the pigeon tower , which is designed in the style of a beehive hut , horizontally. Finally there is an open lantern through which pigeons can get into the tower. Modern buttresses were added to support the masonry.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  2. ↑ a b Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  3. ↑ Entry on Old Mertoun House  in Canmore, the database of Historic Environment Scotland (English)
  4. ↑ a b Entry on Mertoun House  in Canmore, the database of Historic Environment Scotland (English)
  5. ↑ Entry on pigeon tower of Mertoun House  in Canmore, the database of Historic Environment Scotland (English)

Web links

Coordinates: 55 ° 34 ′ 40 "  N , 2 ° 36 ′ 27.9"  W.