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A list of Scotland Mansions to Visit with
websites, images, postcodes, telephone numbers and
links to maps and reviews.
Mansions in Scotland were built from the 1700s as
Scotland had become a safer place, with law and order
putting an end to Clan feuds, and no more battles
with England. More history at the bottom of the
page.
The RS Pages have links to Large Sunny Images.
Click on Post-Codes for Maps, Directions, Reviews,
Prices and Phone.
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Abbotsford
3 miles west of Melrose in the Borders. Built for Sir
Walter Scott in 1811, the 1800s novelist, author of
classics such as Waverley, Rob Roy, Ivanhoe and The
Lady of the Lake.
RS Page .
TD6 9BQ
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Argyll's Lodging
In Stirling
town by Stirling Castle. Residence of the Earls of
Argyll in Stirling, one of the most complete
surviving examples in Scotland of a 1600s town
Mansion. Its fine architecture shows it was for a
powerful nobleman, serving the Royal Stewart's within
the Castle.
Website . UDS Page . FK8 1EG
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Callendar House
1 mile southeast of Falkirk in parklands and woodland. The
present house was built in 1877 for the Forbes Family
on land owned by the Callander Family since the
1300s. The Estate has been visited by many historical
figures, including Mary Queen of Scots, Cromwell, and
Bonnie Prince Charlie. Phone
RS
Page . FK1 1YR
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Dumfries House
1.9 miles west of Cumnock in Ayrshire.
Built between 1754 and 1760 by the Adam brothers for
the 5th Earl of Dumfries, the house has a top
collection of Chippendale furniture, often described
as an 18th century time capsule, with the main rooms
and their contents remaining virtually unchanged for
250 years.
AS Page . KA18 2NJ . Image
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Haddo House
19 miles north of Aberdeen. Designed by William Adam for the
2nd Earl of Aberdeen in 1732, the house has Georgian
architecture with late Victorian interiors by Wright
and Mansfield.
Website . UDS Page . AB41 7EQ
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Hill of Tarvit
9 miles west of St Andrews. Nestling on a hillside in the
Fife countryside, this early 1700s Mansion was
partially re-built in 1906 for a Mr F B Sharp's
collection of French and Chippendale-style furniture,
porcelain, and paintings.
Website . UDS Page . KY15 5PB
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Holmwood House
5 miles south of Glasgow centre in the Cathcart area of
Glasgow. An Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson
designed Mansion for a paper magnate named James
Couper, said to be one of his finest domestic
projects. Conservation and decoration of the House
are ongoing, so there is always something new to
see.
RS
Page . G44 3YU
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Hopetoun House
12
miles west of Edinburgh. One of the top examples of
Georgian architecture in Britain, designed by the
Scottish architects Sir William Bruce and William
Adam for Earl Charles Hope. Set in 150 acres of
rolling parkland with extensive woodland walks.
RS Page
. EH30 9RW
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House Of Dun
3.5 miles
west of Montrose. A Georgian Family House designed
by William Adam for David Erskine, 13th Laird of
Dunin, about 1730. The Victorian gardens have views
over the Montrose Basin The Estate has the Lady
Augusta Walk, adventure playground, Victorian walled
garden, terraced gardens, woodland dog walk.
RS Page .
DD10 9LQ
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Kinneil Estate
20 miles west of Edinburgh. Mansion built in 1677 for Lord
Hamilton. Kinneil Estate covers two thousand years
with everything you see being real, and displayed in
a low key and matter-of-fact way. Also the site of a
Roman Fort. Phone
Website . UDS Page . EH51 0PR
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Leith Hall
33 miles northwest of Aberdeen. Built in 1650 for Leith-Hay
family on the site of a medieval Castle. A typical
Scottish laird’s residence brimming with family
treasures, set in 286 acres of scenic estate
containing 6 acres of wonderful garden that overlooks
some of Aberdeenshire’s finest rolling
countryside.
Website . UDS Page . AB54 4NQ
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Manderston
13 miles west of Berwick. Built in 1903 for Baronet
James Miller to impress his wealthy wife. Manderston
is an Edwardian mansion with no expense spared in the
opulent staterooms. The house has the only
silver-staircase in the world. It has a stunning
marble diary, 56 acres of formal gardens, and
impressive stables. Phone
Website . UDS Page . TD11 3PP
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Mount Stuart
On the Isle of
Bute. Built between 1879 and 1900, Mount Stuart
is said to be Britain's most astounding Victorian
gothic mansion. Home to the Stuarts of Bute,
relations of the Royal House of Stuart, with the Isle
of Bute being an ancient stronghold of Scottish
kings.
Website . Large Images .
PA20 9LR
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Paxton House
5 miles west of Berwick. On the banks of the river
Tweed, Paxton House was designed by the Adam brothers
in 1758 for Patrick Home who was trying to attract a
wealthy wife, said to be one of the finest examples
of an 18th century Palladian Country houses in
Britain. Phone Number 01289 386 291. Large Image
Website . UDS Page . TD15 1SZ
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Pollok House
4 miles south of Glasgow centre. Built from 1752 for the
Maxwell's who owned this land since the 1300s. The
Kitchen Restaurant is in the original kitchen of this
country mansion with important art collections. The
house is set in formal gardens and extensive
parkland, in the suburbs of Glasgow.
RS
Page . G43 1AT . Image
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Skaill House
Island of Orkney. Built from 1620 for Bishop George
Graham and his descendants. Skaill House is situated
in the parish of Sandwick, overlooking the sandy Bay
of Skaill, 300 metres from the Neolithic village of
Skara Brae. Large Images
Website . UDS Page . KW16 3LR
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Traquair House
29 miles south of Edinburgh by Peebles. Dating back to 1107, the
house was built as a hunting lodge for the Kings and
Queens of Scotland. The Stuarts of Traquair supported
Mary Queen of Scots and the Jacobite Rising.
RS Page
. EH44 6PW
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The Mansions were built to replace Castles in vast
Estates. Some were built onto the side of Tower
Houses, some built around Tower Houses, and some
built as Castellated Mansions, that looked like
Castles, but had little defense.
At that time, the first World Explorers were
bringing back Exotic Plants and Trees from around the
world. Most Estates had many of these Plants and
Trees grown around the Mansions, making them some of
the most interesting places in the UK to this
day.
The Vast Estates had been awarded to Families or
Clans by Scottish Kings, as far back as the 1100s, as
a reward for that Family's support in Battles. These
Estates were divided into many farms that paid rent,
with the farmers having to fight for the land owners
when called on. The rent from the farms allowed the
building of Grand Castles, and later Mansions, along
with funding a grand life style. By the mid 1900s, a
law had been passed to give farmers the right to buy
their farms. This gave the Estates a large amount of
cash for a short time.
Once the money from the sale of farms had been
used, many Estates found they no longer had enough
income to fund the running of the grand houses, and
their expensive life styles. Most Estates by the late
1900s, had been reduced to only a few hundred acres
around the Mansions or Castles. Many Estates have
since been sold to successful businessmen, or opened
to the public as Museums to help fund the running
costs. Many have been sold, or gifted, to the
National Trust for Scotland.
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