Illieston House

Last updated

Illieston House
2017-08-26 09-09 Schottland 008 Broxton, Illieston Castle (37545123452).jpg
Illieston House (2017)
Coordinates 55°54′52″N3°26′24″W / 55.914527°N 3.439944°W / 55.914527; -3.439944
OS grid reference NT 10086 69981
Builtc. 1600
Restoredc. 1856
Restored by William Burn
Listed Building – Category B
Official nameIllieston House (Elliston)
Designated22 February 1971
Reference no. LB7436
West Lothian UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location of Illieston House in West Lothian
View of the castle and its grounds in 2017. 2017-08-26 09-09 Schottland 151 Broxburn, Illieston Castle (37361658880).jpg
View of the castle and its grounds in 2017.

Illieston House, also known as Illieston Castle, is a castle located in West Lothian, Scotland, by the River Almond near Broxburn. [1] It was built around 1600 and features a T-plan design with gabled dormers and a staircase tower. Over its history, it underwent modifications and restorations, including additions such as a new kitchen wing and modern interior amenities. It has changed ownership several times and it was renovated in 1856 by architect William Burn and underwent modernization in the 21st century. Listed as a Category B building in 1971, it attracted media attention for its sale in 2018.

Contents

Description

The castle was originally a T-plan design, 2 storeys tall, with an attic, slated roof, and an additional kitchen wing which has since been demolished. It has gabled dormers, and a staircase tower on the south side that runs the full height of the main building. [1] There is an additional corbelled out stair-turret from the 2nd storey leading to a watch-chamber at the top of the main staircase tower. [2]

The modern interior includes four bedrooms and three reception rooms over three levels, plus a 2.8-by-2.65-metre (9 ft 2 in by 8 ft 8 in) room within the turret. A new kitchen wing includes a separate laundry room and small lobby, beside a walled garden. The castle also has a biomass boiler. [3]

History

Origins to 18th century

The Stewart kings James II and James IV are said to have had a hunting lodge at Illieston. [2] [4] The castle was built on the slopes of the River Almond some time around 1600. [1] It was acquired by John Ellis in 1663 or 1664, who added a gateway inscribed with his initials in 1665. [1] [5] [6] The name Illieston may be a variation on the name Elliston. [5]

The 17th-century lawyer John Lauder of Fountainhall described the house in 1668, referring to it as "Hyliston". He mentions that the Hamilton family were the previous owners. They had been Catholics and had a chamber for a priest. The house was strongly built, with a kitchen on the ground floor and a hall on the first floor hung with tapestry. Lauder heard that James VI of Scotland had advanced 20,000 merks towards the cost of building the house, as it suited his hunting on nearby Drumshorling moor. Some of the window shutters had the carved dates 1613 or 1614. [7]

John Ellis had obtained his first charter of Illieston during the years of the British Interregnum, so the Hamilton family were able to claim the property back under the Scottish feudal laws of non-entry, which allowed a landlord to take possession of land if the tenant died without an heir or if the heir failed to claim their right to the land within a certain time frame. According to John Lauder, John Ellis's son-in-law, the lawyer and author James Anderson, helped the Hamiltons regain the property for "filthy lucre" after the Ellis heir died in 1686. [8] The castle passed back to the Hamilton family in 1693, and to James Hope-Johnstone, 3rd Earl of Hopetoun in 1765. [1]

In July 1697 the wife of Lumsden of Innergellie, along with a few others, was reported to have broken into the house, breaking windows and doors, and turning loose cattle to cause further damage. She was put on trial in August that year but did not appear. Two of her accomplices were ordered to pay a hundred pounds Scots as damages, and that she "be confined (if caught) until that sum was paid". [9]

19th to 21st century

Illieston House fell into disrepair but was restored by architect William Burn around 1856. [5] [10]

In 1950 it was bought by the Brownlee family to use as a private residence, and as of 2017 they still farmed the surrounding land. [11] It became a Category B listed building in 1971, which provided it with statutory protection. [1] The building was bought by Nicholas Schellenber in 2007, who modernised the property. [12] Schellenber also experimented with solar panels. [13] Part of it was rented out on Airbnb and then listed for sale by 2018, which attracted some media attention as one of the most expensive West Lothian properties in recent years. [3] [11] [14] [15] [16] [17] It sold for £890,000 in 2019 (equivalent to £939,923in 2021) including approximately 20 acres (8.1 ha) of land and separate bothy. [18]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pencaitland</span> Village in East Lothian, Scotland

Pencaitland is a village in East Lothian, Scotland, about 12 miles south-east of Edinburgh, 5 mi (8 km) south-west of Haddington, and 1 mi (2 km) east of Ormiston.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Almond, Lothian</span> River in Scotland

The River Almond is a river in Lothian, Scotland. It is approximately 28 miles (45 km) long, rising at Hirst Hill in Lanarkshire near Shotts, running through West Lothian and draining into the Firth of Forth at Cramond, Edinburgh. The name Almond/Amon is simply old Celtic for "river".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elcho Castle</span> Castle in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, UK

Elcho Castle is located close to the south bank of the River Tay approximately four miles south-east of Perth, Scotland, in the region of Perth and Kinross. It was maintained by Clan Wemyss from its construction around 1560 until it was put into the care of the Secretary of State for Scotland in the early 20th century, though was not occupied for the entire time. In around 1830 it was re-roofed and a nearby cottage constructed. The castle has been a scheduled monument since 1920 on the grounds of being "a particularly fine example of a Medieval tower-house", and the cottage became a listed building in 1971 in recognition of its national importance. The castle is unusual in that it has both en suite guest accommodation like a mansion, but also a large number of gun loops.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Preston Tower, East Lothian</span> Ruined keep in East Lothian, Scotland

Preston Tower is a ruined L-plan keep in the ancient Scottish village of Prestonpans. It is situated within a few metres of two other historic houses, Hamilton House and Northfield House.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stenton</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Stenton is a parish and village in East Lothian, Scotland. It is bounded on the north by parts of the parishes of Prestonkirk and Dunbar, on the east by Spott and on the west by Whittingehame. The name is said to be of Saxon derivation. The village has a number of houses, a school, and a church.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whittingehame Tower</span> Building in East Linton, Scotland

Whittingehame Tower, or Whittingehame Castle, is a fifteenth-century tower house about 2.5 miles (4.0 km) south of East Linton, on the west bank of Whittinghame Water in East Lothian, Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waughton Castle</span>

Waughton Castle is a ruined castle, dating from the fourteenth century, about 3 miles (4.8 km) north of East Linton, and 2 miles (3.2 km) west of Whitekirk in East Lothian, Scotland. It is a scheduled monument.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stoneypath Tower</span> Building in East Lothian, Scotland

Stoneypath Tower, is an L-plan tower house dating from the late sixteenth century, about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) south of East Linton, and east of the Whittinghame Water in East Lothian, Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sundrum Castle</span> Scottish castle in South Ayrshire

Sundrum Castle is a Scottish medieval castle located 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) north of Coylton, South Ayrshire, by the Water of Coyle river. It was built in the 14th century for Sir Duncan Wallace, Sheriff of Ayr. The castle was inherited by Sir Alan de Cathcart, who was the son of Duncan's sister. The Cathcarts sold Sundrum in the 18th century, where it eventually fell into the possession of the Hamilton family. The Hamiltons expanded the castle in the 1790s, incorporating the original keep into a mansion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brunstane Castle</span>

Brunstane Castle is a ruined tower house, dating from the 16th century, around 2 miles (3.2 km) south-west of Penicuik, on the north bank of the North Esk, in Midlothian, Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cairns Castle</span> Ruined keep in West Lothian, Scotland, UK

Cairns Castle is a ruined keep, dating from the 15th century. It is located on the northern slope of the Pentland Hills, around 6.5 miles (10.5 km) south west of Balerno, at the south west end of Harperrig Reservoir, in West Lothian, Scotland.

Old Woodhouselee Castle was a 16th-century tower house, about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north east of Penicuik, Midlothian, Scotland, south of the river North Esk near a dismantled railway track.

Abercorn Castle was a 12th-century castle near Abercorn in West Lothian, Scotland.

Carfrae Bastle is a small ruined tower house about 5 miles (8.0 km) north of Lauder, Scottish Borders, Scotland, near Hillhouse

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyle Castle</span>

The ruins of the large courtyard style Kyle Castle, once also known as Cavil Castle or occasionally Dalblair Castle lie close to the hamlet of Dalblair in Auchinleck parish near Muirkirk in the East Ayrshire council area, Scotland. The castle stands at the confluence of the Guelt Water and the Glenmuir Water on a peninsula carved out by these rivers. Its name suggests that it was once of some significance.

Ormiston Castle is a ruined 16th-century tower house, about 4 miles (6.4 km) east of Dalkeith, East Lothian, Scotland, and north of Ormiston Mains.

Tower of Lethendy is a 17th-century L-plan tower house, about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) south west of Blairgowrie, Perth and Kinross, Scotland, and about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) east of Kirkton of Lethendy.

Quarrelwood Castle was a castle located about 2.5 miles (4.0 km) north and west of Elgin, Moray, Scotland, near Spynie, Moray in Scotland.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Illieston Castle". Historic Environment Scotland. LB7436. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  2. 1 2 Coventry, Martin (1997). The Castles of Scotland (2nd ed.). Edinburgh: Goblinshead. p. 209. ISBN   978-1-899874-10-1.
  3. 1 2 "ILLIESTON CASTLE" (PDF). Savills . Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  4. ↑ "Country Houses in West Lothian" (PDF). West Lothian Council. 2022. pp. 38–41. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 "Illieston Castle | Canmore". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. 50364. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  6. ↑ Sweet, Andy. "Illieston Castle | Castle in Kirkliston, West Lothian". Stravaiging around Scotland. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  7. ↑ Crawford, Donald, ed. (1900). Journals of Sir John Lauder, Lord Fountainhall, with his observations on public affairs and other memoranda (1665–1676). Vol. 36. Edinburgh: Scottish History Society. p. 194 – via National Library of Scotland.
  8. ↑ Lauder, John, Historical Notices of Scotish Affairs, vol. 1 (Edinburgh, 1848), p. xxvii, and vol. 2, p. 520.
  9. ↑ Chambers, Robert (1861). Domestic annals of Scotland: from the revolution to the rebellion of 1745. Edinburgh: W. & R. Chambers. pp. 158–159.
  10. ↑ "Illieston Castle". www.scottish-places.info. The Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  11. 1 2 Smith, Kenny (5 November 2018). "A stunning Scottish castle in a lovely rural location". Scottish Field.
  12. ↑ Bennett, Gabriella (10 November 2017). "A fine castle near Edinburgh". The Times.
  13. ↑ Gerard, Andrew (2 January 2010). "Hot Property; Home Heated by Bus-sized Device". Scottish Daily Record & Sunday. Retrieved 9 March 2024– via The Free Library.
  14. ↑ "The Scottish castle looking for a new king or queen". Scottish Field. 22 January 2018.
  15. ↑ Avis-Riordan, Katie (4 February 2018). "This 15th-century Scottish castle for sale has a very royal history". House Beautiful.
  16. ↑ "Illieston Castle goes on sale for nearly £1m | Express Digest". 6 November 2017.
  17. ↑ "Castle on grounds used by Stuart Kings for hunting on sale for £1m". Deadline News. 6 November 2017. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  18. ↑ Galloway, Claire (February 19, 2020). "Castle used by Scottish kings was West Lothian's priciest 2019 home". Edinburgh Live. Retrieved 4 March 2024.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.