Saltoun Hall is an historic house standing in extensive lands off the B6355, Pencaitland to East Saltoun road, about 1.5 miles from each village, in East Lothian, Scotland. The house is reached by way of an impressive gateway and is situated at grid reference NT461685 .
Saltoun Hall began life, in the 12th century, as a tower or castle [1] and, at that time, was in the hands of the powerful de Morville family. Hugh de Morville was granted lands in the 12th century by King David I at Saltoun and his family were created hereditary High Constables of Scotland. [2] Hugh de Morville was famed for his patronage of religious establishments: he founded Dryburgh Abbey in the old county of Roxburghshire around 1150. [3]
By 1260, Sir William Abernethy owned the lands and castle at Saltoun, and his descendant Sir Lawrence Abernethy was created Lord Saltoun in 1445. The Abernethys were owners at Saltoun for nearly 400 years but in 1643, the estates were bought by Andrew Fletcher, Lord Innerpeffer, to whose family the land still belongs. [2] His grandson Andrew Fletcher of Saltoun (1655–1716) is remembered for his opposition to the Acts of Union 1707. [4]
Over the years, Saltoun Castle was spared trouble and there is only one recorded incident at the castle. In 1548, during Somerset's occupation of Haddington, John Cockburn of Ormiston held the castle for the English commander Grey of Wilton. Cockburn was an 'assured' Scot, one who agreed with the English point of view during the "Rough Wooing" campaign. The castle was quickly retaken in February 1548 by the Earl of Arran, who brought artillery from Edinburgh castle, and hanged 5 of Cockburn's men and took 5 prisoner. [5]
There were many extensions, changes and renewals at the castle but there are no records until the days of the Fletcher family. In 1769, Lord Fletcher added a new wing on the south side of the building. A separate extension was built for the library in 1779. This created an L-shaped house and a 'great stair' was built in the angle. In 1803, architect Robert Burn designed new turrets on the corners giving the 'new' house a castellated appearance. His son, William Burn, completely transformed the building on a large scale in 1817, creating what was described as a 'bleak magnificence'. A large square turret was added. The interior is in the Gothic Revival style, with rib vaulting throughout. A new corridor was built to provide a Gothic gallery and rooms were recast in a Grecian style. The house was sold in the late 1960s and subdivided into apartments. [6] The Fletchers sold the building and some of the estate but the family still live nearby. Today's house owes much to the architectural style of William Burn. The house is said to be haunted by a 'grey lady'. [1]
Saltoun Hall was famed for a formally designed garden in the 19th century. [7] Botanist David McHattie Forbes served as Foreman Forester for the estate from 1883 until his departure for Hawaii in 1887.
The house is a category A listed building [8] and the doocot is listed at category B. [9]
East Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, as well as a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area. The county was also known as Haddingtonshire.
The River Tyne is a river in Scotland. It rises in the Moorfoot Hills in Midlothian near Tynehead to the south of Edinburgh, at the junction of the B6458 and the B6367. It continues approximately 30 miles northeast, and empties into the North Sea near Belhaven.
The former Royal Burgh of Lauder is a town in the Scottish Borders in the historic county of Berwickshire. On the Southern Upland Way, the burgh lies 27 miles (43 km) southeast of Edinburgh, on the western edge of the Lammermuir Hills.
Dryburgh Abbey, near Dryburgh on the banks of the River Tweed in the Scottish Borders, was nominally founded on 10 November (Martinmas) 1150 in an agreement between Hugh de Morville, Constable of Scotland, and the Premonstratensian canons regular from Alnwick Abbey in Northumberland. The arrival of the canons along with their first abbot, Roger, took place on 13 December 1152.
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.
Ormiston is a village in East Lothian, Scotland, near Tranent, Humbie, Pencaitland and Cranston, located on the north bank of the River Tyne at an elevation of about 276 feet (84 m).
John Cockburn of Ormiston, East Lothian, was a Scottish landowner and politician who sat in the Parliament of Scotland from 1702 to 1707 and as a Whig in the British House of Commons for 34 years from 1707 to 1741.
East Saltoun and West Saltoun are separate villages in East Lothian, Scotland, about 5 miles south-west of Haddington and 20 miles east of Edinburgh.
Cockburn is a Scottish surname that originated in the Borders region of the Scottish Lowlands. In the United States most branches of the same family have adopted the simplified spelling 'Coburn'; other branches have altered the name slightly to 'Cogburn'. The French branch of the family uses the spelling 'de Cockborne', with the middle "ck" being pronounced.
Saltoun Parish Church is a church in East Saltoun, East Lothian, Scotland. It is part of the Church of Scotland, and serves the parish of Yester, Bolton and Saltoun, which includes the villages of Gifford, Bolton, East Saltoun and West Saltoun.
Winton Castle is a historic building set in a large estate between Pencaitland and Tranent in East Lothian, Scotland. The castle is situated off the B6355 road approximately 0.5 miles (0.80 km) north of Pencaitland at grid reference NT437694.
John Cockburn, laird of Ormiston, East Lothian, Scotland, was an early supporter of the Scottish Reformation. He was the eldest son of William Cockburn of Ormiston and Janet Somerville. John was usually called "Ormiston." During his lifetime there was also a laird of Ormiston in Teviotdale near Eckford, a member of the rival Hepburn family.
Alexander Crichton of Brunstane,, was a Scottish Protestant laird who advocated the murder of Cardinal David Beaton and supported the plan for the marriage of Mary, Queen of Scots and Prince Edward of England. In contemporary letters and documents Alexander is known by variant spellings of "Brunstane," his territorial designation. The original House of Brunstane was near Penicuik, and another Crichton estate at Gilberstoun near Portobello, Edinburgh later became known as Brunstane.
Before the Act of Union 1707, the barons of the constabulary of Haddington elected commissioners to represent them in the unicameral Parliament of Scotland and in the Convention of Estates. The number of commissioners was increased from two to four in 1690.
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.
Clan Fletcher is a Scottish clan. The clan is officially recognized by the Lord Lyon King of Arms; however, as the clan does not currently have a chief recognized by the Lord Lyon, it is considered an armigerous clan.
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.
Alexander Abernethy, 6th Lord Saltoun was a Scottish landowner and courtier.
Herdmanston House was a castle and later tower house located in the parish of Saltoun, East Lothian in Scotland.