Basic Biographical Details Name: | John Baxter | Designation: | | Born: | | Died: | 14 July 1798 | Bio Notes: | John Baxter was the son of John Baxter, architect, who had died about 1770. In 1761 his father sent John and his brother Alexander to Italy to study architecture. In Rome the younger John Baxter was reputed to have become a respected figure in the group of foreign artists there. He entered one if not more architectural competitions and in March 1766 he was made an honorary member of the Academy of St Luke. Like his father Baxter was a protégé of Sir John Clerk and became acquainted in Rome, just near the end of his stay, with Alexander Runciman, another Clerk protégé, who went on to decorate ‘Ossian’s Hall’ at Penicuik on his return to Scotland. In the Vatican there is a painting of the two Baxter brothers with Runciman and another artist, possibly Fuseli, which must date from 1767.
While he was in Rome, Baxter had some chimney-pieces made to his designs by Italian sculptors. They may have been destined for Penicuik but they were damaged in the carriage to Scotland.
Once he had returned to Scotland he almost immediately took over the family business. Like his father he was both architect and contractor. His Roman experience almost certainly taught him a more sophisticated drawing and design style. However unlike his contemporary Robert Adam he did not have flair and drive and was not particularly innovative. His designs for two spires, at Peterhead townhouse and at Bellie Church are derived from a type developed by James Gibbs and his Merchants’ Hall in Edinburgh owes much to Robert Adam.
Baxter had a range of clients and his work took him widely over Scotland. He worked for the Duke of Gordon and in the 1780s was involved in a dispute with the Duke. He dabbled in a small piece of private speculation. He feued an area of ground at Greenside at the top of Leith Walk. He seems to have erected a row of houses there. In 1785 these were advertised for sale or for let. One had been taken by Mrs Pringle, perhaps soon after it was completed and another was occupied by Baxter himself. The former was presumably let or sold but Baxter retained the other one for his own occupation until his death. However Baxter was not successful in disposing of the whole area. After Baxter's death his son sold the remaining ground to Robert Haldane in 1800. The latter intended to build houses on it. In 1801 another advertisement appeared in the 'Caledonian Mercury' in which the northern most house was advertised for sale or let again. After Mrs Pringle, Lord McLeod rented it followed by Peter Murray, advocate, and David Johnston of Lathrisk.
The catalogue of the sale of Baxter’s drawings and other works of art after he died is revealing. The sale included a large collection of prints, ‘Old Master’ drawings, paintings by Alexander and John Runciman and a number of busts, basso relieves, antique plaster casts and so on. There were numerous drawings by Baxter himself including a set of plans for a ‘sepulchral chapel’ made in Rome, probably for the ‘concorso’ of the Academy at Parma in 1764.
Baxter died at his house Greenside Well on 14 July 1798. After John Baxter senior’s death, Mayshade House, Loanhead seems to have been occupied by Alexander Baxter, the younger son of Baxter senior. He tried to let the house out in 1790. It is not clear if this was successful but his sister-in-law, John Baxter's widow, died there in 1813. Jean Baxter, the youngest daughter of John Baxter (died 1798) and his wife Janet, died there in 1862. Baxter's son John worked for the East India Company.
| Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | Princes Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private/business | c. 1773 | c. 1776 | | | Greenside Well, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private/business(?) | c. 1784 | | | | Mayshade House, Loanhead, Midlothian, Scotland | Private | c. 1784 | | |
Buildings and DesignsThis was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details): | | Date started | Building name | Town, district or village | Island | City or county | Country | Notes | | c. 1740 | Haddo House Estate, coach house and stable block | | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | | | c. 1764 | Design for a sepulchral chapel | | | | | | | 1769 | Gordon Castle | Fochabers | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | After 1769 | Gordon Castle estate, farm buildings | Fochabers | | Morayshire | Scotland | Farm buildings | | Before 1769 | Hallhead House or Castle | | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Repairs or alterations, probably in connection with its use as a farmhouse. | | c. 1769 | Mortonhall House and stables | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | 'Plans and elevations of the house of Mortonhall' | | c. 1770 | Penicuik House | Penicuik | | Midlothian | Scotland | Minor alterations, including remodelling of three central windows to rear elevation | | 1771 | Callander Church | Callander | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1771 | St Patrick's RC Church | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1772 | Gordonstoun, house and lodge | | | Morayshire | Scotland | Alterations, mainly internal. | | 1772 | Salmon Fishing complex, dwelling house | Tugnet | | Morayshire | Scotland | Probably John Baxter | | 1774 | Dalnacardoch Inn | Blair Atholl | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1774 | Gartchonzie Bridge over River Teith | Callander | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1774 | Kenmore Bridge Over River Tay | Kenmore | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1775 | Church | Forres | | Morayshire | Scotland | Plan for new church - perhaps not executed? | | 1775 | Fochabers New Town | Fochabers | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | 1777 | Cullen House and estate buildings | Cullen | | Banffshire | Scotland | Internal alterations including large bow window on south front for 4th Earl's drawing room | | 1778 | Country House | | | | Scotland | Designs for addition of portico and wings | | 1779 | Gartmore House | | | Perthshire | Scotland | Alterations | | 1780 | Eglinton Castle, house and stables | | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Castellated gateway | | 1780 | House, Greenside Well | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Built as personal speculation | | 1781 | Ellon Castle (Old) and gaden features | Ellon | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Alterations to old house of Ardgirth - now largely demolished | | 1785 | Scheme of development at foot of Leith Walk | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1785 | Tron Church | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations for road widening in connection with the South Bridge and Hunter Square. Shortening of church by one bay to east and west and reduction of the south aisle to a slight pedimented projectionwith detail carefully matching original. | | 1787 | Dunphail House | | | Morayshire | Scotland | Designs drawn up - not executed | | 1788 | Manse | Fochabers | | Morayshire | Scotland | Buildings of Scotland attribution and date | | 1788 | Merchant Company Hall | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1788 | Peterhead Town House | Peterhead | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | | | 1788 | Royal Bank of Scotland | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1790 | Fearn Abbey Church, Monument to Admiral Sir John Lockhart Ross | Fearn | | Ross and Cromarty | Scotland | | | 1790 | Town House | Fochabers | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | 1791 | Duns Castle | Duns | | Berwickshire | Scotland | Gothic gateway | | 1791 | Gordon Castle | Fochabers | | Morayshire | Scotland | Castellated west lodge. Stables and coachhouse. | | 1791 | Picardy Village | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Drew up three sets of plans for new development, presumably the area at the top of Leith Walk | | 1792 | Avontoun Mansion and West Lodge | Linlithgow | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1792 | Duns Castle | Duns | | Berwickshire | Scotland | Stables | | 1794 | Duns Castle | Duns | | Berwickshire | Scotland | Proposed alterations to house | | 1794 | Inveresk Churchyard, Monument to Sir Archibald Hope | Inveresk, Musselburgh | | Midlothian | Scotland | | | 1795 | Bellie Kirk | Fochabers | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | 1796 | Music Hall and Assembly Rooms | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Plaster roses added for chandeliers in ballroom. | | 1797 | Balmuto Castle | Burntisland | | Fie | Scotland | Additions (demolished 1962) | | 1798 | Glenfiddich Lodge | | | Banffshire | Scotland | Alterations | | 1800 | Buildings, 1-8 Baxter's Place and Greenside Lane | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Colvin states that it was John Baxter the builder who died in 1837 who designed and built these houses. However we know that the more important Baxter family owned land at Greenside Well around the corner so it seems very likely that they were initially responsible for the houses - and perhaps completed by the other John Baxter? |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Colvin, H M | 1995 | A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840 | 3rd edition | New Haven and London: Yale University Press | | | Institution of Civil Engineers | 2002 | Biographical Dictionary of Civil Engineers | | V.1 and 2 | | | Simpson, Ann M | 1971 | The Architectural Work of the Baxter Family in Scotland 1722-98 | | Edinburgh University, unpubished dissertation. | | | Stillman, D | 1973 | British Architects and Italian Architectural Competitions, 1750-1780 | xxxvi | Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians | | | Williamson | 1773 | Williamson's Directory for the City of Edinburgh, 1773-1774 | | | | | Williamson | 1774 | Williamson's Directory for the City of Edinburgh, 1774-1775 | | | | | Williamson | 1775 | Williamson's Directory for the City of Edinburgh, 1775-1776 | | | | | Williamson | 1784 | Williamson's Directory for the City of Edinburgh | | | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Caledonian Horticultural Society Minutes | 31 July 1886 | | | | | Caledonian Mercury | 21 October 1790 | | | | | Caledonian Mercury | 19 July 1798 | | | Death notice | | Caledonian Mercury | 9 April 1801 | | | | | Caledonian Mercury | 23 August 1813 | | | | | Caledonian Mercury | 5 February 1885 | | | | | Caledonian Mercury | 19 February 1885 | | | | | Dundee Courier | 25 October 1862 | | | | | Scottish Georgian Society Bulletin | 1973 | ii | | Article by Ann and James Simpson 'John Baxter, Architect, and the Patronage of the Fourth Duke of Gordon'. | | The Book of the Old Edinburgh Club | | XXV | | pp29-30 |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | Edinburgh City Archives | Edinburgh Dean of Guild | 1800/12* | WARRANT GRANTED: 24 June 1800 [no warrant]. PETITION LODGED: 21 May 1800. | | Edinburgh City Libraries (Cowan Bequest) | Baxter sale catalogue | | | | National Library of Scotland | Manuscript Collection | Bound volumes no 51 | Gordon Cumming Papers |
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