Basic Biographical Details

Name:	John Baxter
Designation:
Born:
Died:	c. 1770
Bio Notes:	John Baxter was born about 1700-1710, probably in Edinburgh. He was a successful and highly esteemed master mason. An important patron was Sir John Clerk of Penicuik and through his influence Baxter built a number of large country houses in Scotland in the 1730s and 1740s. He was a fine draughtsman and he understood the plain Palladian style which was preferred by Sir John Clerk. Mavisbank House was his earliest recorded contract which he began in 1723 ‘according to a design concocted between me [Clerk] and Mr [William] Adams’. Haddo House followed in 1732-5 again designed by William Adam and under Clerk’s direction and built by Baxter. A series of significant commissions followed in Renfrewshire, Wigtownshire and the Lothians. By 1769 Baxter was in poor health and had more or less retired. His son, also John Baxter, wrote that his father ‘has given up business to me, ever since my return from Italy’. The date of his death is not certain but it must have been about 1770.

Buildings and Designs

This 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
	1723	Mavisbank House			Edinburgh	Scotland
	1732	Haddo House	Haddo/Methlick		Aberdeenshire	Scotland
	1737	Lochnell Castle	Benderloch (near)		Argyll	Scotland	May have been responsible for new house built to SE of earlier block
	1738	Hawkhead Park			Renfrewshire	Scotland
	1740	Galloway House			Wigtownshire	Scotland	Based work on designs by Douglas.
	1745	Ormiston Hall	Ormiston		East Lothian	Scotland
	1753	Mayshade House			Midlothian	Scotland
	1756	Amisfield			East Lothian	Scotland	Employed to build the house to designs by Isaac Ware.
	1761	Penicuik House	Penicuik		Midlothian	Scotland	Employed by Sir James Clerk as executant architect and builder
	Before 177	Glasserton House			Wigtownshire	Scotland	Rebuilding

The following books contain references to this :
	Author(s)	Date	Title	Part	Publisher	Notes
	Close, Rob and Riches, Anne	2012	The Buildings of Scotland: Ayrshire & Arran		New Haven and London: Yale University Press	p756
	Colvin, Howard	2008	A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840		London: YUP. 4th edition