Basic Site Details

Name: Balbirnie House, including walled garden and stables
Town, district or village: Markinch
City or county: Fife
Country: Scotland
Parish: Markinch
Status: A listed
Grid ref:
Notes: House is A-listed; walled garden and stables are B-listed.

Alternative Names

The following alternative names are associated with this building/design:
 NameCurrent name?Notes
Item 1 of 1Balberney House Idiosyncratic spelling used in some sources.

Building Type Classification

The building is classified under the following categories:
 ClassificationOriginal classification?Notes
Item 1 of 4Country House  
Item 2 of 4Stable  
Item 3 of 4Gardener's Lodge  
Item 4 of 4Walled garden  

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:
 FromToEvent typeNotes
Item 1 of 191777 Plans drawn upScheme prepared by George Paterson
Item 2 of 1918151821AdditionEnlargement of house and new cottages on estate (Newton and Finglassie Cottages).
Item 3 of 191860  Lodge and gates. Historic Scotland gives date as 1853
Item 4 of 191874  Lodge and gates enlarged
Item 5 of 199 July 1878  Drawings dated for alterations to screen walls
Item 6 of 1918891890 Minor additions
Item 7 of 191893  Alterations to stable offices (at this date and various other dates, not specified)
Item 8 of 191896  Proposed additions
Item 9 of 1918 March 1896  Drawings dated - alterations
Item 10 of 191901  Alterations to garden to include parterre and quadrant walls
Item 11 of 191903(?)  Alterations on portico, garden work
Item 12 of 191910  Dairy
Item 13 of 1919121914Alteration/conversionAlterations. Drawings dated December 1913.
Item 14 of 191913  Motor car house
Item 15 of 1927 October 1926  Drawings for sundial and garden alterations
Item 16 of 19July 1930  New bathroom in stable block and in gardener's cottage
Item 17 of 191932  New laundry in basement
Item 18 of 1919471958Alterations and additionsPlans dated for alterations to chauffeur's and gardener's house, and proposed new cloakroom for gardens.
Item 19 of 191951 Alterations and additionsPlans dated for alterations and additions to stables, including new flats.

People

Design and Construction

The following individuals or organisations have carried out design/construction work. Where architects or practices worked together, matching letters appear beside their names in the Partnership Group column.
 NameRolePartnership GroupFromToNotes
Item 1 of 32George PatersonArchitectAc. 1777 Submitted a scheme for rebuilding the house - not executed. John Baxter secured the job.
Item 2 of 32Richard CrichtonArchitect 18151817Enlargement of House.
Item 3 of 32James BarclayArchitect, MasonP18151821Newton and Finglassie Cottages on estate. Also enlarged the house to Crichton's designs.
Item 4 of 32David BryceArchitectB1860 Possibly office court at rear of house?
Item 5 of 32James Campbell WalkerArchitect 1874 Alterations to gates and screen wall
Item 6 of 32David BryceArchitectC1874 Possibly office court at rear of house enlarged?
Item 7 of 32James Ross GillespieArchitectD18891890Minor additions
Item 8 of 32James ScottArchitectD18891890Minor additions - as assistant to James Ross Gillespie (and effectively in charge of design for the practice)
Item 9 of 32James Ross GillespieArchitectE1893 Alterations to stable offices
Item 10 of 32James ScottArchitectE1893 Alterations to stable offices
Item 11 of 32Bertram & SonArchitectural practice 1896 Alterations
Item 12 of 32Thomas Greenshields LeadbetterArchitect 1896 Proposed additions
Item 13 of 32James ScottArchitectG1901 Alterations to garden to include parterre and quadrant walls
Item 14 of 32Gillespie & ScottArchitectural practiceH1903 Alterations on portico, garden work
Item 15 of 32James Ross GillespieArchitectH1903 Alterations on portico, garden work
Item 16 of 32James ScottArchitectH1903 Alterations on portico, garden work
Item 17 of 32Gillespie & ScottArchitectural practiceI1910 Dairy
Item 18 of 32James Ross GillespieArchitectI1910 Dairy
Item 19 of 32James ScottArchitectI1910 Dairy
Item 20 of 32Gillespie & ScottArchitectural practiceJ19121914Alterations (also motor car house 1913)
Item 21 of 32James Ross GillespieArchitectJ19121914Alterations - may not have been involved as he died in 1914
Item 22 of 32James ScottArchitectJ19121914Alterations (also motor car house 1913)
Item 23 of 32(Sir) Robert Stodart LorimerArchitect 1926 Sundial and garden work
Item 24 of 32Gillespie & ScottArchitectural practiceK1930 New bathroom in stable block and in gardener's cottage
Item 25 of 32James ScottArchitectK1930 New bathroom in stable block and in gardener's cottage
Item 26 of 32Gillespie & ScottArchitectural practiceL1932 New laundry in basement
Item 27 of 32James ScottArchitectL1932 New laundry in basement
Item 28 of 32Adam Elliot WatsonArchitectM19471958Alterations to chauffeur's and gardener's house, and proposed new cloakroom for gardens.
Item 29 of 32Andrew David HaxtonArchitectM19471950Alterations to chauffeur's and gardener's house, and proposed new cloakroom for gardens - continued by practice after Haxton's retirement.
Item 30 of 32Haxton & WatsonArchitectural practiceM19471958Alterations to chauffeur's and gardener's house, and proposed new cloakroom for gardens.
Item 31 of 32Adam Elliot WatsonArchitectN1951 Alterations and additions to stables, including new flats.
Item 32 of 32Haxton & WatsonArchitectural practiceN1951 Alterations and additions to stables, including new flats.

Clients

The following individuals or organisations have commissioned work on this building/design:
 NameNotes
Item 1 of 2Balfour, General RobertClient for 1815-19 work
Item 2 of 2Balfour, John of Balbirnie 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this building:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 4Colvin, Howard2008A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840 London: YUP. 4th edition 
Item 2 of 4Gifford, John1988Fife (The Buildings of Scotland)  p235-236
Item 3 of 4Pride, Glen L1990The Kingdom of Fife Edinburgh: Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotlandp77
Item 4 of 4Rowan, Alistair1972Balbirnie House, Fife I and II29 June and 6 July 1972Country Life, 29 June and 6 July 1972 

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this building:
 SourceArchive nameSource catalogue no.Notes
Item 1 of 20Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register16687House.
Item 2 of 20Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register16688Stables (B listed)
Item 3 of 20Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register42964Walled garden (B listed)
Item 4 of 20National Archives of Scotland (formerly SRO)Balfour of Balbirnie Papers Working drawings 1-3 dated 15 February 1860; one drawing for additions dated 13 February 1874
Item 5 of 20National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMSDrawings Collection UC 1376-8(for Lorimer work); Copies of plans of James Campbell Walker's work
Item 6 of 20National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMSHaxton & Watson Collection HW 1950/6/6-7 & 15
Item 7 of 20National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMSLorimer and Matthew Collection LOR B/1
Item 8 of 20National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMSNMRS Photographic Archive Copies of drawings in NMRS FID 202/14--22, 25-28, 29-32, 41-44, 46
Item 9 of 20Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of ScotlandCanmore106943Walled garden.
Item 10 of 20Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of ScotlandCanmore268683Gardener's cottage.
Item 11 of 20Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of ScotlandCanmore106901Stables, north-west range - now Craft Centre, unit 2.
Item 12 of 20Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of ScotlandCanmore268680Stables, north-west range - now Craft Centre, units 3-4.
Item 13 of 20Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of ScotlandCanmore268682Stables, north-west range - now Craft Centre, unit 5.
Item 14 of 20Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of ScotlandCanmore268700Stables, south-east range - now Craft Centre, Motor House.
Item 15 of 20Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of ScotlandCanmore268697Stables, south-east range - now Craft Centre, Motor House.
Item 16 of 20Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of ScotlandCanmore268697Stables, south-east range - now Craft Centre, Motor House.
Item 17 of 20Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of ScotlandCanmore268686Stables, south-east range - now Craft Centre, unit 1.
Item 18 of 20Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of ScotlandCanmore268685Stables, south-east range - now Craft Centre, unit 6.
Item 19 of 20Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of ScotlandCanmore91911House and sundial.
Item 20 of 20St Andrews University LibraryJames Gillespie and Scott Archive Bundles 42, 138, 145, 911, 1063, 1547, 2075, 2083, 2135