Basic Site Details

Name: Yester House
Town, district or village: Gifford
City or county: East Lothian
Country: Scotland
Parish:  
Status:  
Grid ref:
Notes: Original house of 1699-1728 by James Smith and Alexander MacGill, altered in 1729 by William Adam Senior and then, in 1789, by Robert Adam.

Building Type Classification

The building is classified under the following categories:
 ClassificationOriginal classification?Notes
Item 1 of 1Country House  

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:
 FromToEvent typeNotes
Item 1 of 9c. 1700c. 1715Build/construction 
Item 2 of 91730 Alterations and additionsAlterations including new roof and addition of pilasters and attic to centre of north front.
Item 3 of 91753 Build/constructionGates at end of village avenue
Item 4 of 9c. 1758c. 1761Alterations and additionsInterior of great saloon
Item 5 of 917891790Alterations and additionsRemodelling of centre of north front
Item 6 of 91830 Alterations and additionsInterior rearranged. Entrance moved to west end.
Item 7 of 918771878 Repairs and alterations, laundry and dairy.
Item 8 of 91895  Alterations to house and garden
Item 9 of 919791980RepairRepairs and restoration. Restoration of chapel 1991-1996

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 19James SmithArchitect, EngineerGc. 1700c. 1715With Alexander McGill
Item 2 of 19Alexander McGillArchitectHc. 1700c. 1715With James Smith
Item 3 of 19William AdamArchitectD1730 Alterations including new roof and addition of pilasters and attic to centre of north front.
Item 4 of 19John AdamArchitectJ1753 Gates at end of village avenue.
Item 5 of 19John AdamArchitectEc. 1758c. 1761Interior of great saloon. In collaboration with Robert Adam.
Item 6 of 19Robert AdamArchitectEc. 1758c. 1761Interior of great saloon - in collaboration with John Adam. 'Buildings of Scotland' notes that in 1789 Robert Adam adjusted windows at the north end.
Item 7 of 19James AdamArchitectB17891790Remodelling of centre of north front
Item 8 of 19R & J AdamArchitectural practiceB17891790Remodelling of centre of north front
Item 9 of 19Robert AdamArchitectB17891790Remodelling of centre of north front
Item 10 of 19Robert BrownArchitectF1830 Rearrangement of interior. Entrance moved to west end.
Item 11 of 19Alexander ShearerArchitect 1849 Alterations?
Item 12 of 19(Sir) Robert Rowand AndersonArchitect 18771878Repairs and alterations, laundry and dairy.
Item 13 of 19Arthur George Sydney MitchellArchitectA1895 Alterations to house and garden
Item 14 of 19George WilsonArchitectA1895 Alterations to house and garden
Item 15 of 19John MurrayArchitectA1895 Alterations to house and garden
Item 16 of 19Sydney Mitchell & WilsonArchitectural practiceA1895 Alterations to house and garden
Item 17 of 19James Walter Thorburn Simpson C19771980Repairs and restoration. Restoration of chapel 1991-1996
Item 18 of 19Simpson & BrownArchitectural practiceC19771980Repairs and restoration. Restoration of chapel 1991-1996
Item 19 of 19Mandy KetchinArchitectC19791981Repairs and restoration. Restoration of chapel 1991-1996

Clients

The following individuals or organisations have commissioned work on this building/design:
 NameNotes
Item 1 of 7Menotti, GiancarloClient for 1979-81 work
Item 2 of 7Tweeddale, 10th Marquess ofClient for completion of repairs/alterations, 1878, and for 1895 work
Item 3 of 7Tweeddale, 2nd MarquessClient for McGill & Smith work
Item 4 of 7Tweeddale, 4th Marquis ofCleint for William Adam 1730s work and for John Adam work
Item 5 of 7Tweeddale, 7th Marquis ofClient for Robert Adam work
Item 6 of 7Tweeddale, 8th Marquess ofClient for 1830 work
Item 7 of 7Tweeddale, 9th Marquess ofClient for 1877-8 repairs and alterations (died 1878)

Related Buildings, Structures and Designs

Child Structures

This structure or site has the following component or child structures (click on an item to view details):
 Building NameNotes
Item 1 of 2Yester House, keeper's lodge 
Item 2 of 2Yester House, St Bothan's ChapelYESTER HOUSE, ST BOTHAN'S CHAPEL, FORMERLY ST CUTHBERT'S COLLEGIATE CHURCH (Ref:14695)


This building is in the East Lothian Council and the Yester Parish. It is a category A building and was listed on 05/02/1971.

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this building:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 6Adam, William1820Vitruvius Scoticus  Plates 27, 30
Item 2 of 6Allen, Nic (ed.) Scottish Architects in Conservation  p106
Item 3 of 6Colvin, Howard2008A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840 London: YUP. 4th edition 
Item 4 of 6Dunbar, J G1972The Building of Yester House 1670-1878xiiiTransactions of the E Lothian Antiquarian Society 
Item 5 of 6McWilliam, Colin1978Lothian (The Buildings of Scotland)  pp55, 57, 211-5
Item 6 of 6Simpson & Brown2012Simpson & Brown Architects:Thirty-five years in practice 1977-2012   

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this building:
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 5Country Life23 July 1932   
Item 2 of 5Country Life30 July 1932   
Item 3 of 5Country Life9 August 1973   
Item 4 of 5Country Life16 August 1973   
Item 5 of 5Country Life23 August 1973   

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this building:
 SourceArchive nameSource catalogue no.Notes
Item 1 of 4Edinburgh University LibraryAnderson Collection (Plans and drawings)  
Item 2 of 4National Archives of Scotland (formerly SRO)Register House Plans RHP 9715/20 - work by Alexander Shearer
Item 3 of 4National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMSSydney Mitchell & Wilson Collection SMW 1890/15/1
Item 4 of 4RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers John Murray: L v10 no587 (microfilm reel 32)