Basic Site Details Name: | Mount Stuart | Town, district or village: | Rothesay (near) | Island: | Bute | City or county: | Bute | Country: | Scotland | Parish: | Kingarth | Status: | | Grid ref: | | Notes: | The house was badly damaged by fire in December 1877. Proposals for reconstruction prepared by Robert Rowand Anderson Plans have been prepared by Mr Anderson, architect, of Edinburgh, for the rebuilding of Mount Stuart House on the Firth of Clyde for the Marquis of Bute, on the former site, leaving the wings as they were before the fire in December, 1877. The new design contemplates a large addition to the main building, which will comprise a magnificent central hall, with suites of rooms on either side. Lord Bute has approved the plans, and tenders are about to be invited for the work. [Building News 24 January 1879 p107]
The destruction by fire, some two years ago, of Lord Bute's mansion of Mount Stuart afforded an opportunity for rebuilding the same. In designing the new house, Mr R Anderson, ARSA, proposes to place upon the same site a pile of buildings 120 feet square. Tlie main entrance, approached through a handsome carriage-porch, is placed at a comer of the block. Immediately within the doorway is an outer lobby, some 22 feet square, from which a short flight of steps leads, through folding doors, to an inner lobby, to the right of which a large arched doorway opens upon the great central hall of the mansion. Measuring 60 feet square from wall to wall, and 33 feet square within the arcade, which is carried round all four sides, this superb hall rises, above the top of the first floor, into a square tower, -with roof of groined vaulting and three pointed windows in each side to give light to the interior. The lower arcade has large pointed arches, the roof of the passage which runs round, between pillars and waU, being formed of groined stonework. Over this vaulting is a corridor looking out upon the hall through a second arcade, whose arched openings, smaller than those of the lower tier, are arranged in pairs. The corridor gives access to the principal bedrooms and other apartments occupying the first floor; itself being reached by a staircase rising from the inner end of the hall. The architectural details are carried out in the Early Decorated style. The architect has resolved to adopt the system of double walls, with a vacant space between. There will accordingly be an outside wall of reddish freestone, and within this, at the distance of a foot, an inner wall of brick, which will carry the beams supporting the floors on projecting stone corbels. [Building News 25 July 1879 page 109]
The gardens were later redesigned by Thomas Mawson. Graeme More writes: Mawson was at work here before 1897. He designed the rockery immediately behind the house, which is largely intact, though replanted several times. He also planned woodland walks and water gardens some of which remain. Gibson made designs for a Via Dolorosa, which was abandoned at an early stage when the Marquis of Bute died in 1900. The paths and the heart-shaped 'Calvary Pond' at the summit were done, but none of the buildings, and Gibson's own drawings were lost.' | Building Type ClassificationThe building is classified under the following categories: | | Classification | Original classification? | Notes | | Country House | | |
EventsThe following date-based events are associated with this building: | | From | To | Event type | Notes | | 1718 | 1722 | Build/construction | | | 1769 | | Plans drawn up | For alterations to house. | | 1780 | 1781 | Alterations and additions | Repairs and alterations including addition of staircase towers flanking the main block (see Watts: 'Views of Seats') | | After 1867 | Before 1897 | | Landscaping work | | 1873 | 1875 | Alteration/conversion | Small room in North wing reconstructed as chapel oratory. Also detailed survey work for restoration. Paintings by Harland & Fisher Dec 1972-August 1873 | | 1876 | | Build/construction | Re-decoration, staircase etc for visit of Prince Leopold - Thomas Nicholls and Campbell Smith responsible. Bute designed drawing room which Burges disliked. | | December 1877 | | Destruction/demolition | Destruction by fire. Main block destroyed leaving McGill's pavilions | | 1879 | 1884 | Reconstruction | From 1879 onwards. Rebuilding for the 3rd Marquess of Bute. New house complete structurally by December 1884. | | c. 1880 | | | Fitting of dining room and 3 principal bedrooms | | 1886 | 1889 | Addition | Decoration (designs of Rowand Anderson?) carried out. Campbell Smith, H W Lonsdale and Thomas Nicholls were craftsmen. See Crook (2013) for detialed account) - chimneypieces, panelling, doorcases and ceilings (some of Anderson's woodwork discarded as not good enough) and the astrologival sitting room in its entirety. | | 1894 | | Completion | Hall floor completed. Porte cochere built. | | 1895 | 1896 | | Tables for Lady Bute's bedroom | | 1896 | | | Furniture for Lord Dumfries's bedroom | | 1897 | | | Marble steps to bowling green. Marble blaustrades in gallery of hall. | | 1897 | 1898 | | Stamped leather for library | | 1898 | 1900 | | Architectural and associated garden work (not fully executed) Stations of the Cross, Cavalry walk and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. | | 1898 | | Completion | Chapel structurally completed | | 1900 | | | Frieze of herons for library | | 1905 | 1906 | | Furniture for Great Bedroom | | Before 1975 | | Restoration | North Wing |
PeopleDesign and ConstructionThe 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. | | Name | Role | Partnership Group | From | To | Notes | | Alexander McGill | | M | 1718 | 1722 | | | James Craig | | U | 1769 | | Design for alterations drawn up. Not executed. | | George Paterson | | F | 1780 | 1781 | Repairs and alterations including addition of staircase towers flanking the main block (see Watts: 'Views of Seats') | | Edward La Trobe Bateman | | | After 1867 | Before 1897 | Landscaping work | | William Burges | | S | 1873 | 1875 | Small room in North wing reconstructed as chapel oratory. Also detailed survey work for restoration. Paintings by Harland & Fisher Dec 1972-August 1873. | | William Burges | | T | 1873 | | Dining room at Mount Stuart - burnt December 1877. Carver Thomas Nicholls and painting Campbell Smith & Co. | | (Sir) Robert Rowand Anderson | | A | 1878 | After 1896 | Rebuilding for 3rd Marquess of Bute; first proposals (1878) were for reconstruction of Alexander McGill house, burnt Dec 1877; alternative proposal for entirely new house at Torr Wood not pursued. Plans for new house on existing site complete by Oct 1879. Porte cochere built. | | George Mackie Watson | | A | 1879 | 1892 | Rebuilding - as apprentice/assistant/chief assistant to Robert Rowand Anderson | | Thomas Rollo Walker Mossman | | A | 1879 | 1887 | Rebuilding - as apprentice/assistant to Robert Rowand Anderson | | William Frame | | | 1880 | | Fitting of dining room and 3 principal bedrooms | | William Frame | | K | 1886 | 1889 | Decoration (designs of Rowand Anderson?) carried out. Campbell Smith, H W Lonsdale and Thomas Nicholls were craftsmen. See Crook (2013) for detialed account) - chimneypieces, panelling, doorcases and ceilings (some of Anderson's woodwork discarded as not good enough) and the astrologival sitting room in its entirety. | | Robert Weir Schultz | | B | 1895 | 1896 | Tables for Lady Bute's bedroom | | Robert Weir Schultz | | C | 1896 | | Furniture for Lord Dumfries's bedroom | | James Forbes Smith | | | c. 1896 | | As assistant to Robert Rowand Anderson - rebuilding for 3rd Marquess of Bute | | Robert Weir Schultz | | D | 1897 | | Marble steps to bowling green | | Robert Weir Schultz | | E | 1897 | 1898 | Stamped leather for library | | Dan Gibson | | H | 1898 | 1899 | Architectural work in association with Mawson's garden work including chapel in the grounds, oratories and cross and other small works of garden architecture - not executed. Stations of the Cross, Cavalry walk and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. | | Mawson & Gibson | | H | 1898 | 1899 | Architectural work in association with Mawson's garden work including chapel in the grounds, oratories and cross and other small works of garden architecture - not executed. (Stations of the Cross, Cavalry walk and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.) | | Thomas Hayton Mawson | | H | 1898 | 1899 | Garden work - not executed. James Pulham & Son, rock garden and cascade specialists also involved. Stations of the Cross, Cavalry walk and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. | | (Sir) Robert Rowand Anderson | | V | 1898 | | Chapel structurally completed | | Robert Weir Schultz | | F | 1900 | | Frieze of herons for library | | Robert Weir Schultz | | G | 1905 | 1906 | Furniture for Great Bedroom | | John Robertson Notman | | H | Before 1975 | | Restoration of North Wing |
ClientsThe following individuals or organisations have commissioned work on this building/design: | | Name | Notes | | Bute, 2nd Earl of | Client for McGill work | | Bute, 3rd Earl of | Client for 1780s work (and for Craig unextecuted plans of 1769). | | Bute, 3rd Marquess of | Client for several pices of work including 1898-9 work by Mawson & Gibson. The Marquis died in 1900 so proposed work must date from before then. |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this building: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Colvin, Howard | 2008 | A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840 | | London: YUP. 4th edition | Information also via A A Tait and John G Dunbar | | Crook, J Mordaunt | 2013 | William Burges and the High Victorian Dream | | Frances Lincoln (New edition) | plate 185 (illus), 195, 273-4 and 276-279 | | Hannah, Rosemary | 2003 | St Sophia's Church, Galston, the vast space of the interior | v46 | Architectural History, v46, 2003, p255-268 | p110-112, 134, 141, 184-5 (plan of old Mount Stuart illustrated), 193-210 | | Mawson, Thomas H | 1927 | The Life and Works of an English Landscape Architect | | | p56 | | McKinstry, Sam | 1991 | Rowand Anderson, the Premier Architect of Scotland | | Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press | pp78-80 | | RIBA | 1975 | RIBA Directory of practices | | | | | Russell, F | 2004 | John, Third Earl of Bute | | | p180-181 | | Stamp, Gavin | 1981 | Robert Weir Schultz, Architect, and his work for the Marquesses of Bute | | London: The Curwen Press / Mount Stuart | p38 | | Taylor, Kristina and Peel, Robert | 1021 | Passion, plants and patronage: 300 years of Bute Family Landscapes | | Artifice Books | p41 | | Walker, F A | 2000 | Argyll and Bute (The Buildings of Scotland) | | | pp609-11 | | Watts, W | 1785 | Views of Seats | | | Plate lxxiii | | Waymark, Janet | 2009 | Thomas Mawson: Life, Gardens and Landscape | | Frances Lincoln Ltd. London | p231, pp87-88 (Illus) |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this building: | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | Late 1916 | CXI | | p84 | | Building News | 24 January 1879 | | | p107 | | Building News | 25 July 1879 | | | p109 | | Scotsman | 29 July 2009 | | | Obituary of Notman |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this building: | | Source | Archive name | Source catalogue no. | Notes | | Edinburgh University Library | Anderson Collection (Plans and drawings) | | | | Historic Environment Scotland | Listed Buildings Register | 12052 | | | Information courtesy of Graeme More who has specialist knowledge of Dan Gibson | Information via website (from Graeme More) | | | | Mount Stuart | Bute Archives | | Letter from Daniel Richmond to Bute 19 June 1873; letter books 1897-1900.
Payments to Mr Craig architect for 'boarding' during the five weeks he spent at Mount Stuart making survey and drawing up plans. | | Mount Stuart | Bute Archives | | Drawings (McGill) | | National Library of Wales | MSS collection | MS 5319/29 | Letter from John Adam to Baron Muir confirms payment to Craig for baording at Mount Stuart. | | National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMS | Watherston Collection | BUD/7/2-3 | Drawing by Craig | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | Thomas Rollo Walker Mossman: L v10 no586 (microfilm reel 32); James Forbes Smith: L v11 no656 (microfilm reel 33); George Mackie Watson: L v21 no1659 |
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