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Buildings

Basic Site Details

Gosford House
East Lothian
A listed
Scotland

Building Type Classification

The building is classified under the following categories:

Class classic

ClassificationOriginal ClassificationNotes
Mansion houseNot Known

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:

event classic

Event TypeFromToNotes
Build/construction17911800cStables built in c. 1790
Design exhibited1800Drawing of west front exhibited at Royal Academy
Build/construction1800bLandscape designer
Destruction/demolition1810cWings demolished.
Plans drawn up1810cRobert Reid drew up scheme for rebuilding. Not extecuted
1821/041821/06Unexecuted proposals for alterations and additions
18861890Reconstruction and new wings
Design exhibited18861895
Design exhibited1895Stairhall as completed
1940cCentral block gutted
1950cNorth wing unroofed
Reconstruction1951South wing rehabilitated.

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.

design classic

PersonPartnership GroupRoleFromToNotes
Robert AdamCArchitect17911800CBuildings of Scotland puts start date at 1790. Also notes stables said to be done by Adam c. 1790
Thomas HarrisonBArchitect17941798Works. In 1793 Lord Wemyss paid a draughtsman 5 guineas for copying \'some of Mr Harrison\'s plans\' and in 1794 he paid Harrison £31 10s for alteration Robert Adam\'s plans for Gosford House which was under construction since 1791.
A TodFArchitect1800Drawing of west front
James RamsayDLandscape architect1800BEmployed as landscape designer
Robert ReidEArchitect1810CDesign for rebuilding
(Sir) Robert Smirke1821Unexecuted proposals for alterations and additions
Henry Denison WaltonA18861890Reconstruction and new wings - as assistant to William Young
William YoungA18861890Reconstruction and new wings

Clients

The following individuals or organisations have commissioned work on this building/design:

client classic

NameNotes
Wemyss, 6th Earl ofSmirke & Billings work
Wemyss, 9th Earl ofYoung work
Wemyss, 7th Earl of
Charteris, Francis, titular Earl of WemyssClient for Robert Adam building

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):

Child classic

NotesName
West lodge is A listed and north lodges B listedGosford House, north and west lodges

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this building:

bio ref classic

AuthorYearTitlePartPublisherNotes
Academy Architecture1895p35
Baker, Sonia2009The Country Houses, Castles and Mansions of East LothianStenlake, Catrinepp 36-7
Colvin, Howard2008A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840London: YUP. 4th editionInformation about Ramsay per Professor A A Tait
Graves, Algernon1905The Royal Academy of Arts: a complete dictionary of exhibitors and their works…1905-6London: Graves and Bell1886, no 1716 (staircase); 1892, no 1790 ('Gosford'); 1895, no 1595 (hall)
McWilliam, Colin1978Lothian (The Buildings of Scotland)pp 222, 224
Richardson, G1802New Vitruvius BritannicusI & IIvolume 1, plates 43-50
Royal Academy1800

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this building:

period ref classic

Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Building News1887/08/12*
Building News1892/09/12*
Trans… of the Edinburgh Architectural Association*v1Edinburgh: Edinburgh Architectural Associationp120-124
Country Life1971/10/21p1050
Country Life1971/11/04

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this building:

arc ref classic

SourceNameCat NumberItem NameNotes
Wemyss Estate, GosfordPlans CollectionRobert Smirke: unexecuted proposals for alterations and additions. (Also many other plans and drawings)
Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register6533Gosford House with Screen Walls and Garden Statuary
RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination PapersHenry Denison Walton: L v21 no1653; William Young: F v10 p75 (microfiche 108/E2)