Preston Hall, Midlothian
| Preston Hall | |
|---|---|
 Location within Midlothian
|
|
| Location | near Pathhead, Midlothian, Scotland GB grid reference NT394657 |
| Coordinates | 55°52′52″N 2°58′11″W / 55.88117°N 2.96977°WCoordinates: 55°52′52″N 2°58′11″W / 55.88117°N 2.96977°W |
| Area | 165 hectares (410 acres) |
| Built | 1792–1801 |
| Built for | Alexander Callander |
| Architect | Robert Mitchell |
|
Listed Building – Category A
|
|
| Official name: Preston Hall | |
| Designated | 22 January 1971 |
| Reference no. | 775 |
Preston Hall, or Prestonhall, is a late-18th-century mansion in Midlothian, to the south of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) north of Pathhead on the east side of the Tyne Water, opposite Oxenfoord Castle on the west side. The house, together with several estate buildings, are the work of architect Robert Mitchell (fl. 1770–1809), and are protected as Category A listed buildings, the highest level of protection for a historic building in Scotland.
A house was built here in 1700 for Roderick Mackenzie, brother of the Earl of Cromartie, who became a law lord as Lord Prestonhall in 1703. In 1738 the estate was bought by Henrietta, the widow of Alexander Gordon, 2nd Duke of Gordon, and additions were made to the house in 1740 by William Adam. Lady Gordon laid out the extensive parkland around the house before her death in 1760, after which work on the estate was continued by her son Lord Adam Gordon.
In 1789, Preston Hall was purchased by Alexander Callander. Callander had made his fortune in India, and had already purchased the nearby estates of Crichton and Elphinstone. He found the house to be in poor condition, and it was demolished shortly after. Callander hired London-based architect Robert Mitchell to design a replacement house, and the foundation stone was laid on 18 March 1791. Alexander Callander died the following year, and the house was completed by his brother John (later Sir John Callander, Bt.) in 1800.
In 1812 the house passed to John Callander's nephew John Alexander Higgins, who left it to his nephew William Burn-Callander FRSE (1792-1854) in 1828. Alterations made to the house in the early 19th century included the reversal of the front and rear elevations, and further development of the grounds. A porch was added by David Bryce in around 1850. The Callander family continue to own Prestonhall.
...
Wikipedia