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Lords of Dalkeith
On the edge of the town of Dalkeith, seven miles south-east of Edinburgh, lies an extensive country park, part of the old Caledonian Forest. It is watered by two rivers, the North and South Esk, which merge near the northern end of the park and then flow north into the Firth of Forth. The park contains an elegant stable block and coach house of 1748 by William Adam, a splendid bridge over the North Esk designed by his son Robert Adam in 1792, an ornate twelve-sided conservatory of 1832 by William Burn, and perhaps now its most popular feature an excellent children s adventure playground, currently being redeveloped with the addition of a Visitor Centre.
Dominating the park, on a high ridge above the North Esk, stands Dalkeith House, perhaps the grandest of all early classical mansions in Scotland and known throughout much of its history as Dalkeith Palace. It was built in its present form in the first decade of the eighteenth century by James Smith for Anna, Duchess of Buccleuch, and was until the First World War a ducal seat of great magnificence, filled with fine furniture and works of art. All that has gone, and the house though still owned by the Duke of Buccleuch is now a student residence and study centre for the University of Wisconsin; but the house itself, and the earlier castle and palace which stood on this site, have a long and colourful history dating back to at least the twelfth century.
Dominating the park, on a high ridge above the North Esk, stands Dalkeith House, perhaps the grandest of all early classical mansions in Scotland and known throughout much of its history as Dalkeith Palace. It was built in its present form in the first decade of the eighteenth century by James Smith for Anna, Duchess of Buccleuch, and was until the First World War a ducal seat of great magnificence, filled with fine furniture and works of art. All that has gone, and the house though still owned by the Duke of Buccleuch is now a student residence and study centre for the University of Wisconsin; but the house itself, and the earlier castle and palace which stood on this site, have a long and colourful history dating back to at least the twelfth century.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 2014
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June 16, 2021
It was fun to read this book after staying at the Palace in 2012 and 2017, when our friend David Furniss taught in the University of Wisconsin's program there. I hadn't realized its importance in Scottish and English history, nor all the kings and queens who stayed there, including Bonnie Prince Charlie before his ill-fated push toward England. The Duke of Buccleigh is selling the palace, so we'll not get another chance to see it. The architecture and grounds are spectacular, but the furniture and paintings were long gone when we were there.
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