Archerfield Estate and Links
Encyclopedia
Archerfield and Archerfield Links are a country house (now hotel) and pair of golf courses in the parish of Dirleton
, East Lothian
, Scotland
. An older golf course, also called Archerfield Links, occupied the area before falling into disuse after World War II.
The first recorded occupants of the estate were the bowmen of King Edward I
, after whom the area would later come to be named. They were encamped at Archerfield during the English advance in 1298. The signs of a village believed to date from the 11th century have also been discovered within the estate.
The centrepiece of the estate is Archerfield House, built in the late 17th century (from when the entrance bay and house centre date), once the seat of the Nisbet
family, feudal baron
s and laird
s of Dirleton
. It has Palladian windows, and was substantially rebuilt by architect John Douglas c1745, and added to and altered throughout the 18th century, notably by Scottish architect Robert Adam
who remodelled the interiors in 1790 for William Hamilton Nisbet of Dirleton (1747–1822). It is thought the now vanished park was laid out by Robert Robinson, c1775. William Hamilton Nisbet's daughter Mary was possibly the best known member of the family, having been married to Lord Thomas Bruce, (later Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin
), who was credited at the time with saving the famous Elgin marbles
from the ruins of the Parthenon
, now in the British Museum
, today a subject of controversy. The relationship ended in divorce, by Act of Parliament, in 1808, after she was accused of having an affair. Her father had assumed the additional surname of Hamilton on succeeding to the lands of Biel
through his mother, a grandniece of the 2nd Lord Belhaven, and he moved his seat to Biel House
near Stenton
in East Lothian
.
Archerfield House was subsequently rented out, with one famous tenant being Herbert Asquith, the British Prime Minister. Asquith reportedly entertained Franklin D. Roosevelt
at Archerfield, when the D-Day landings of 1944 were the hot topic. The house later fell into disrepair and, after being demoted to the status of farm building, was eventually abandoned.
The estate was acquired in the 1950s by the Duke of Hamilton
who had also acquired other property in East Lothian including Lennoxlove House
prior to this time.
However, following its sale in 2001, the house was completely renovated and is now an exclusive hotel, the centrepiece of a £55 million golfing development, catering to those wealthy enough to play their golf at the Archerfield Links.
golfing great Ben Sayers
in 1910, and became renowned as a charming, if compact course. Nestled between the world-famous courses of Muirfield and the North Berwick West Links
, Archerfield seemed set to become another of the famous courses dotted around East Lothian. However, the outbreak of World War II signalled the end of tranquil golf at Archerfield as the estate was taken over by the Ministry of Defence
as part of the war effort. The entire estate, including the golf course, was left to become overgrown and all but forgotten by those who had played there. Until construction of the modern golf courses began the land was freely open to the public and used for dog walking, camping and outdoor events.
village and The Fidra heading towards the coast and the island bird sanctuary of Fidra
. Elite female golfer Catriona Matthew
, now a fixture on the US LPGA
tour, and originally from nearby North Berwick
, has become an ambassador for the new development. Membership of the new Links is not cheap, with individual debenture packages requiring an "up-front" fee of £35,000 and a yearly subscription of £1500. Archerfield is owned by Edinburgh-based businessman Kevin Doyle and the entire development has been valued at £55 million. Members are known to include sportsmen Alan Shearer
, Ryan Giggs
and Ian Botham
and former The Commotions
bassist turned Guardian
golf correspondent Lawrence Donegan
.
Dirleton
Dirleton is a village and parish in East Lothian, Scotland approximately east of Edinburgh on the A198. It contains . Dirleton lies between North Berwick , Gullane , Fenton Barns and the Yellowcraigs nature reserve, Archerfield Estate and the Firth of Forth...
, East Lothian
East Lothian
East Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy Area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Midlothian. Its administrative centre is Haddington, although its largest town is Musselburgh....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. An older golf course, also called Archerfield Links, occupied the area before falling into disuse after World War II.
Archerfield
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
, after whom the area would later come to be named. They were encamped at Archerfield during the English advance in 1298. The signs of a village believed to date from the 11th century have also been discovered within the estate.
The centrepiece of the estate is Archerfield House, built in the late 17th century (from when the entrance bay and house centre date), once the seat of the Nisbet
Nisbet
-Places:Canada:*Nisbet Provincial ForestUnited Kingdom:*Nisbet, East Lothian*Nisbet, Roxburghshire*Nisbet, South Lanarkshire*Nisbet House, BerwickshireUnited States:*Nisbet, Pennsylvania-See also:*Nisbeth*Nisbett...
family, feudal baron
Feudal baron
Feudal baron may refer to:*English feudal barony*Scottish feudal barony*Irish feudal barony...
s and laird
Laird
A Laird is a member of the gentry and is a heritable title in Scotland. In the non-peerage table of precedence, a Laird ranks below a Baron and above an Esquire.-Etymology:...
s of Dirleton
Dirleton
Dirleton is a village and parish in East Lothian, Scotland approximately east of Edinburgh on the A198. It contains . Dirleton lies between North Berwick , Gullane , Fenton Barns and the Yellowcraigs nature reserve, Archerfield Estate and the Firth of Forth...
. It has Palladian windows, and was substantially rebuilt by architect John Douglas c1745, and added to and altered throughout the 18th century, notably by Scottish architect Robert Adam
Robert Adam
Robert Adam was a Scottish neoclassical architect, interior designer and furniture designer. He was the son of William Adam , Scotland's foremost architect of the time, and trained under him...
who remodelled the interiors in 1790 for William Hamilton Nisbet of Dirleton (1747–1822). It is thought the now vanished park was laid out by Robert Robinson, c1775. William Hamilton Nisbet's daughter Mary was possibly the best known member of the family, having been married to Lord Thomas Bruce, (later Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin
Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin
Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin and 11th Earl of Kincardine was a Scottish nobleman and diplomat, known for the removal of marble sculptures from the Parthenon in Athens. Elgin was the second son of Charles Bruce, 5th Earl of Elgin and his wife Martha Whyte...
), who was credited at the time with saving the famous Elgin marbles
Elgin Marbles
The Parthenon Marbles, forming a part of the collection known as the Elgin Marbles , are a collection of classical Greek marble sculptures , inscriptions and architectural members that originally were part of the Parthenon and other buildings on the Acropolis of Athens...
from the ruins of the Parthenon
Parthenon
The Parthenon is a temple on the Athenian Acropolis, Greece, dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena, whom the people of Athens considered their virgin patron. Its construction began in 447 BC when the Athenian Empire was at the height of its power. It was completed in 438 BC, although...
, now in the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
, today a subject of controversy. The relationship ended in divorce, by Act of Parliament, in 1808, after she was accused of having an affair. Her father had assumed the additional surname of Hamilton on succeeding to the lands of Biel
Biel, East Lothian
Biel is a village in East Lothian, Scotland, UK, to the south of Dunbar, off the B6370 road. It is situated on the Biel Estate, close to Biel House...
through his mother, a grandniece of the 2nd Lord Belhaven, and he moved his seat to Biel House
Biel House
Biel House is a historic house on the Biel Estate near Stenton, East Lothian, Scotland, UK.-House:The present Biel House dates from the 16th century, is statutorily listed, and is a castellated three storey building. It was formerly owned by the Earls of Belhaven...
near Stenton
Stenton
Stenton is a parish and village in East Lothian, Scotland. It is bounded on the north by parts of the parishes of Prestonkirk and Dunbar, on the east by Spott and on the west by Whittingehame. The name is said to be of Saxon derivation. In earlier times, when names were often written phonetically,...
in East Lothian
East Lothian
East Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy Area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Midlothian. Its administrative centre is Haddington, although its largest town is Musselburgh....
.
Archerfield House was subsequently rented out, with one famous tenant being Herbert Asquith, the British Prime Minister. Asquith reportedly entertained Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
at Archerfield, when the D-Day landings of 1944 were the hot topic. The house later fell into disrepair and, after being demoted to the status of farm building, was eventually abandoned.
The estate was acquired in the 1950s by the Duke of Hamilton
Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 14th Duke of Hamilton
Air Commodore Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 14th Duke of Hamilton and 11th Duke of Brandon, KT, GCVO, AFC, PC, DL, FRCSE, FRGS, was a Scottish nobleman and pioneering aviator....
who had also acquired other property in East Lothian including Lennoxlove House
Lennoxlove House
Lennoxlove House is a historic house set in woodlands half a mile south of Haddington in East Lothian, Scotland. The house comprises a 15th-century tower, originally known as Lethington, and has been extended several times, principally in the 17th, 19th and 20th centuries...
prior to this time.
However, following its sale in 2001, the house was completely renovated and is now an exclusive hotel, the centrepiece of a £55 million golfing development, catering to those wealthy enough to play their golf at the Archerfield Links.
The original Archerfield Links
While "coarse golf" is thought to have been played in this area since as far back as the 16th century, the first recognisable course at Archerfield was laid out for the enjoyment of the estate staff in the mid-19th century. The course was extended from the original 13 to a full 18 holes by North BerwickNorth Berwick
The Royal Burgh of North Berwick is a seaside town in East Lothian, Scotland. It is situated on the south shore of the Firth of Forth, approximately 25 miles east of Edinburgh. North Berwick became a fashionable holiday resort in the 19th century because of its two sandy bays, the East Bay and the...
golfing great Ben Sayers
Ben Sayers
Bernard "Ben" Sayers was one of the most successful early professional golfers...
in 1910, and became renowned as a charming, if compact course. Nestled between the world-famous courses of Muirfield and the North Berwick West Links
North Berwick West Links
One of two golf courses within North Berwick, the West Links is by far the more renowned. It regularly holds various championships and is used as a qualifying venue when The Open Championship is held at Muirfield...
, Archerfield seemed set to become another of the famous courses dotted around East Lothian. However, the outbreak of World War II signalled the end of tranquil golf at Archerfield as the estate was taken over by the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
as part of the war effort. The entire estate, including the golf course, was left to become overgrown and all but forgotten by those who had played there. Until construction of the modern golf courses began the land was freely open to the public and used for dog walking, camping and outdoor events.
The modern Archerfield Links
Archerfield Links is now a collective term for two new courses - The Dirleton and The Fidra - that have been created as part of the transformation of the estate into a luxury resort. Both courses were designed by golf architect David J. Russel, with The Dirleton winding inland towards DirletonDirleton
Dirleton is a village and parish in East Lothian, Scotland approximately east of Edinburgh on the A198. It contains . Dirleton lies between North Berwick , Gullane , Fenton Barns and the Yellowcraigs nature reserve, Archerfield Estate and the Firth of Forth...
village and The Fidra heading towards the coast and the island bird sanctuary of Fidra
Fidra
Fidra is an uninhabited island in the Firth of Forth, north-west of North Berwick, on the east coast of Scotland.-Geography:...
. Elite female golfer Catriona Matthew
Catriona Matthew
Catriona Isobel Matthew MBE is a Scottish professional golfer who plays mainly on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour and is also a member of the Ladies European Tour.-Amateur career:...
, now a fixture on the US LPGA
LPGA
The LPGA, in full the Ladies Professional Golf Association, is an American organization for female professional golfers. The organization, whose headquarters is in Daytona Beach, Florida, is best known for running the LPGA Tour, a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from...
tour, and originally from nearby North Berwick
North Berwick
The Royal Burgh of North Berwick is a seaside town in East Lothian, Scotland. It is situated on the south shore of the Firth of Forth, approximately 25 miles east of Edinburgh. North Berwick became a fashionable holiday resort in the 19th century because of its two sandy bays, the East Bay and the...
, has become an ambassador for the new development. Membership of the new Links is not cheap, with individual debenture packages requiring an "up-front" fee of £35,000 and a yearly subscription of £1500. Archerfield is owned by Edinburgh-based businessman Kevin Doyle and the entire development has been valued at £55 million. Members are known to include sportsmen Alan Shearer
Alan Shearer
Alan Shearer OBE, DL is a retired English footballer. He played as a striker in the top level of English league football for Southampton, Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United and for the England national team...
, Ryan Giggs
Ryan Giggs
Ryan Joseph Giggs OBE is a Welsh professional footballer who plays for Manchester United. Giggs made his first appearance for the club during the 1990–91 season and has been a regular player since the 1991–92 season...
and Ian Botham
Ian Botham
Sir Ian Terence Botham OBE is a former England Test cricketer and Test team captain, and current cricket commentator. He was a genuine all-rounder with 14 centuries and 383 wickets in Test cricket, and remains well-known by his nickname "Beefy"...
and former The Commotions
Lloyd Cole and the Commotions
Lloyd Cole and the Commotions were a British pop band that formed in Glasgow, Scotland in 1982. Between 1984 and 1989, the band scored four Top 20 albums and five Top 40 singles in the UK...
bassist turned Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
golf correspondent Lawrence Donegan
Lawrence Donegan
Lawrence Donegan , is a musician and journalist, currently Golf Correspondent at The Guardian.Donegan was educated at St Modan's High School and the University of Glasgow, where his musical career began. He was the bassist in The Bluebells, whose biggest hit was "Young at Heart," and Lloyd Cole and...
.
External links
- Archerfield House at the Gazetteer for Scotland