Carronvale House
Encyclopedia
Carronvale House is a category A listed country house in Larbert
, Stirlingshire
, Scotland
. It is a large two-storey house with neo-Georgian
details. Its outer walls date from the 18th century, with two new wings added in the 1820s, and it was extensively remodelled in 1897 by architect Sir John Burnet
.
It is home to the Boys' Brigade
Scottish Headquarters, and is used as a training, conference and activity centre. The house is also utilised by health & local authorities, churches, charities, hospices, schools, other youth organisations and private groups.
gave the lands to James Rutherford for faithful service. In 1476 they belonged to James, Lord Livingston, who had probably bought them. A century later they were sold to John, Lord Thirlestane
. In 1644, they passed to John Burne and in 1725 to Alex Brown. Mr Duncan Robertson of Roehill, Perthshire, bought the estate in 1819.
From this time the name of Carronvale was adopted. Dr Robertson planted trees, laid out a new drive and built a lodge. He also added two wings to the old house and lined the rooms with mahogany
grown on his Jamaican estate. He died in 1824, leaving Carronvale to his eldest son, also Duncan, who had a commission in the Indian Army, where he met his future wife Miss Ogilvie, niece of the then Earl of Airlie
. On the death of Duncan Robertson (the second) in 1856, the estate was sold to John Bell Sherriff. Upon his death in 1896, his son George inherited the estate and made extensive alterations to the house, but preserved the original structure. When George Sherriff died in 1908, one of his sons, Alick, inherited Carronvale.
During the First World War, officers of the 8th Scottish Rifles were billeted in the stables of the estate. During the Second World War the house was used for record storage by the Prudential Insurance Company.
It was sold to the Boys' Brigade in 1945 and it was officially opened for training on 14th June 1947 by Lord Home
, the then Brigade President. It has been in constant use ever since as the National Training Centre for Scotland, with many Officers, Leaders and Boys attending courses and conferences annually. Lord Steel
MSP
opened the Recreation Centre on the 6th May 2000. After the roof was refurbished in 2003 and ensuite facilities added to most of the bedrooms, a service of rededication was held in April 2004.
Larbert
Larbert is a small town in the Falkirk council area of Scotland. The town lies in the Forth Valley above the River Carron which flows from the west. Larbert is 3 miles from the shoreline of the Firth of Forth and 2.5 miles northwest of Falkirk, the main town in the area...
, Stirlingshire
Stirlingshire
Stirlingshire or the County of Stirling is a registration county of Scotland, based around Stirling, the former county town. It borders Perthshire to the north, Clackmannanshire and West Lothian to the east, Lanarkshire to the south, and Dunbartonshire to the south-west.Until 1975 it was a county...
, 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...
. It is a large two-storey house with neo-Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
details. Its outer walls date from the 18th century, with two new wings added in the 1820s, and it was extensively remodelled in 1897 by architect Sir John Burnet
John James Burnet
Sir John James Burnet was a Scottish Edwardian architect who was noted for a number of prominent buildings in Glasgow, Scotland and London, England...
.
It is home to the Boys' Brigade
Boys' Brigade
For the 80s New Wave band from Canada, see Boys Brigade .The Boys' Brigade is an interdenominational Christian youth organisation, conceived by William Alexander Smith to combine drill and fun activities with Christian values...
Scottish Headquarters, and is used as a training, conference and activity centre. The house is also utilised by health & local authorities, churches, charities, hospices, schools, other youth organisations and private groups.
History
The name was originally Broomage or Brumeinche, meaning broom meadow or links. In 1452, King James IIJames II of Scotland
James II reigned as King of Scots from 1437 to his death.He was the son of James I, King of Scots, and Joan Beaufort...
gave the lands to James Rutherford for faithful service. In 1476 they belonged to James, Lord Livingston, who had probably bought them. A century later they were sold to John, Lord Thirlestane
John Maitland, 1st Lord Maitland of Thirlestane
John Maitland, 1st Lord Maitland of Thirlestane, , Knight , was Lord Chancellor of Scotland.He was the second son of Sir Richard Maitland of Thirlestane, Berwickshire, and Lethington, Haddingtonshire, who settled the lands of Thirlestane upon him, and he was sent abroad for his education.Upon John...
. In 1644, they passed to John Burne and in 1725 to Alex Brown. Mr Duncan Robertson of Roehill, Perthshire, bought the estate in 1819.
From this time the name of Carronvale was adopted. Dr Robertson planted trees, laid out a new drive and built a lodge. He also added two wings to the old house and lined the rooms with mahogany
Mahogany
The name mahogany is used when referring to numerous varieties of dark-colored hardwood. It is a native American word originally used for the wood of the species Swietenia mahagoni, known as West Indian or Cuban mahogany....
grown on his Jamaican estate. He died in 1824, leaving Carronvale to his eldest son, also Duncan, who had a commission in the Indian Army, where he met his future wife Miss Ogilvie, niece of the then Earl of Airlie
Earl of Airlie
Earl of Airlie is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created on 2 April 1639 for James Ogilvy, 7th Lord Ogilvy of Airlie, along with the title Lord Ogilvy of Alith and Lintrathen...
. On the death of Duncan Robertson (the second) in 1856, the estate was sold to John Bell Sherriff. Upon his death in 1896, his son George inherited the estate and made extensive alterations to the house, but preserved the original structure. When George Sherriff died in 1908, one of his sons, Alick, inherited Carronvale.
During the First World War, officers of the 8th Scottish Rifles were billeted in the stables of the estate. During the Second World War the house was used for record storage by the Prudential Insurance Company.
It was sold to the Boys' Brigade in 1945 and it was officially opened for training on 14th June 1947 by Lord Home
Charles Douglas-Home, 13th Earl of Home
Charles Cospatrick Archibald Douglas-Home, 13th Earl of Home KT was the father of British Prime Minister, Alec Douglas-Home.Charles was born in 1873, the son of Charles Douglas-Home, 12th Earl of Home...
, the then Brigade President. It has been in constant use ever since as the National Training Centre for Scotland, with many Officers, Leaders and Boys attending courses and conferences annually. Lord Steel
David Steel
David Martin Scott Steel, Baron Steel of Aikwood, KT, KBE, PC is a British Liberal Democrat politician who served as the Leader of the Liberal Party from 1976 until its merger with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the Liberal Democrats...
MSP
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:...
opened the Recreation Centre on the 6th May 2000. After the roof was refurbished in 2003 and ensuite facilities added to most of the bedrooms, a service of rededication was held in April 2004.