Craigiehall
Encyclopedia
Craigiehall is a late-17th-century country house, which now serves as the Headquarters of the 2nd Division of the British Army
. It is located close to Cramond
, around 9 km (5.6 mi) west of central Edinburgh
, Scotland
.
Craigiehall was designed by Sir William Bruce
, with input from James Smith
, and completed in 1699 for the Earl of Annandale, who had recently acquired the Craigie estate through marriage. It is a good surviving example of one of Bruce's smaller houses, and set a pattern for such villas in the Edinburgh area for the 18th century.
It was later the home of Charles Hope-Weir
, who made several improvements to the estate policies. Craigiehall was extended several times, before being sold to the Earl of Rosebery
, who leased out the property. It was briefly a hotel and country club, before being requisitioned by the Army at the outbreak of the Second World War. Craigiehall continues to be used as the Army's Scottish Headquarters. The house has been protected as a category A listed building since 1971, as a substantial 17th-century classical house, worked on by several notable architects.
(1124–1153). In 1387 the estate passed by marriage to John Stewart, son of Sir Robert Stewart of Durisdeer. The Stewarts sold the estate, which by this time had a tower house
, in 1643 to John Fairholm, treasurer to the City of Edinburgh. In 1682 John Fairholm's granddaughter Sophia, aged only 14, married William Johnstone, 2nd Earl of Annandale
, and Craigiehall changed ownership again. Only two built features on the estate date from before this time; the 17th century east sundial, and the ruined doocot
, or pigeon house, dated 1672. The east sundial is one of only 25 obelisk-type sundials
in Scotland, and was re-erected to the east of the house in 1965, after being found in a field to the south of the house.
The couple set about planning a new house to replace the aging tower house, and in 1694 the Earl contacted Sir William Bruce, who promised to design "a convenient little house, gardings and courts". The property was surveyed by John Adair, and the old tower house was taken down. The survey took the place of a site visit by Bruce, who was at this time under virtual house arrest
, due to his political leanings, and suspected Jacobite
sympathies. Design submissions were also obtained from James Smith
and Robert Mylne
. Smith's scheme was judged too small and irregular by Bruce, who urged the Earl to agree to his own "modish and regullar designe". However, the house as built by Bruce is partially based on Smith's early design. Before work on the house commenced, a courtyard, 500 by across, was laid out, establishing the formal arrangement in which the house would sit. On 16 February 1698, a contract was signed between Lord Annandale and the mason Thomas Bauchop, for a house 64 by, and 28 feet (8.5 m) high, all "according to the modell of wood and draught signed by Sir William Bruce of Kinross".
Bruce's new house was complete by 1699, and was worked on by many of the same craftsmen who were engaged by Bruce at nearby Hopetoun House
, which was under construction at the same time. Craftsmen included the plasterers John McKay and Thomas Albur, cabinet maker William Scott, plumber Joseph Foster, smith Alexander Gardener, and the wright Andrew Barclay. The staircase, with its wrought-iron balustrade decorated with roses, thistles, tulips and oak leaves, bears many similarities to the one at Caroline Park, Granton
, and was the work of the smiths James Storrie and James Horne.
The building comprises a compact, three-storey house, in the Dutch-classical style which was introduced into England by Sir Roger Pratt, and is typical of Bruce's work. The six-bay entrance front has a two-bay projecting central section, surmounted by a pediment topped by three pineapples, of which one remains. The tympanum is carved with the coat of arms of the Earl and his wife, with their initials (WEA and SCA for William, Earl of Annandale, and Sophia Countess of Annandale) and the date 1699. The roof behind was bell-cast, with a cupola
and four tall chimneys symmetrically placed, although this was replaced in the 1950s. The centrally placed entrance is reached by steps, and surmounted by carved decorations. The garden front is similar, and is also topped by a decorated pediment. Once the house was complete, two wings connected by curved passages were added. These incorporated additional accommodation and a library, but the passages and south wing were later demolished.
Inside, Bruce planned two apartments: a state apartment, comprising dining room, drawing room, bedroom and dressing room, with a second smaller apartment to the south. Bruce's panelling survives in part of the south apartment, which was later turned into a single room. The chimneypiece and wood carving in the "Blue Room" is also 17th century. The centrally placed stairwell, lighted from above, would be developed more fully by Bruce in his design for Hopetoun House
.
The walled garden to the north-east was built in 1708 by Alexander McGill, to designs by the Earl of Mar
, who also designed the gate piers and garden buildings, and supplied statuary. The garden may have been balanced by a similar walled garden to the south-east of the house. No trace is now visible, but a second garden is shown on 18th century maps of the area, and would have been consistent with Bruce's symmetrical layout.
(1710–1791), second son of Charles Hope, 1st Earl of Hopetoun
. Hope-Weir travelled to Europe on the grand tour
in 1754-55, taking with him the young architect Robert Adam
, and was inspired to improve the Craigiehall policies on his return. A walled forecourt and the formal gardens in front of the house were removed. He also planted numerous trees across the estate, laid out avenues, and had several garden buildings constructed. A lake was excavated, and a new bridge over the River Almond
was constructed to link the neighbouring estate of Lennie, which Hope-Weir had bought in 1750.
, and translatable as "the useful with the sweet". It was built to a design by "J. Adam", either John
or James, Robert's brothers. The bridge spans a particularly picturesque section of the Almond, with rapids flowing under the single span.
Upstream from the bridge is a grotto
and bath house, built in a similar rustic style and presumably by the same architect. The bath house is a square vaulted chamber, with a plunge pool fed by river water. The upper chamber comprises a circular saloon with windows, although this is now roofless and in poor condition. The original roof was a conical thatched structure, and a niche on the exterior wall may have housed a statue.
. It was incorporated into the temple, which was again to the design of one of the Adam brothers. A Latin inscription on the temple, again from Horace, can be translated as "live happy while you can among joyful things". The structure was burned by vandals in the early 1970s, and in 1977 the upper storey was removed as a hazard to aviation, following the development of a new longer runway at nearby Edinburgh Airport
. The remaining storey was renovated, and now forms part of a private house.
was commissioned to design a new north wing, incorporating a dining room, with new kitchens below and bedrooms above. The front of this extension was topped by a pediment matching Bruce's original, complete with pineapples, although this too was removed in the 1950s. The rear is bowed, with a curved stair led down to the garden at the rear. Plans for a matching wing to the south were never carried out. Burn also remodelled the interior, creating a large drawing room from the rooms of the south apartment.
James' son William (1824–1916) commissioned David Bryce
to design a further northern extension in 1853, forming a servant's range, and to remodel some of the interiors. William also rebuilt the 18th century stable court and clock tower between 1843 and 1872. It was William's son Colonel James Hope-Vere (1858–1933) who sold the estate, upon his father's death in 1916, to the Earl of Rosebery
for £85,0000.
MP, who was killed in Gaza during the First World War. In 1926 Rosebery therefore decided to lease the house and policies, although the agricultural lands continue to be farmed as part of Lord Rosebery's neighbouring Dalmeny
estate. The lease was taken by Mr James Morton, an Edinburgh textile manufacturer, who commissioned Robert Lorimer
to make various alterations, the property having stood empty for ten years. Lorimer added the oriel window
on the south front, and modernised many of Bruce's remaining interiors. A water turbine
was constructed in the bath house to provide electricity.
In 1933 Craigiehall was re-let to Ernest Thompson, who turned Craigiehall into the Riverside Hotel and Country Club. Thompson operated the 25-room hotel and golf course successfully until 1939, when Craigiehall, like many other country houses, was requisitioned for the use of the armed forces.
, Royal Signals, and anti-aircraft units. On 12 May 1945, the surrender of German forces in Norway was negotiated and signed at Craigiehall. A rumour, related in Major Innes' book, states that Rudolf Hess
was brought to Craigiehall after he flew to Scotland in 1941 to contact the Duke of Hamilton
. This rumour is based on a photograph of Hess supposedly once on display at Craigiehall, although the story is not corroborated.
After the war, Ernest Thompson exercised an option of his lease allowing him to buy Craigiehall from Lord Rosebery. However, the army had still not moved out, and in 1948 offered to purchase the property from Thompson, finally completing the sale in 1951. Through the early 1950s the Army made alterations to Craigiehall. The original roof was replaced in 1953 due to woodworm
, and extra rooms added in the attic. This resulted in the loss of Bruce's chimneys, and Burn's dining room pediment. Internally the house was redecorated, it being considered that there was too little of the original scheme remaining to allow restoration. Another extension was added, this time to the north-west, to house the staff of the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC) in Scotland.
Elsewhere on the Camp, the Army began replacing the wartime Nissen hut
s with more permanent structures. New barracks opened in 1955, and the Headquarters of the Army in Scotland arrived the same year from Edinburgh Castle
. Further land was purchased from Lord Rosebery and married quarters were built close to the river. In 1966, a purpose-built office block, by architects Bowhill Gibson and Laing, was constructed within the walled garden, and named Annandale Block in honour of the builder of Craigiehall. Craigiehall Camp was also the site of a Cold War
Anti-Aircraft Operations Room
, built in the 1950s.
Following restructuring, the army in Scotland became part of the 2nd Division, whose headquarters moved to Craigiehall Camp from York
. Craigiehall itself was formerly the HQ of the Black Watch
regiment, and now serves as the Officers' Mess for the camp. As of 2007, around 250 people, including civilian and military personnel, are employed at Craigiehall. In March 2007, the Ministry of Defence
announced plans for a new headquarters building at Craigiehall. Under the plans, the existing Annandale Block would be demolished, and the walled garden in which it stands would be restored. The new building was to be constructed elsewhere on the grounds, and was granted planning permission in September 2007. On 14 December 2007, defence ministers from eight NATO countries met at Craigiehall to discuss the role of NATO troops involved in Afghanistan
. Among the ministers attending were Des Browne
from the UK, Robert Gates
from the US, and Joel Fitzgibbon
from Australia. A protest march was organised, attracting around 30 demonstrators.
In July 2011, following a Defence Basing Review carried out by the Ministry of Defence, it was announced that Craigiehall, along with Dreghorn Barracks
and Redford Barracks
also in Edinburgh, would be closing in 2014–2015. The review proposes a single UK Support Command, based at Aldershot
, to replace three existing divisional headquarters including HQ 2nd Division, based at Craigiehall, which will be disbanded in 2012. Other units at Craigiehall will form part of a new multi-role brigade to be based at Kirknewton
. Craigiehall Camp is earmarked for disposal.
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. It is located close to Cramond
Cramond
Cramond is a seaside village now part of suburban Edinburgh, Scotland, located in the north-west corner of the city at the mouth of the River Almond where it enters the Firth of Forth....
, around 9 km (5.6 mi) west of central Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, 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...
.
Craigiehall was designed by Sir William Bruce
William Bruce (architect)
Sir William Bruce of Kinross, 1st Baronet was a Scottish gentleman-architect, "the effective founder of classical architecture in Scotland," as Howard Colvin observes...
, with input from James Smith
James Smith (architect)
James Smith was a Scottish architect, who pioneered the Palladian style in Scotland. He was described by Colen Campbell, in his Vitruvius Britannicus , as "the most experienced architect of that kingdom".-Biography:...
, and completed in 1699 for the Earl of Annandale, who had recently acquired the Craigie estate through marriage. It is a good surviving example of one of Bruce's smaller houses, and set a pattern for such villas in the Edinburgh area for the 18th century.
It was later the home of Charles Hope-Weir
Charles Hope-Weir
The Hon. Charles Hope-Weir was a Scottish politician.Born The Hon. Charles Hope, he was the second son of Charles Hope, 1st Earl of Hopetoun and Lady Henrietta Johnstone, daughter of William Johnstone, 1st Marquess of Annandale...
, who made several improvements to the estate policies. Craigiehall was extended several times, before being sold to the Earl of Rosebery
Earl of Rosebery
Earl of Rosebery is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1703 for Archibald Primrose, 1st Viscount of Rosebery, with remainder to his issue male and female successively...
, who leased out the property. It was briefly a hotel and country club, before being requisitioned by the Army at the outbreak of the Second World War. Craigiehall continues to be used as the Army's Scottish Headquarters. The house has been protected as a category A listed building since 1971, as a substantial 17th-century classical house, worked on by several notable architects.
Early history
The estate of Craigie is recorded as belonging to one John de Craigie in the reign of David IDavid I of Scotland
David I or Dabíd mac Maíl Choluim was a 12th-century ruler who was Prince of the Cumbrians and later King of the Scots...
(1124–1153). In 1387 the estate passed by marriage to John Stewart, son of Sir Robert Stewart of Durisdeer. The Stewarts sold the estate, which by this time had a tower house
Tower house
A tower house is a particular type of stone structure, built for defensive purposes as well as habitation.-History:Tower houses began to appear in the Middle Ages, especially in mountain or limited access areas, in order to command and defend strategic points with reduced forces...
, in 1643 to John Fairholm, treasurer to the City of Edinburgh. In 1682 John Fairholm's granddaughter Sophia, aged only 14, married William Johnstone, 2nd Earl of Annandale
William Johnstone, 1st Marquess of Annandale
William Johnstone, 2nd Earl of Annandale and Hartfell, 1st Marquess of Annandale KT was a Scottish nobleman. He was the son of James Johnstone, 1st Earl of Hartfell and Henrietta Douglas...
, and Craigiehall changed ownership again. Only two built features on the estate date from before this time; the 17th century east sundial, and the ruined doocot
Dovecote
A dovecote or dovecot is a structure intended to house pigeons or doves. Dovecotes may be square or circular free-standing structures or built into the end of a house or barn. They generally contain pigeonholes for the birds to nest. Pigeons and doves were an important food source historically in...
, or pigeon house, dated 1672. The east sundial is one of only 25 obelisk-type sundials
Scottish sundial
Scottish sundials of the renaissance period are not just more numerous than in any other country, they are also stylistically unique. This is particularly notable when the size and wealth of Scotland at the time are taken into account. They are free standing stone sculptures of the 17th and 18th...
in Scotland, and was re-erected to the east of the house in 1965, after being found in a field to the south of the house.
The Bruce house
House arrest
In justice and law, house arrest is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to his or her residence. Travel is usually restricted, if allowed at all...
, due to his political leanings, and suspected Jacobite
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
sympathies. Design submissions were also obtained from James Smith
James Smith (architect)
James Smith was a Scottish architect, who pioneered the Palladian style in Scotland. He was described by Colen Campbell, in his Vitruvius Britannicus , as "the most experienced architect of that kingdom".-Biography:...
and Robert Mylne
Robert Mylne (1633-1710)
Robert Mylne was a Scottish stonemason and architect. A descendant of the Mylne family of masons and builders, Robert was the last Master Mason to the Crown of Scotland, a post he held from 1668 until his death.-Biography:...
. Smith's scheme was judged too small and irregular by Bruce, who urged the Earl to agree to his own "modish and regullar designe". However, the house as built by Bruce is partially based on Smith's early design. Before work on the house commenced, a courtyard, 500 by across, was laid out, establishing the formal arrangement in which the house would sit. On 16 February 1698, a contract was signed between Lord Annandale and the mason Thomas Bauchop, for a house 64 by, and 28 feet (8.5 m) high, all "according to the modell of wood and draught signed by Sir William Bruce of Kinross".
Bruce's new house was complete by 1699, and was worked on by many of the same craftsmen who were engaged by Bruce at nearby Hopetoun House
Hopetoun House
Hopetoun House is the traditional residence of the Earl of Hopetoun . It was built 1699-1701, designed by William Bruce. It was then hugely extended from 1721 by William Adam until his death in 1748 being one of his most notable projects. The interior was completed by his sons John Adam and Robert...
, which was under construction at the same time. Craftsmen included the plasterers John McKay and Thomas Albur, cabinet maker William Scott, plumber Joseph Foster, smith Alexander Gardener, and the wright Andrew Barclay. The staircase, with its wrought-iron balustrade decorated with roses, thistles, tulips and oak leaves, bears many similarities to the one at Caroline Park, Granton
Granton
-Places:Australia* Granton, TasmaniaCanada* Granton, Nova ScotiaScotland* Granton, EdinburghUnited States* Granton, Wisconsin...
, and was the work of the smiths James Storrie and James Horne.
The building comprises a compact, three-storey house, in the Dutch-classical style which was introduced into England by Sir Roger Pratt, and is typical of Bruce's work. The six-bay entrance front has a two-bay projecting central section, surmounted by a pediment topped by three pineapples, of which one remains. The tympanum is carved with the coat of arms of the Earl and his wife, with their initials (WEA and SCA for William, Earl of Annandale, and Sophia Countess of Annandale) and the date 1699. The roof behind was bell-cast, with a cupola
Cupola
In architecture, a cupola is a small, most-often dome-like, structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome....
and four tall chimneys symmetrically placed, although this was replaced in the 1950s. The centrally placed entrance is reached by steps, and surmounted by carved decorations. The garden front is similar, and is also topped by a decorated pediment. Once the house was complete, two wings connected by curved passages were added. These incorporated additional accommodation and a library, but the passages and south wing were later demolished.
Inside, Bruce planned two apartments: a state apartment, comprising dining room, drawing room, bedroom and dressing room, with a second smaller apartment to the south. Bruce's panelling survives in part of the south apartment, which was later turned into a single room. The chimneypiece and wood carving in the "Blue Room" is also 17th century. The centrally placed stairwell, lighted from above, would be developed more fully by Bruce in his design for Hopetoun House
Hopetoun House
Hopetoun House is the traditional residence of the Earl of Hopetoun . It was built 1699-1701, designed by William Bruce. It was then hugely extended from 1721 by William Adam until his death in 1748 being one of his most notable projects. The interior was completed by his sons John Adam and Robert...
.
The walled garden to the north-east was built in 1708 by Alexander McGill, to designs by the Earl of Mar
John Erskine, 22nd Earl of Mar
John Erskine, 22nd and de jure 6th Earl of Mar, KT , Scottish Jacobite, was the eldest son of the 21st Earl of Mar , from whom he inherited estates that were heavily loaded with debt. By modern reckoning he was 22nd Earl of Mar of the first creation and de jure 6th Earl of Mar of the seventh...
, who also designed the gate piers and garden buildings, and supplied statuary. The garden may have been balanced by a similar walled garden to the south-east of the house. No trace is now visible, but a second garden is shown on 18th century maps of the area, and would have been consistent with Bruce's symmetrical layout.
Charles Hope-Weir's improvements
In 1741, the 2nd Marquis of Annandale left Craigiehall to his nephew, Charles Hope-WeirCharles Hope-Weir
The Hon. Charles Hope-Weir was a Scottish politician.Born The Hon. Charles Hope, he was the second son of Charles Hope, 1st Earl of Hopetoun and Lady Henrietta Johnstone, daughter of William Johnstone, 1st Marquess of Annandale...
(1710–1791), second son of Charles Hope, 1st Earl of Hopetoun
Charles Hope, 1st Earl of Hopetoun
Charles Hope, 1st Earl of Hopetoun KT was a Scottish nobleman.He was the son of John Hope of Hopetoun, grandson of Sir Thomas Hope, 1st Baronet of Craighall, Fife. John Hope purchased the barony of Niddry Castle from the Earl of Winton around 1680...
. Hope-Weir travelled to Europe on the grand tour
Grand Tour
The Grand Tour was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transit in the 1840s, and was associated with a standard itinerary. It served as an educational rite of passage...
in 1754-55, taking with him the young 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...
, and was inspired to improve the Craigiehall policies on his return. A walled forecourt and the formal gardens in front of the house were removed. He also planted numerous trees across the estate, laid out avenues, and had several garden buildings constructed. A lake was excavated, and a new bridge over the River Almond
River Almond, Lothian
The River Almond is a river in east-central Scotland. It is 28 miles long, rising in North Lanarkshire near Shotts and runs through West Lothian, draining into the Firth of Forth at Cramond near Edinburgh....
was constructed to link the neighbouring estate of Lennie, which Hope-Weir had bought in 1750.
Bridge, grotto and bath house
The rustic arched Grotto Bridge is dated 1757. It bears Hope-Weir's initials, with the inscription UTILI DULCI, taken from HoraceHorace
Quintus Horatius Flaccus , known in the English-speaking world as Horace, was the leading Roman lyric poet during the time of Augustus.-Life:...
, and translatable as "the useful with the sweet". It was built to a design by "J. Adam", either John
John Adam (architect)
John Adam was a Scottish architect. Born in Linktown of Abbotshall, now part of Kirkcaldy, Fife, he was the eldest son of architect and entrepreneur William Adam. His younger brothers Robert and James Adam also became architects.The Adam family moved to Edinburgh in 1728, as William Adam's career...
or James, Robert's brothers. The bridge spans a particularly picturesque section of the Almond, with rapids flowing under the single span.
Upstream from the bridge is a grotto
Grotto
A grotto is any type of natural or artificial cave that is associated with modern, historic or prehistoric use by humans. When it is not an artificial garden feature, a grotto is often a small cave near water and often flooded or liable to flood at high tide...
and bath house, built in a similar rustic style and presumably by the same architect. The bath house is a square vaulted chamber, with a plunge pool fed by river water. The upper chamber comprises a circular saloon with windows, although this is now roofless and in poor condition. The original roof was a conical thatched structure, and a niche on the exterior wall may have housed a statue.
Craigiehall Temple
An avenue of oak trees runs up Lennie Hill from the Grotto Bridge. At the summit, Hope-Weir had an ornamental temple built in 1759, commanding wide views of the expanded estate and beyond. Craigiehall Temple was a circular two-storey structure, with a stair tower at the rear and a pedimented portico on the front. The segmental pediment bears the arms of the 1st Marquess of Annandale, and so predates the temple. In The Buildings of Scotland: Edinburgh, it is suggested that this portico may have formed part of a gate to the forecourt of the house. If so, it may have been made by Alexander McGill, to a design by John Erskine, Earl of MarJohn Erskine, 22nd Earl of Mar
John Erskine, 22nd and de jure 6th Earl of Mar, KT , Scottish Jacobite, was the eldest son of the 21st Earl of Mar , from whom he inherited estates that were heavily loaded with debt. By modern reckoning he was 22nd Earl of Mar of the first creation and de jure 6th Earl of Mar of the seventh...
. It was incorporated into the temple, which was again to the design of one of the Adam brothers. A Latin inscription on the temple, again from Horace, can be translated as "live happy while you can among joyful things". The structure was burned by vandals in the early 1970s, and in 1977 the upper storey was removed as a hazard to aviation, following the development of a new longer runway at nearby Edinburgh Airport
Edinburgh Airport
Edinburgh Airport is located at Turnhouse in the City of Edinburgh, Scotland, and was the busiest airport in Scotland in 2010, handling just under 8.6 million passengers in that year. It was also the sixth busiest airport in the UK by passengers and the fifth busiest by aircraft movements...
. The remaining storey was renovated, and now forms part of a private house.
Extensions and additions
In 1818 Hope-Weir's grandson James Hope-Vere (1785–1843) asked Thomas Brown to provide designs for an attic extension, although this was never carried out. Ten years later, William BurnWilliam Burn
William Burn was a Scottish architect, pioneer of the Scottish Baronial style.He was born in Edinburgh, the son of architect Robert Burn, and educated at the Royal High School. After training with the architect of the British Museum, Sir Robert Smirke, he returned to Edinburgh in 1812...
was commissioned to design a new north wing, incorporating a dining room, with new kitchens below and bedrooms above. The front of this extension was topped by a pediment matching Bruce's original, complete with pineapples, although this too was removed in the 1950s. The rear is bowed, with a curved stair led down to the garden at the rear. Plans for a matching wing to the south were never carried out. Burn also remodelled the interior, creating a large drawing room from the rooms of the south apartment.
James' son William (1824–1916) commissioned David Bryce
David Bryce
David Bryce FRSE FRIBA RSA was a Scottish architect. Born in Edinburgh, he was educated at the Royal High School and joined the office of architect William Burn in 1825, aged 22. By 1841, Bryce had risen to be Burn's partner...
to design a further northern extension in 1853, forming a servant's range, and to remodel some of the interiors. William also rebuilt the 18th century stable court and clock tower between 1843 and 1872. It was William's son Colonel James Hope-Vere (1858–1933) who sold the estate, upon his father's death in 1916, to the Earl of Rosebery
Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery
Archibald Philip Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery, KG, PC was a British Liberal statesman and Prime Minister. Between the death of his father, in 1851, and the death of his grandfather, the 4th Earl, in 1868, he was known by the courtesy title of Lord Dalmeny.Rosebery was a Liberal Imperialist who...
for £85,0000.
Early 20th century
Lord Rosebery had purchased Craigiehall as a home for his second son Neil PrimroseNeil James Archibald Primrose
Captain The Honourable Neil James Archibald Primrose PC, MC , was a British Liberal politician and soldier. The second son of Prime Minister Lord Rosebery, he represented Wisbech in parliament from 1910 to 1917 and served as Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in 1915 and as...
MP, who was killed in Gaza during the First World War. In 1926 Rosebery therefore decided to lease the house and policies, although the agricultural lands continue to be farmed as part of Lord Rosebery's neighbouring Dalmeny
Dalmeny House
Dalmeny House is a Gothic revival mansion located in an estate close to Dalmeny on the Firth of Forth, to the north-west of Edinburgh, Scotland. It was designed by William Wilkins, and completed in 1817.Dalmeny House is the home of the Earl and Countess of Rosebery. The house was the first in...
estate. The lease was taken by Mr James Morton, an Edinburgh textile manufacturer, who commissioned Robert Lorimer
Robert Lorimer
Sir Robert Stodart Lorimer was a prolific Scottish architect noted for his restoration work on historic houses and castles, and for promotion of the Arts and Crafts style.-Early life:...
to make various alterations, the property having stood empty for ten years. Lorimer added the oriel window
Oriel window
Oriel windows are a form of bay window commonly found in Gothic architecture, which project from the main wall of the building but do not reach to the ground. Corbels or brackets are often used to support this kind of window. They are seen in combination with the Tudor arch. This type of window was...
on the south front, and modernised many of Bruce's remaining interiors. A water turbine
Water turbine
A water turbine is a rotary engine that takes energy from moving water.Water turbines were developed in the 19th century and were widely used for industrial power prior to electrical grids. Now they are mostly used for electric power generation. They harness a clean and renewable energy...
was constructed in the bath house to provide electricity.
In 1933 Craigiehall was re-let to Ernest Thompson, who turned Craigiehall into the Riverside Hotel and Country Club. Thompson operated the 25-room hotel and golf course successfully until 1939, when Craigiehall, like many other country houses, was requisitioned for the use of the armed forces.
Army Headquarters Scotland
Various regiments were stationed at Craigiehall Camp during the Second World War, including Royal ArtilleryRoyal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
, Royal Signals, and anti-aircraft units. On 12 May 1945, the surrender of German forces in Norway was negotiated and signed at Craigiehall. A rumour, related in Major Innes' book, states that Rudolf Hess
Rudolf Hess
Rudolf Walter Richard Hess was a prominent Nazi politician who was Adolf Hitler's deputy in the Nazi Party during the 1930s and early 1940s...
was brought to Craigiehall after he flew to Scotland in 1941 to contact 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....
. This rumour is based on a photograph of Hess supposedly once on display at Craigiehall, although the story is not corroborated.
After the war, Ernest Thompson exercised an option of his lease allowing him to buy Craigiehall from Lord Rosebery. However, the army had still not moved out, and in 1948 offered to purchase the property from Thompson, finally completing the sale in 1951. Through the early 1950s the Army made alterations to Craigiehall. The original roof was replaced in 1953 due to woodworm
Woodboring beetle
The term woodboring beetle encompasses many species and families of beetles whose larval or adult forms eat and destroy wood . Larval stages of some are commonly known as woodworms.-Invasion and control:...
, and extra rooms added in the attic. This resulted in the loss of Bruce's chimneys, and Burn's dining room pediment. Internally the house was redecorated, it being considered that there was too little of the original scheme remaining to allow restoration. Another extension was added, this time to the north-west, to house the staff of the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC) in Scotland.
Elsewhere on the Camp, the Army began replacing the wartime Nissen hut
Nissen hut
A Nissen hut is a prefabricated steel structure made from a half-cylindrical skin of corrugated steel, a variant of which was used extensively during World War II.-Description:...
s with more permanent structures. New barracks opened in 1955, and the Headquarters of the Army in Scotland arrived the same year from Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC, although the nature of early settlement is unclear...
. Further land was purchased from Lord Rosebery and married quarters were built close to the river. In 1966, a purpose-built office block, by architects Bowhill Gibson and Laing, was constructed within the walled garden, and named Annandale Block in honour of the builder of Craigiehall. Craigiehall Camp was also the site of a Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
Anti-Aircraft Operations Room
ROTOR
ROTOR was a huge and elaborate air defence radar system built by the British Government in the early 1950s to counter possible attack by Soviet bombers...
, built in the 1950s.
Following restructuring, the army in Scotland became part of the 2nd Division, whose headquarters moved to Craigiehall Camp from York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
. Craigiehall itself was formerly the HQ of the Black Watch
Black Watch
The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The unit's traditional colours were retired in 2011 in a ceremony led by Queen Elizabeth II....
regiment, and now serves as the Officers' Mess for the camp. As of 2007, around 250 people, including civilian and military personnel, are employed at Craigiehall. In March 2007, 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....
announced plans for a new headquarters building at Craigiehall. Under the plans, the existing Annandale Block would be demolished, and the walled garden in which it stands would be restored. The new building was to be constructed elsewhere on the grounds, and was granted planning permission in September 2007. On 14 December 2007, defence ministers from eight NATO countries met at Craigiehall to discuss the role of NATO troops involved in Afghanistan
War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...
. Among the ministers attending were Des Browne
Des Browne
Desmond Henry Browne, Baron Browne of Ladyton is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for Kilmarnock and Loudoun from 1997 to 2010...
from the UK, Robert Gates
Robert Gates
Dr. Robert Michael Gates is a retired civil servant and university president who served as the 22nd United States Secretary of Defense from 2006 to 2011. Prior to this, Gates served for 26 years in the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Council, and under President George H. W....
from the US, and Joel Fitzgibbon
Joel Fitzgibbon
Joel Andrew Fitzgibbon is an Australian politician and Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives since March 1996, representing the Division of Hunter in New South Wales. From December 2007 to June 2009 he was the Minister for Defence in the Rudd Ministry...
from Australia. A protest march was organised, attracting around 30 demonstrators.
In July 2011, following a Defence Basing Review carried out by the Ministry of Defence, it was announced that Craigiehall, along with Dreghorn Barracks
Dreghorn Barracks
Dreghorn Barracks are located in Edinburgh, Scotland. The barracks are situated at the southern edge of the city, south of Colinton, and adjacent to the Edinburgh City Bypass. The present barracks complex was largely built in 1937–1939 to designs by William Alexander Ross. The barracks were...
and Redford Barracks
Redford Barracks
Redford Cavalry and Infantry Barracks are located on Colinton Road, near the Edinburgh City Bypass, east of the suburb of Colinton in Edinburgh, Scotland....
also in Edinburgh, would be closing in 2014–2015. The review proposes a single UK Support Command, based at Aldershot
Aldershot Garrison
Aldershot Garrison, also known as Aldershot Military Town, is a major garrison in South East England. Established in 1854, Aldershot has long been seen as the home of the British Army. The garrison was established when the war department brought a large area of land near to the village of...
, to replace three existing divisional headquarters including HQ 2nd Division, based at Craigiehall, which will be disbanded in 2012. Other units at Craigiehall will form part of a new multi-role brigade to be based at Kirknewton
Kirknewton
-Places:England*Kirknewton, NorthumberlandScotland*Kirknewton, West Lothian*RAF Kirknewton, a Royal Air Force station in West Lothian...
. Craigiehall Camp is earmarked for disposal.
External links
- 2nd Division, British ArmyBritish ArmyThe British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
web site - An Overview of Craigiehall, Ministry of DefenceMinistry 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....
web site