Gosford House
Encyclopedia
Gosford House is the family seat of the Charteris family and is situated near Longniddry
in East Lothian
, Scotland
. It was recently the home of the late Rt. Hon. David Charteris
, 12th Earl of Wemyss
and 8th Earl of March
, chief of the name and arms
of Charteris.
Gosford was built by the 7th Earl of Wemyss
between 1790 and 1800. It was built to plans by the architect Robert Adam
(1728–1792), who died before the house was completed. The 8th Earl
knocked down the wings, and his grandson, the 10th Earl
, rebuilt them in 1891 to designs by the architect William Young. The south wing contains the marble hall. Gosford is built in the neoclassical style
.
During World War II
, the British Army
occupied the house, and burnt out the main rooms of the central block. It was re-roofed in 1987, and restoration of the central block is an ongoing process, which has been progressed in the last ten years by Shelagh, Countess of Wemyss and March. The ponds in the policies were recently restored by James Charteris, 13th Earl of Wemyss
who took over the family estate and title in December 2008 when his father died. Gosford can be seen from Edinburgh
on a clear day. It is open to the public in the summer. The grounds boast an unusual and rare example of a Scottish Curling House
. The interior and exterior of Gosford House were used in the 2000 film House of Mirth, directed by Terence Davies and based on the novel by Edith Wharton
.
Longniddry
Longniddry is a village in East Lothian, Scotland, with a population of 2,613 .Longniddry is primarily a dormitory village for commuters to Edinburgh, with good transport links by road and rail to the capital...
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....
, 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 was recently the home of the late Rt. Hon. David Charteris
David Charteris, 12th Earl of Wemyss
Francis David Charteris, 12th Earl of Wemyss and 8th Earl of March, KT, DL succeeded his grandfather in the family titles in 1937....
, 12th Earl of Wemyss
Earl of Wemyss
Earl of Wemyss and Earl of March are two titles in the Peerage of Scotland, created in 1633 and 1697 respectively, that have been held by a joint holder since 1826. The Scottish Wemyss family had possessed the lands of Wemyss in Fife since the 12th century. In 1625 John Wemyss was created a...
and 8th Earl of March
Earl of March
The title The Earl of March has been created several times in the Peerage of Scotland and the Peerage of England. The title derived from the "marches" or boundaries between England and either Wales or Scotland , and was held by several great feudal families which owned lands in those border...
, chief of the name and arms
Scottish clan chief
The Scottish Gaelic word clann means children. In early times, and possibly even today, clan members believed themselves to descend from a common ancestor, the founder of the Scottish clan. From its perceived founder a clan takes its name. The clan chief is the representative of this founder, and...
of Charteris.
Gosford was built by the 7th Earl of Wemyss
Francis Charteris, 7th Earl of Wemyss
Francis Wemyss Charteris was a Scottish landowner who claimed to be 7th Earl of Wemyss.Charteris was the second son of James Wemyss, 5th Earl of Wemyss and his wife Janet, daughter and wealthy heiress of Colonel Francis Charteris...
between 1790 and 1800. It was built to plans by the 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...
(1728–1792), who died before the house was completed. The 8th Earl
Francis Douglas, 8th Earl of Wemyss
Francis Wemyss Charteris Douglas, 8th Earl of Wemyss, 4th Earl of March , known as the Earl of March from 1810 to 1826 and as the Earl of Wemyss and March from 1826 to 1853, was a Scottish peer....
knocked down the wings, and his grandson, the 10th Earl
Francis Charteris, 10th Earl of Wemyss
Francis Richard Charteris, 10th Earl of Wemyss GCVO , styled as Lord Elcho between 1853 and 1883, was a British Whig politician...
, rebuilt them in 1891 to designs by the architect William Young. The south wing contains the marble hall. Gosford is built in the neoclassical style
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the British Army
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...
occupied the house, and burnt out the main rooms of the central block. It was re-roofed in 1987, and restoration of the central block is an ongoing process, which has been progressed in the last ten years by Shelagh, Countess of Wemyss and March. The ponds in the policies were recently restored by James Charteris, 13th Earl of Wemyss
James Charteris, 13th Earl of Wemyss
James Donald Charteris, 13th Earl of Wemyss and 9th Earl of March, is a member of the Scottish peerage, the 13th Earl of Wemyss and 9th Earl of March.Neidpath was educated first at Eton....
who took over the family estate and title in December 2008 when his father died. Gosford can be seen from 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...
on a clear day. It is open to the public in the summer. The grounds boast an unusual and rare example of a Scottish Curling House
Curling House
A Curling House was used to store curling stones, brushes and other equipment used to maintain a curling pond and play the game of curling in Scotland and elsewhere.- Introduction :...
. The interior and exterior of Gosford House were used in the 2000 film House of Mirth, directed by Terence Davies and based on the novel by Edith Wharton
Edith Wharton
Edith Wharton , was a Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist, short story writer, and designer.- Early life and marriage:...
.
External links
- Gosford House - official site
- Visiting information - Historic Houses AssociationHistoric Houses AssociationThe Historic Houses Association, a not for profit organsiation, represents 1,500 privately owned historic country houses, castles and gardens throughout the UK. These are listed buildings or registered gardens, usually Grade I or II* and often outstanding....