Hopetoun House
Encyclopedia
Marquess of Linlithgow
Marquess of Linlithgow, in the County of Linlithgow or West Lothian, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1902 for John Hope, 7th Earl of Hopetoun....
). It was built 1699-1701, designed by 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...
. 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
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...
and 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...
. The magnificent entrance hall dates from 1752.
The parklands in which it lies were laid out in 1725, also by William Adam. The east front centres on the distant isle of Inchgarvie
Inchgarvie
Inchgarvie is a small, uninhabited island in the Firth of Forth. Its name comes from Innis Garbhach which is Scottish Gaelic for "rough island"...
and North Berwick Law
North Berwick Law
North Berwick Law is a conical hill which rises incongruously from the surrounding landscape . It overlooks the East Lothian town of North Berwick and stands at 613 ft above sea level.Geologically, the law is a volcanic plug of hard phonolitic trachyte rock of Carboniferous age...
. The walled garden dates from the late 18th century. In the grounds an 18th century mound was excavated in 1963 to reveal the remains of the earlier manor house, Abercorn Castle, dating from the 15th century.
The house is located near South Queensferry
South Queensferry
South Queensferry , also called Queensferry, is a former Royal Burgh in West Lothian now part of the City of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located some ten miles to the north west of the city centre, on the shore of the Firth of Forth between the Forth Bridge and the Forth Road Bridge, approximately 8...
to the west of 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...
.
The Hope family acquired the land in the 17th century. Charles Hope, the first occupant, was only 16 years old when his mother, Lady Margaret Hope, signed the contract for building with William Bruce, on 28 September 1698. The master mason is noted as Tobias Bachope of Alloa
Alloa
Alloa is a town and former burgh in Clackmannanshire, set in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies on on the north bank of the Firth of Forth close to the foot of the Ochil Hills, east of Stirling and north of Falkirk....
. The plumber and glazier was John Forster of Berwick.
Classical musical recitals are occasionally put on at Hopetoun House. Chilean pianist Alfredo Perl
Alfredo Perl
Alfredo Perl is a Chilean-German classical pianist and conductor, best known in the United Kingdom, Australia and Germany. He is best known for his recitals of Beethoven's sonatas. He is the current conductor of the Detmold Chamber Orchestra....
once performed recitals of Chopin at the house. During the summer months, the castle is open to visitors. It can also be rented for weddings, conferences, and as a film set.