Oxenfoord Castle
Encyclopedia
Oxenfoord Castle is a country house in Midlothian
, Scotland
. It is located 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) north of Pathhead
, and 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) south-east of Dalkeith
, above the Tyne Water
. Originally a 16th-century tower house, the present castle is largely the result of major rebuilding in 1782, to designs by the architect Robert Adam
. Oxenfoord was the seat of the Earl of Stair
from 1840, and remains in private ownership. It is protected as a category A listed building, while the grounds are included in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland
.
as Viscount of Oxfuird
. Oxenfoord passed through the family until it was inherited by Thomas Hamilton of Fala
. His daughter and heiress, Elizabeth Hamilton, married Sir John Dalrymple, 4th Baronet
, in 1760, and they inherited the estate in 1779. Sir John, a lawyer, scientist and historian, published Memoirs of Great Britain and Ireland (1771), and Essays on Different Natural Situations of Gardens (1774), an influential book at the time. A friend of Robert Adam
, he commissioned the architect to rebuild his tower house at Oxenfoord in 1780. The L-plan tower was absorbed into the new building, in a similar manner to Adam's Culzean Castle
. A new approach bridge was built around this time by Alexander Stevens, an Adam associate. The bridge is also a category A listed building.
Sir John's son, in 1840, inherited the title 8th Earl of Stair
. He commissioned William Burn
to remodel the castle in 1842. A new wing and entrance was added in the style of Adam's work. The 8th and 9th Earls established a pinetum in the grounds of the house. In 1864 the 10th Earl inherited Lochinch Castle in Galloway
, and made his principal home there rather than at Oxenfoord. From 1931 until 1993 the house was used as a school, founded by Lady Marjorie Dalrymple. Since 1993, the house is once more in private hands, and is used as a wedding venue.
Midlothian
Midlothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy area. It borders the Scottish Borders, East Lothian and the City of Edinburgh council areas....
, 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 located 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) north of Pathhead
Pathhead
Pathhead is an area of Kirkcaldy, in Fife, Scotland. Formerly an independent village, Pathhead was incorporated into the Royal burgh of Kirkcaldy....
, and 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) south-east of Dalkeith
Dalkeith
Dalkeith is a town in Midlothian, Scotland, lying on the River North Esk. It was granted a burgh of barony in 1401 and a burgh of regality in 1540...
, above the Tyne Water
River Tyne, Scotland
The River Tyne is a river in Scotland, UK. It rises in the Moorfoot Hills in Midlothian near Tynehead to the south of Edinburgh, at the junction of the B6458 and the B6367. It continues for approx...
. Originally a 16th-century tower house, the present castle is largely the result of major rebuilding in 1782, to designs 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...
. Oxenfoord was the seat of the Earl of Stair
Earl of Stair
Earl of Stair is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1703 for the lawyer and statesman John Dalrymple, 2nd Viscount of Stair. He actively supported William III's claim to the throne and served as Secretary of State for Scotland. However, he was forced to resign after he authorised...
from 1840, and remains in private ownership. It is protected as a category A listed building, while the grounds are included in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland
Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland
The Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland is a listing of gardens and designed landscapes of national artistic and/or historical significance, in Scotland. The Inventory was originally compiled in 1987, although it is a continually evolving list...
.
History
The lands of Oxenfoord were owned by the Riddel family in the 12th century. By the 16th century the MacGills owned the estate, and built the original tower house. In 1651, James MacGill was elevated to the peeragePeerage of Scotland
The Peerage of Scotland is the division of the British Peerage for those peers created in the Kingdom of Scotland before 1707. With that year's Act of Union, the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England were combined into the Kingdom of Great Britain, and a new Peerage of Great Britain was...
as Viscount of Oxfuird
Viscount of Oxfuird
Viscount of Oxfuird is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1651 for Sir James Makgill, 1st Baronet, along with the subsidiary title of Lord Makgill of Cousland, also in the Peerage of Scotland, with remainder to his "heirs male of tailzie and provision whomsoever"...
. Oxenfoord passed through the family until it was inherited by Thomas Hamilton of Fala
Fala, Midlothian
Fala, is a parish and hamlet in the south-eastern corner of Midlothian, Scotland, and about 15 miles from Edinburgh.-Location:The parish is about five miles long from east to west, and one mile broad from north to south, and contains about...
. His daughter and heiress, Elizabeth Hamilton, married Sir John Dalrymple, 4th Baronet
Sir John Dalrymple, 4th Baronet
Sir John Dalrymple, 4th Baronet was a Scottish lawyer and historian. He is best known for his Memoirs of Great Britain and Ireland from the dissolution of the last parliament of Charles II until the sea battle of La Hogue, first published in 1771...
, in 1760, and they inherited the estate in 1779. Sir John, a lawyer, scientist and historian, published Memoirs of Great Britain and Ireland (1771), and Essays on Different Natural Situations of Gardens (1774), an influential book at the time. A friend of 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...
, he commissioned the architect to rebuild his tower house at Oxenfoord in 1780. The L-plan tower was absorbed into the new building, in a similar manner to Adam's Culzean Castle
Culzean Castle
Culzean Castle is a castle near Maybole, Carrick, on the Ayrshire coast of Scotland. It is the former home of the Marquess of Ailsa but is now owned by the National Trust for Scotland...
. A new approach bridge was built around this time by Alexander Stevens, an Adam associate. The bridge is also a category A listed building.
Sir John's son, in 1840, inherited the title 8th Earl of Stair
John Dalrymple, 8th Earl of Stair
General John Hamilton Dalrymple, 8th Earl of Stair KT , known as Sir John Dalrymple, 5th Baronet, between 1810 and 1840, was a British soldier and politician.-Background:...
. He commissioned William Burn
William 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...
to remodel the castle in 1842. A new wing and entrance was added in the style of Adam's work. The 8th and 9th Earls established a pinetum in the grounds of the house. In 1864 the 10th Earl inherited Lochinch Castle in Galloway
Galloway
Galloway is an area in southwestern Scotland. It usually refers to the former counties of Wigtownshire and Kirkcudbrightshire...
, and made his principal home there rather than at Oxenfoord. From 1931 until 1993 the house was used as a school, founded by Lady Marjorie Dalrymple. Since 1993, the house is once more in private hands, and is used as a wedding venue.