Dalmeny House, the home of Earl and Countess Roseberry, is a category ‘A’ listed building. It was built by William Wilkins, as a Gothic revival mansion, for Archibald Primrose, 4th Earl of Rosebery between 1814 -1817. It overlooks the Firth of Forth and has been the home of the Earls of Rosebery for over three hundred years. A public path runs along the shore, from Queensferry in the west, to Cramond in the east.
The House, set in over a thousand acres of parkland, woodlands, farmlands and sandy beaches, contains Scotland's best collection of eighteenth-century French furniture, porcelain and tapestries, with magnificent paintings, including portraits by Gainsborough, Raeburn, Reynolds and Lawrence. There is also one of the world's most important Napoleonic collections.
The house contains many paintings and items of furniture from both the Rosebery and Rothschild collections, as a result of the 5th Earl's 1878 marriage to Hannah, daughter and heir of Meyer de Rothschild. Much of the French furniture and porcelain came from the family's English mansion, Mentmore, Buckinghamshire, following the latter's sale in 1977.
The house contains many paintings and items of furniture from both the Rosebery and Rothschild collections, as a result of the 5th Earl's 1878 marriage to Hannah, daughter and heir of Meyer de Rothschild. Much of the French furniture and porcelain came from the family's English mansion, Mentmore, Buckinghamshire, following the latter's sale in 1977.
In the 13th century, the estate was the property of the Mowbray family who came from Normandy with William the Conqueror. They became lords of Barnbougle, Dalmeny and inverkeithing. They sold the estate to Sir Thomas Hamilton in 1615 who in turn, in 1662, sold the estate to Sir Archibald Primrose, who later became Lord Justice of Scotland. His eldest son by his second marriage, Archibald, was created first Earl of Rosebery in 1703.
The Mowbray family built Barnbougle Castle, where the Primrose family lived until the early 19th century, when it was decided to build another property, after the extent of the neglect of the house was such that a wave reputedly washed into the dining room while the family were at supper.
The Mowbray family built Barnbougle Castle, where the Primrose family lived until the early 19th century, when it was decided to build another property, after the extent of the neglect of the house was such that a wave reputedly washed into the dining room while the family were at supper.
Despite commissioning Robert Adam to design a new house at Barnbougle in 1774 and designs also being provided by Robert Burns in 1788, further plans were commissioned in 1805 and 1808. However nothing was done, apart from woodland planting and construction of a walled garden, until Archibald succeeded as 4th Earl of Rosebery in 1814 when Wilkins was asked for a Tudor Gothic design, which was eventually built in 1817.
In contrast to the exterior, most of the principal rooms are in the Regency style. The hammerbeam ceiling in the main hall is similar to Wilkin's later ceiling in the Hall of King's College, Cambridge.
The Coade stone (twice fired artificial stone, incredibly resistant to weathering) ornamentation at Dalmeny was second only to Buckingham Palace as a domestic order from the Coade factory, with over 300 cases of Coade stone being shipped to Leith over 3 years.
The Coade stone (twice fired artificial stone, incredibly resistant to weathering) ornamentation at Dalmeny was second only to Buckingham Palace as a domestic order from the Coade factory, with over 300 cases of Coade stone being shipped to Leith over 3 years.
The estates are very varied encompassing coastline and grouse moor, forestry and farms, let cottages and farmhouses, business units, golf courses, an inn and very
recently a windfarm.
Further west there are a number of mainly mixed farms in the vicinity of Livingston and Linlithgow and to the south-west of Edinburgh is Malleny Estate which skirts Currie and Balerno and runs up into the Pentland Hills.
To the south of Edinburgh are Rosebery and Leithenwater Estates, the largest block of land which stretches from Gorebridge southwards over the Moorfoot hills.
As circumstances change Rosebery Estates continues to evolve and adapt. Rapid changes in the farming industry have led to a reduced requirement for cottages to house farm staff and old farm buildings become obsolete. As a result Rosebery Estates have increasing numbers of business units developed from redundant farm buildings available to lease along with cottages and farmhouses.
recently a windfarm.
Further west there are a number of mainly mixed farms in the vicinity of Livingston and Linlithgow and to the south-west of Edinburgh is Malleny Estate which skirts Currie and Balerno and runs up into the Pentland Hills.
To the south of Edinburgh are Rosebery and Leithenwater Estates, the largest block of land which stretches from Gorebridge southwards over the Moorfoot hills.
As circumstances change Rosebery Estates continues to evolve and adapt. Rapid changes in the farming industry have led to a reduced requirement for cottages to house farm staff and old farm buildings become obsolete. As a result Rosebery Estates have increasing numbers of business units developed from redundant farm buildings available to lease along with cottages and farmhouses.
© Queensferry History Group 2016