“Throughout the eighteen century the most imposing property in Glasgow was the Shawfield Mansion built in 1712 for Daniel Campbell by his namesake Colen (who was, it seems, no relation). The house, which Campbell illustrated in the second edition of Vitruvius Britannicus, is his earliest recorded executed design. Compared to his later Wanstead, Shawfield was modest indeed - a seven-bay house with a pedimented and slightly projecting centre-piece, hipped roof and apparently a belvedere on top. It has considerable historical interest: though retaining one or two Wrennish features, Shawfield was virtually a complete Palladian house on the scale of Palladio’s villas. The type became popular in England in the 1730s and 1740s; but only one English example of the eighteenth-century Palladian revival is known to be earlier - William Benson’s Wilbury Park of 1710. Since Campbell became (after Palladio himself, that is) the greatest single influence on Burlington, English Palladianism may be said to have begun in Scotland.”
(Prince Charles Edward Stuart stayed in the mansion between December 1745 and January 1746. The prince is said to have met his mistress Clementina Walkinshaw there.)
Main text referred from The Architecture of Glasgow by Gomme and Walker.
But then as far as English logic is concerned, if Palladianism didn't start in England, then it started in Britain, rather than Scotland. Isn't that how it works?
ReplyDeleteThis house is grand in an understated sort of way, solid and elegant. It reminds me of the Josephine Abercrombie house in Kentucky, USA:
ReplyDeletehttp://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Biy1i9YVNgI/S3LvnwAsESI/AAAAAAAAAi8/qmmKc4LxkPc/s1600-h/3-KentuckyHouse.jpg (photo credit to The Architecturalist). Do you know if it is still extant? It is saddening to find out great gems like this have been destroyed.
I found this great website that lists all the country houses that have been demolished http://lh.matthewbeckett.com/lh_complete_list.html some of these houses were just spectacular.
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ReplyDeleteKevin, the Abercrombie House, designed by the English firm of Quinlan and Francis Terry, still exists. It was built in the mid-1980s.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.qftarchitects.com/projects/pages/housesoverseas/abercrombie.php
There is a rebuild of Shawfield Park. Details and a blog are on the www.sovalli.com site
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know where this rebuild is located?
Would be interested in learning how 21st century modern conveniences have been integrated into the plan.