Bankton House
Encyclopedia
Bankton House is a late 17th century house situated south of Prestonpans
in East Lothian
, Scotland
. The house is located between the A1 road and the East Coast Main Line
railway at .
were granted lands at Prestongrange
, to the west of Prestonpans, by Robert de Quincy. Their main purpose at Prestongrange, apart from prayers and solace, was the panning of salt on the southern shores of the Firth of Forth
. To heat the salt pans they used wood at first, but then found a plentiful supply of fuel in the rich coalfields of East Lothian.
The monks used specific routes between Newbattle and the mother house at Melrose Abbey
as well as a route between Prestongrange and Newbattle which would pass the Abbot's dwellings at Inveresk
. Those roads became known as the Salter's Roads. There appears to be clear evidence that another route led past what is now Bankton, and on that route the monks' procession would stop. At the site of the stop an establishment was erected which became known as "Holy Stop", later known as Oliestob. Following the Scottish Reformation
in 1560 when the lands of Bankton passed to Mark Kerr, Commendator of Newbattle
.
, writing as early as 1687, relates that his grandfather, Robert, 1st Earl of Winton
, provided the lands of "Hollistobe, vulgo Olivestob" to Alexander's uncle, Sir Thomas Seton, the
earl's fourth son. The 1st Earl of Winton died in 1603, and therefore the Setons must have owned Olivestob before 1603.
Sir John Hamilton, a descendant of the Hamiltons of Boreland, bought Olivestob from Sir John Seton in 1624 and, on his death, left the house to his son William. In 1674, Captain Thomas Hamilton, younger brother of William, bought the estates. Later that year Thomas married Grizell Hamilton of Westport. Grizell's grandfather owned the nearby estate at Preston
and was the brother of Thomas Hamilton, 1st Earl of Haddington
. Captain Hamilton was previously in service in Sweden but on his return to Edinburgh
as a merchant was promoted to Colonel in the Edinburgh Regiment. Colonel Hamilton's son James studied law at Leiden in Holland and was admitted as an advocate
in 1708. He was later appointed Sheriff of Haddington
by Queen Anne
, a position he held until 1715.
James Hamilton suffered serious debt problems and was forced to sell the estate in 1733 to Colonel James Gardiner, a distinguished army officer. Some confusion arises when the name was changed to Bankton but, according to Doddridge, Colonel Gardiner called his new home Bankton since he had received several letters from the officer addressed as Bankton.
Colonel Gardiner was mortally wounded at the Battle of Prestonpans
on 21 September, within sight of his own home. He was leading a rear guard action of British troops against the Highland rebels of Charles Edward Stuart
(Bonnie Prince Charlie) when he was cut down. He died later that day at the manse
of Tranent Parish Church
less than a mile away.
Following the death of Colonel Gardiner, the house was purchased by Andrew McDouall, an eminent Edinburgh advocate. Ten years later, in 1755, McDouall was elevated to the bench of the High Courts of Scotland
, and assumed the name of Lord Bankton. On McDouall's death, he bequeathed money for the poor of Prestonpans. The house remained in the McDouall family in to the 20th century, and a farm was administered from the house by tenants. A colliery was sunk just to the west of the house.
In 1852, fire destroyed Bankton House. The house was restored, only to meet the same fate in 1966. It was a category A listed building before the 1966 fire and, in 1971, was described as a "non impressive ruin".
, East Lothian Council and Scottish National Heritage. The house is now divided into separate apartments. The two pavilions still stand at either side of the garden. The west pavilion, a former doocot (dovecot
), now contains an exhibition on the restoration, and a history of the house. Bankton House and Colonel Gardiner's Monument within the grounds are both category B listed buildings.
Prestonpans
Prestonpans is a small town to the east of Edinburgh, Scotland, in the unitary council area of East Lothian. It has a population of 7,153 . It is the site of the 1745 Battle of Prestonpans, and has a history dating back to the 11th century...
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...
. The house is located between the A1 road and the East Coast Main Line
East Coast Main Line
The East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
railway at .
Pre-Reformation
In the 12th century, the monks of Newbattle AbbeyNewbattle Abbey
Newbattle Abbey was a Cistercian monastery near the village of Newbattle in Midlothian, Scotland, which has subsequently become a stately home and then an educational institution.-Monastery:...
were granted lands at Prestongrange
Prestongrange
Prestongrange is a place in East Lothian, Scotland, UK, situated between Musselburgh to the west, and Prestonpans in the east.The placename derives from "Preston", meaning "priest's town", and a grange which was worked by the Cistercian monks of Newbattle Abbey.In the 16th century the Morison...
, to the west of Prestonpans, by Robert de Quincy. Their main purpose at Prestongrange, apart from prayers and solace, was the panning of salt on the southern shores of the Firth of Forth
Firth of Forth
The Firth of Forth is the estuary or firth of Scotland's River Forth, where it flows into the North Sea, between Fife to the north, and West Lothian, the City of Edinburgh and East Lothian to the south...
. To heat the salt pans they used wood at first, but then found a plentiful supply of fuel in the rich coalfields of East Lothian.
The monks used specific routes between Newbattle and the mother house at Melrose Abbey
Melrose Abbey
Melrose Abbey is a Gothic-style abbey in Melrose, Scotland. It was founded in 1136 by Cistercian monks, on the request of King David I of Scotland. It was headed by the Abbot or Commendator of Melrose. Today the abbey is maintained by Historic Scotland...
as well as a route between Prestongrange and Newbattle which would pass the Abbot's dwellings at Inveresk
Inveresk
Inveresk is a civil parish and was formerly a village that now forms the southern part of Musselburgh. It is situated on slightly elevated ground at the south of Musselburgh in East Lothian, Scotland...
. Those roads became known as the Salter's Roads. There appears to be clear evidence that another route led past what is now Bankton, and on that route the monks' procession would stop. At the site of the stop an establishment was erected which became known as "Holy Stop", later known as Oliestob. Following the Scottish Reformation
Scottish Reformation
The Scottish Reformation was Scotland's formal break with the Papacy in 1560, and the events surrounding this. It was part of the wider European Protestant Reformation; and in Scotland's case culminated ecclesiastically in the re-establishment of the church along Reformed lines, and politically in...
in 1560 when the lands of Bankton passed to Mark Kerr, Commendator of Newbattle
Abbot of Newbattle
The Abbot of Newbattle was the head of the Cistercian monastic community of Newbattle Abbey, Midlothian. It was founded by David I of Scotland in 1140.-List of abbots:* Radulf, 1140-1147x1150* Amfrid, 1159-1179...
.
Secular history
Alexander Seton, 1st Viscount of KingstonAlexander Seton, 1st Viscount of Kingston
Sir Alexander Seton, 1st Viscount of Kingston , a Cavalier, was the first dignity Charles II conferred as King.-Family:...
, writing as early as 1687, relates that his grandfather, Robert, 1st Earl of Winton
Robert Seton, 1st Earl of Winton
Robert Seton, 1st Earl of Winton was one of the Scottish peers who supported Mary, Queen of Scots.-Early years:The son of George Seton, 7th Lord Seton, Robert Seton grew up active in the affairs of his father and of the State. He was educated early in France, and accompanied his father during his...
, provided the lands of "Hollistobe, vulgo Olivestob" to Alexander's uncle, Sir Thomas Seton, the
earl's fourth son. The 1st Earl of Winton died in 1603, and therefore the Setons must have owned Olivestob before 1603.
Sir John Hamilton, a descendant of the Hamiltons of Boreland, bought Olivestob from Sir John Seton in 1624 and, on his death, left the house to his son William. In 1674, Captain Thomas Hamilton, younger brother of William, bought the estates. Later that year Thomas married Grizell Hamilton of Westport. Grizell's grandfather owned the nearby estate at Preston
Preston, East Lothian
Preston is a village on the East Lothian coast of Scotland, to the south of Prestonpans, the east of Prestongrange, and the southwest of Cockenzie and Port Seton....
and was the brother of Thomas Hamilton, 1st Earl of Haddington
Thomas Hamilton, 1st Earl of Haddington
Thomas Hamilton, 1st Earl of Haddington , designated before his peerage as 'of Drumcarny, Monkland, and Binning', was a Scottish administrator, Lord Advocate, judge, and Lord Lieutenant of Haddingtonshire.-Family:...
. Captain Hamilton was previously in service in Sweden but on his return to 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...
as a merchant was promoted to Colonel in the Edinburgh Regiment. Colonel Hamilton's son James studied law at Leiden in Holland and was admitted as an advocate
Advocate
An advocate is a term for a professional lawyer used in several different legal systems. These include Scotland, South Africa, India, Scandinavian jurisdictions, Israel, and the British Crown dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man...
in 1708. He was later appointed Sheriff of Haddington
Haddington, East Lothian
The Royal Burgh of Haddington is a town in East Lothian, Scotland. It is the main administrative, cultural and geographical centre for East Lothian, which was known officially as Haddingtonshire before 1921. It lies about east of Edinburgh. The name Haddington is Anglo-Saxon, dating from the 6th...
by Queen Anne
Anne of Great Britain
Anne ascended the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702. On 1 May 1707, under the Act of Union, two of her realms, England and Scotland, were united as a single sovereign state, the Kingdom of Great Britain.Anne's Catholic father, James II and VII, was deposed during the...
, a position he held until 1715.
James Hamilton suffered serious debt problems and was forced to sell the estate in 1733 to Colonel James Gardiner, a distinguished army officer. Some confusion arises when the name was changed to Bankton but, according to Doddridge, Colonel Gardiner called his new home Bankton since he had received several letters from the officer addressed as Bankton.
Colonel Gardiner was mortally wounded at the Battle of Prestonpans
Battle of Prestonpans
The Battle of Prestonpans was the first significant conflict in the Jacobite Rising of 1745. The battle took place at 4 am on 21 September 1745. The Jacobite army loyal to James Francis Edward Stuart and led by his son Charles Edward Stuart defeated the government army loyal to the Hanoverian...
on 21 September, within sight of his own home. He was leading a rear guard action of British troops against the Highland rebels of Charles Edward Stuart
Charles Edward Stuart
Prince Charles Edward Louis John Casimir Sylvester Severino Maria Stuart commonly known as Bonnie Prince Charlie or The Young Pretender was the second Jacobite pretender to the thrones of Great Britain , and Ireland...
(Bonnie Prince Charlie) when he was cut down. He died later that day at the manse
Manse
A manse is a house inhabited by, or formerly inhabited by, a minister, usually used in the context of a Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist or United Church...
of Tranent Parish Church
Tranent Parish Church
Tranent Parish Church is a kirk belonging to the Church of Scotland. It is situated in the East Lothian town of Tranent south-east of Edinburgh...
less than a mile away.
Following the death of Colonel Gardiner, the house was purchased by Andrew McDouall, an eminent Edinburgh advocate. Ten years later, in 1755, McDouall was elevated to the bench of the High Courts of Scotland
College of Justice
The College of Justice is a term used to describe the Supreme Courts of Scotland, and its associated bodies.The constituent bodies of the supreme courts of Scotland are the Court of Session, the High Court of Justiciary, and the Accountant of Court's Office...
, and assumed the name of Lord Bankton. On McDouall's death, he bequeathed money for the poor of Prestonpans. The house remained in the McDouall family in to the 20th century, and a farm was administered from the house by tenants. A colliery was sunk just to the west of the house.
In 1852, fire destroyed Bankton House. The house was restored, only to meet the same fate in 1966. It was a category A listed building before the 1966 fire and, in 1971, was described as a "non impressive ruin".
Restoration
Between 1988 and 1995, the house was given a new lease of life when the Lothian Building Preservation Trust undertook to re-build the ruins and renew the house. The initiative was funded by grants from Historic ScotlandHistoric Scotland
Historic Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government, responsible for historic monuments in Scotland.-Role:As its website states:...
, East Lothian Council and Scottish National Heritage. The house is now divided into separate apartments. The two pavilions still stand at either side of the garden. The west pavilion, a former doocot (dovecot
Dovecot
Dovecot may refer to:* Dovecot, Merseyside, an area of the City of Liverpool* Dovecot , an IMAP and POP software package-See also:* Dovecote, a building for pigeons or doves* Dovecote...
), now contains an exhibition on the restoration, and a history of the house. Bankton House and Colonel Gardiner's Monument within the grounds are both category B listed buildings.