Huntershill House
Encyclopedia
Huntershill House is an 18th-century building in Bishopbriggs
, East Dunbartonshire
, Scotland
. It was built around 1765, designed by an unknown architect. From the 1780s it was the family home of the political reformer Thomas Muir
, Younger of Huntershill (1765–1799). It is now owned by East Dunbartonshire
Council, and is a category B listed building, as well as being listed on the Buildings at Risk Register.
In August 1781 the house was advertised for sale along with other property belonging to Martin, who had recently died. The following year it was purchased by James Muir, father of Thomas, and became the family home for some time afterwards. James Muir advertised the house for sale in December 1798, when it was said to consist of “a Kitchen, nine Fire-rooms, besides Garret-rooms, Closets, and two sunk Cellars”. James Muir died in 1801 and the house was sold by his Trustees to the Gallaway family.
The house passed through the hands of many different occupiers but remained in the ownership of the Gallaway family from 1803 until the 1953 when it was sold by the Gallaway Trustees to Mrs. Olive McGilvray.
On 15 May 1975 a small museum of Thomas Muir memorabilia was opened in a room on the upper floor of the house. The museum is now housed in Bishopbriggs Library and includes a magnificent bust of Muir by Scottish artist and sculptor Alexander Stoddart.
Bishopbriggs
Bishopbriggs is a town in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland. The area was once part of the historic parish of Cadder - originally lands granted by King William the Lion to the Bishop of Glasgow, Jocelin, in 1180. It was later part of the county of Lanarkshire and subsequently an independent burgh from...
, East Dunbartonshire
East Dunbartonshire
This article is about the East Dunbartonshire council area of Scotland. See also East Dunbartonshire .East Dunbartonshire is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. It borders onto the north-west of the City of Glasgow. It contains many of the suburbs of Glasgow as well as containing many of...
, 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 was built around 1765, designed by an unknown architect. From the 1780s it was the family home of the political reformer Thomas Muir
Thomas Muir (radical)
Thomas Muir was a Scottish political reformer.Muir was the son of James Muir, a hop merchant, and was educated at Glasgow Grammar School, before attending the University of Glasgow to study divinity...
, Younger of Huntershill (1765–1799). It is now owned by East Dunbartonshire
East Dunbartonshire
This article is about the East Dunbartonshire council area of Scotland. See also East Dunbartonshire .East Dunbartonshire is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. It borders onto the north-west of the City of Glasgow. It contains many of the suburbs of Glasgow as well as containing many of...
Council, and is a category B listed building, as well as being listed on the Buildings at Risk Register.
Tenants
Huntershill house was built by a Glasgow merchant named James Martin. It was situated beside the old post road from Glasgow to Stirling (Crowhill Road) which, however, ceased to be a main road during 1790s when the Inchbelly Turnpike trustees built a new road on the present Kirkintilloch Road alignment.In August 1781 the house was advertised for sale along with other property belonging to Martin, who had recently died. The following year it was purchased by James Muir, father of Thomas, and became the family home for some time afterwards. James Muir advertised the house for sale in December 1798, when it was said to consist of “a Kitchen, nine Fire-rooms, besides Garret-rooms, Closets, and two sunk Cellars”. James Muir died in 1801 and the house was sold by his Trustees to the Gallaway family.
The house passed through the hands of many different occupiers but remained in the ownership of the Gallaway family from 1803 until the 1953 when it was sold by the Gallaway Trustees to Mrs. Olive McGilvray.
Council Ownership
In 1969 the newly-formed Bishopbriggs Town Council decided to purchase it to serve as a pavilion for the adjacent recreation ground, then subject to the new development plans. The conversion would involve a total re-modelling of the interior of the house, which had not changed much since Muir’s time, and the construction of a two storey extension. The Council was allowed to carry out these drastic alterations since the house was not listed at the time. The conversion was accomplished during 1969-70 and was formally handed over by the contractor on the 13th November of the latter year.On 15 May 1975 a small museum of Thomas Muir memorabilia was opened in a room on the upper floor of the house. The museum is now housed in Bishopbriggs Library and includes a magnificent bust of Muir by Scottish artist and sculptor Alexander Stoddart.