Saltoun Hall
Encyclopedia
Saltoun Hall is an historic house standing in extensive lands off the B6355, Pencaitland
to East Saltoun road, about 1.5 miles from each village, in East Lothian
, Scotland
. The house is reached by way of an impressive gateway and is situated at .
was granted lands in the 12th century by King David I at Saltoun and were created hereditary High Constables of Scotland. Hugh de Morville was famed for his patronage of religious establishments; he founded the Benedictine
house at Kilwinning Abbey
in Ayrshire
before founding Dryburgh Abbey
in the old county of Roxburghshire
.
By 1260, Sir William Abernethy owned the lands and castle at Saltoun and it was to his family the title, Lord Salton was conferred, to Sir Lawrence Abernethy of Saltoun. The Abernethys were owners at Saltoun for nearly 400 years but in 1643, the estates were bought by Sir Andrew Fletcher, Lord Innerpeffer on whose family the land still belongs.
Over the years, Saltoun Castle was spared trouble and there is only one recorded incident at the castle. In 1548, during Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset
's occupation of Haddington, John Cockburn of Ormiston
seized the castle from the Abernethys, who appeared to be an 'assured' family (one who agreed with the English point of view during the "Rough Wooing' campaign). The castle was quickly retaken by the Earl of Arran
. There was obviously many extensions, changes and renewals at the castle but there are no records of that until the days of the Fletcher family. In 1769, Lord Fletcher added a new wing on the south side of the building, A separate extension was built for the library in 1779. This created an 'L' shaped house and a 'great stair' was built in the angle of the 'L'. In 1803, Robert Burn, an eminent Scottish architect, built new turrets on the corners giving the 'new' house a castellated appearance. His son, William Burn
another famed architect, put his father's work firmly in the shade when, in 1817, He completely transformed the building on a large scale giving what was described as a 'bleak magnificence'. A large square turret was added. The inside gives a wonderful Gothic Revival architecture
look and is rib vaulted throughout. A new corridor was built to provide a Gothic gallery and rooms were recast in a calm Grecian style. The house was sold in the late 1960s and subdivided in to quality apartments. The Fletchers sold the building and some of the estate but the family still live nearby. Today's house owes much to the architectural style of William Burn. The house is said to be haunted by a 'grey lady'.
Saltoun Hall was famed for a formally designed garden in the 19th century. David McHattie Forbes
served as Foreman Forrester for the estate from 1883 until his departure for Hawaii in 1887.
and the doocot (dovecote
) is a B listed building
(1653–1716) the grandson of the first at Saltoun was known, during his life and in death, as 'The Patriot', for his unflinching opposition to the Acts of Union 1707
.
Pencaitland
Pencaitland is a village in East Lothian, Scotland, about south-east of Edinburgh, south-west of Haddington, and east of Ormiston.The land where the village lies is said to have been granted by William the Lion to Calum Cormack in 1169, who gave the church, with the tithes and other property...
to East Saltoun road, about 1.5 miles from each village, 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 reached by way of an impressive gateway and is situated at .
History
Saltoun Hall began life, in the 12th century, as a tower or castle and, at that time, was in the hands of the powerful de Morville family. Hugh de Morville, Lord of Cunningham and LauderdaleHugh de Morville, Lord of Cunningham and Lauderdale
Hugh de Morville was a Norman knight who made his fortune in the service of David fitz Malcolm, Prince of the Cumbrians and King of Scots .His parentage is said by some to be unclear, but G. W. S...
was granted lands in the 12th century by King David I at Saltoun and were created hereditary High Constables of Scotland. Hugh de Morville was famed for his patronage of religious establishments; he founded the Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
house at Kilwinning Abbey
Kilwinning Abbey
Kilwinning Abbey is a ruined abbey located in the centre of the town of Kilwinning, North Ayrshire.-The establishment of the Abbey:The ancient name of the town is 'Segdoune' or 'Saigtown', probably derived from 'Sanctoun', meaning the 'town of the saint'. Saint Winnings festival was on 21 January...
in Ayrshire
Ayrshire
Ayrshire is a registration county, and former administrative county in south-west Scotland, United Kingdom, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine. The town of Troon on the coast has hosted the British Open Golf Championship twice in the...
before founding Dryburgh Abbey
Dryburgh Abbey
Dryburgh Abbey, near Dryburgh on the banks of the River Tweed in the Scottish Borders, was nominally founded on 10 November 1150 in an agreement between Hugh de Morville, Lord of Lauderdale and Constable of Scotland, and the Premonstratensian canons regular from Alnwick Abbey in Northumberland...
in the old county of Roxburghshire
Roxburghshire
Roxburghshire or the County of Roxburgh is a registration county of Scotland. It borders Dumfries to the west, Selkirk to the north-west, and Berwick to the north. To the south-east it borders Cumbria and Northumberland in England.It was named after the Royal Burgh of Roxburgh...
.
By 1260, Sir William Abernethy owned the lands and castle at Saltoun and it was to his family the title, Lord Salton was conferred, to Sir Lawrence Abernethy of Saltoun. The Abernethys were owners at Saltoun for nearly 400 years but in 1643, the estates were bought by Sir Andrew Fletcher, Lord Innerpeffer on whose family the land still belongs.
Over the years, Saltoun Castle was spared trouble and there is only one recorded incident at the castle. In 1548, during Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset
Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset
Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset, 1st Earl of Hertford, 1st Viscount Beauchamp of Hache, KG, Earl Marshal was Lord Protector of England in the period between the death of Henry VIII in 1547 and his own indictment in 1549....
's occupation of Haddington, John Cockburn of Ormiston
Ormiston
Ormiston is a village in East Lothian, Scotland, UK, near Tranent, Humbie, Pencaitland and Cranston, located on the north bank of the River Tyne at an elevation of about 276 ft....
seized the castle from the Abernethys, who appeared to be an 'assured' family (one who agreed with the English point of view during the "Rough Wooing' campaign). The castle was quickly retaken by the Earl of Arran
Earl of Arran
Earl of Arran is a title in both the Peerage of Scotland and the Peerage of Ireland. The two titles refer to different places, the Isle of Arran in Scotland, and the Aran Islands in Ireland...
. There was obviously many extensions, changes and renewals at the castle but there are no records of that until the days of the Fletcher family. In 1769, Lord Fletcher added a new wing on the south side of the building, A separate extension was built for the library in 1779. This created an 'L' shaped house and a 'great stair' was built in the angle of the 'L'. In 1803, Robert Burn, an eminent Scottish architect, built new turrets on the corners giving the 'new' house a castellated appearance. His son, 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...
another famed architect, put his father's work firmly in the shade when, in 1817, He completely transformed the building on a large scale giving what was described as a 'bleak magnificence'. A large square turret was added. The inside gives a wonderful Gothic Revival architecture
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
look and is rib vaulted throughout. A new corridor was built to provide a Gothic gallery and rooms were recast in a calm Grecian style. The house was sold in the late 1960s and subdivided in to quality apartments. The Fletchers sold the building and some of the estate but the family still live nearby. Today's house owes much to the architectural style of William Burn. The house is said to be haunted by a 'grey lady'.
Saltoun Hall was famed for a formally designed garden in the 19th century. David McHattie Forbes
David McHattie Forbes
David McHattie Forbes was a Scottish botanist, ethnologist, explorer on the island of Hawai'i. He practiced forestry, agronomy, and horticulture and served as the first district forester of South Kohala in 1905, and twenty years later was appointed a judge in Waimea...
served as Foreman Forrester for the estate from 1883 until his departure for Hawaii in 1887.
Listed Buildings
The house is an A listed buildingand the doocot (dovecote
Dovecote
A dovecote or dovecot is a structure intended to house pigeons or doves. Dovecotes may be square or circular free-standing structures or built into the end of a house or barn. They generally contain pigeonholes for the birds to nest. Pigeons and doves were an important food source historically in...
) is a B listed building
Andrew Fletcher - Scottish Patriot
Andrew FletcherAndrew Fletcher
Andrew Fletcher of Saltoun was a Scottish writer, politician, soldier and patriot. He was a Commissioner of the old Parliament of Scotland and is remembered as the leading opponent of the 1707 Act of Union between Scotland and England and an advocate of the Darién scheme, he also introduced...
(1653–1716) the grandson of the first at Saltoun was known, during his life and in death, as 'The Patriot', for his unflinching opposition to the Acts of Union 1707
Acts of Union 1707
The Acts of Union were two Parliamentary Acts - the Union with Scotland Act passed in 1706 by the Parliament of England, and the Union with England Act passed in 1707 by the Parliament of Scotland - which put into effect the terms of the Treaty of Union that had been agreed on 22 July 1706,...
.