Alternative Names Whitesyde; Mellerstain House Policies
Site type COUNTRY HOUSE
Canmore ID 57171
Site Number NT63NW 18.00
NGR NT 64765 39095
Council SCOTTISH BORDERS, THE
Parish EARLSTON
Former Region BORDERS
Former District ETTRICK AND LAUDERDALE
Former County BERWICKSHIRE

View this site on a map

Accessing Scotland's Past

The lands of Mellerstain were granted by King Charles I to an Edinburgh burgess, George Baillie of Jerviswood, in 1642. It was his grandson, also named George Baillie, who commissioned the architect William Adam to design and build the existing house. Work began in 1725, but by the time George Baillie died in 1738, only the two wings had been completed. The central portion of the house remained unbuilt.

The estate passed to George Baillie's grandson, George Hamilton, second son of the Earl of Haddington, who changed his name to Baillie when he inherited Mellerstain. He commissioned William Adam's famous son, Robert, to complete the building of Mellerstain, which he did between 1770 and 1778.

Surviving drawings suggest that Robert Adam intended to modify the wings designed by his father, but this work was never carried out. The exterior was slightly altered at a later date, when the main entrance was rebuilt in the style of the William Adam wings.

The interior boasts some of Robert Adam's finest work. The library is particularly outstanding, and the plaster ceiling in this room is one of his masterpieces. The interior also includes marble busts by Roubiliac, one of which represents Lady Grisel Baillie.



Text prepared by RCAHMS as part of the Accessing Scotland's Past project at http://www.accessingscotlandspast.org.uk

Archaeological Notes

NT63NW 18.00 64765 39095

NT63NW 18.01 Centred NT 64787 39065 Garden
NT63NW 18.02 NT 64828 39454 East Lodge
NT63NW 18.03 NT 64233 39338 Mausoleum
NT63NW 18.04 NT 64554 39249 Norman Cottage (The Old Cottage)
NT63NW 18.05 Centred NT 64719 39101 Stables and Cottages
NT63NW 18.06 NT 64293 39079 West Lodge
NT63NW 18.07 Centred NT 64418 39274 Home Farm

See also:
NT63NE 14 NT 6523 3901 Mellerstain, Small Bridge
NT63NE 27 NT 65126 38141 Mellerstain Mill

(NT 6475 3909) Mellerstain House was begun by George Baillie about 1725 with William Adam as architect, but two wings only were completed at that time. The main block was built about 40 years later, with Robert Adam as architect. (See plan, fig.17).
C Cruft 1964.

(The stables and cottage block at Mellerstain is also an 'A' listed building.)
Information from OS recorder (IF) 23 February 1979.

Photographed by CUCAP (air photographs: GT 41-4, JU 32-8).
CUCAP AP Catalogue.

Architectural Notes

NT63NW 18.00 64765 39095 Mellerstain House

NT63NW 18.01 64787 39065 Garden
NT63NW 18.02 64828 39454 East Lodge
NT63NW 18.03 64233 39338 Mausoleum
NT63NW 18.04 64554 39249 Norman Cottage (Old Cottage)
NT63NW 18.05 64716 39097 Stables
NT63NW 18.06 64293 39079 West Lodge
NT63NW 18.07 64418 39274 Home Farm

NT63NE 14 Mellerstain, Small Bridge


NMRS REFERENCE:

Architect: William Adam 1725 James Runciman, wright 1729 -
Robert Adam 1770-78 Mr Bonnar, painter, 1776 and James Adamson, carver, 1776
Robert Smirke supplied plan of thatched icehouse, 1825
Sir Reginald Blomfield 1909 - terrace and garden


MELLERSTAIN REFERENCES:

Bundle 2 -
Hunamundas in 1727.
Jo: Mercer at work per day - 23 days £1. 5. 6 1/2
Canall ( ) 27 June 1727. Workmen £10. 10. 11


Bundle 7 - Estate Management
Copy from Mr Smirke August 14th 1825, Lowther Castle, of Ice house used in
America (thatched). Plan of an Ice House costing from £12-£15 which has
answered perfectly when one that has cost £20 or £30 had failed, includes
2 sections.

Mr Craw's plan for the Cascade at the bridge. 1748. Ink sketched and instructions.

List of leaden statues Figures and flower plots, to be sent from Popes to
Mellerstain with their several weights. 24 June 1740, include Mark Anthony,
Juno, Venus, Mercury, Faurus,
Raine, Four boys and flower pots.

Acct fortress came from Mr Boutcher, gardener in Edinb. for planting the
Orchard. March 5th 1733.
Verso - Plan of orchard.

Draught of the Inclosures West and North side of Mellerstain Hill done by
John Bowie 1731.
Estimate of a burial place in the Temple at Mellerstain.



Bundle 16 - Accounts

8 April 1773. Discharge Acct. Mr W Hamilton, Edinburgh, for Mahogany (New
House) £3. 1. 0 (rails, astragals, pannels). Wood extremely well seasoned and
fit for immediate use.

2 May 1778. Memorandum payment to Mr Bonnar. Work done. August 1771 - May 1778.

Current a/c with John Wauchope WS -
16 Oct 1776. John Bonnar, painter his acct.
27 Dec 1776. James Adamson, carver £20
23 Jan 1777. '''' paid into his cash acct with the Royal Bank £500
4 Dec 1777. Cash paid Mr Bonnar, painter £40.



'Mellerstain Letters', bound volumes in library cupboard at Mellerstain, Volume IX 1724-29.

18 May 1725 from Wm Adam, sending George Baillie estimates for shell of house.
Interior fittings will depend on discussion with Baillie, who likes stucco
decoration. Discussess reduction of original design, as Baillie does not
want elaborate cornice. Suggests fitting upper storey into roof-space,
as he has just done in a wooden model prepared for Lord Aberdeen.
Describes a new type of imitation marble which he has learnt from a Swedish
inventor.

27 May 1726 from William Adam, agreeing to make floor of kitchen in E wing
lower, to allow 14 feet head space. Adjacent cellar will have 6' high
entressol above suitable for servant's lodgings while family are lodging in
the pavilion. Discusses Canal.

1729 Letters indicating that both pavilions are completed; trouble with
smoking chimney.



Page 59 - Mellerstain correspondence

29 May 1729 from James Runcimen to Lady Grizel Baillie about his progress in
building the stables at Mellerstain.

29 March 1731 from Lady Grizel Baillie did not like the stalls in the stables
and would like the next lot to be different.

1737-8 Letters from James Runciman.

Page 34 - January - March 1778 from Robert Adam concerned with modelling
figures. Will return the drawing of the gallery ornament. Have you got
another plasterer since you parted with Parvel (?). I am sorry he behaved
so ungratefully. Will send you drawings of ceilings of 2 rooms and 2
dressing rooms.
The bridge requires a little addtional information.

Mellerstain Muniments: Payments for work at Mellerstain 1776/7. Extracts in NMRS.

(Undated) information in NMRS.

Notes and Activities

Allen, N G (1980) 'Documentary research for Scotland's "Buildings in the Countryside Survey"', Bull Ass Preservation Technology, vol.12, 3
Page(s): 93-114 Held at RCAHMS F.7.1.ALL.P

Baldwin, J (1997) Edinburgh, Lothians and the Borders, Exploring Scotland's Heritage series Edinburgh
Page(s): 101-2 No. 36 Held at RCAHMS A.1.4.HER

Baldwin, J R (1985) Exploring Scotland's heritage: Lothian and the Borders, Exploring Scotland's heritage series Edinburgh
Page(s): 63, no. 29 Held at RCAHMS A.1.4.HER