Photo: Hopetoun House by User:Supergolden, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
About this place
Sir William Bruce began Hopetoun House in 1699 for the Hope family on the shores of the Firth of Forth at South Queensferry, West Lothian.
William Adam later enlarged it from 1721, adding the grand façade, colonnades and State apartments that gave the house two distinct architectural characters under one roof.
It remains the seat of the Marquesses of Linlithgow, descendants of the Earls of Hopetoun who built it.
The parkland surrounding the house offers woodland walks and views across the Forth.
Read more on WikipediaHistory
Ownership has stayed with the same family line since Bruce laid the first stone, passing from the Earls of Hopetoun to their descendants the Marquesses of Linlithgow. In 1974 the family established the Hopetoun House Preservation Trust, a charity that now looks after the building, its collections and the grounds on behalf of the public.
Architecture
Bruce's original block, built from 1699 to 1707, is regarded as one of Scotland's finest early classical houses, noted for its carving, wainscotting and painted ceilings. William Adam's additions from 1721 brought a grander, more theatrical Palladian style, with a long façade and flanking colonnades designed for 18th-century entertaining.
Worth knowing
The interior holds a collection of paintings spanning several centuries.
Gardens & grounds
The parkland includes woodland walks and views across the Forth to the hills of Fife.
Facilities
Plan your visit
Nearest station: North Queensferry Rail Station (2.9 miles)
Open Easter to late September seasonally for visitor experience; check official website for exact dates.
Nearby properties
House of the Binns
View House of the Binns on heritage mapNewliston
View Newliston on heritage mapDunfermline Palace
View Dunfermline Palace on heritage mapHistoric places nearby
Within 5 miles of Hopetoun House there are 4 historic properties, including 2 historic houses, across Historic Houses, Historic Environment Scotland and National Trust for Scotland sites.
Within 10 miles of Hopetoun House there are 19 historic properties, including 4 historic houses, 4 castles and 3 abbeys, across Historic Environment Scotland, Historic Houses and National Trust for Scotland sites.
Within 20 miles of Hopetoun House there are 54 historic properties, including 13 castles, 12 historic buildings and 8 historic houses, across Historic Environment Scotland, National Trust for Scotland and Historic Houses sites.
Facts
Two of Scotland's great architects, Bruce and Adam, built one house, still home to the family that commissioned it.
- Type
- historic house
- Location
- West Lothian, Scotland
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