Gazing at Preston Hall today, one might not realize its somewhat troubled beginnings. A house stood here in 1700. Then, in 1738, Henrietta, the widow of Alexander Gordon, bought the estate. She commissioned William Adam to alter the house around 1740.
Fast forward to 1789. Alexander Callander, flush with East India Company fortune, purchased Preston Hall. He found the house in poor condition. Callander hired Robert Mitchell to design a new one. The original Preston Hall was demolished soon after. The foundation stone for the new house was laid on March 18, 1791.
Sadly, Alexander Callander died in 1792. His brother John completed the house in 1800. So Preston Hall became the most important architectural work of Robert Mitchell. Mitchell also designed Moore Place and Nelson’s Column.
Notice the front facade. It has been compared to an illustration in Robert Morris’s 1728 Essay in the Defence of Ancient Architecture. Some considered it dated even when built. The rear is more neoclassical. It has a central block flanked by pavilions. These pavilions might predate the main building. William Adam may have designed them. Mitchell remodeled them later.
Inside Preston Hall, four life-size female figures adorn the stairway. They are made of Coade stone. This is a type of ceramic used as an artificial stone.
The grounds of Preston Hall boast notable features. The North Gate dates back to around 1740. The octagonal Temple was intended as Alexander Callander’s mausoleum. Lion statues made from Coade stone top the gate piers. This entrance is known as the Lion Gate. The walled garden includes brick gazebos. They once served as viewing platforms. In 1842, the garden cultivated 40 varieties of fig.
Notably, Ensign Ewart, victor at Waterloo, found temporary rest here. He was buried at Preston Hall folly. This happened while work occurred at Edinburgh Castle.
The designed landscape was originally laid out in the first half of the 18th century. It was extended at the turn of the 18th century. It has been maintained largely in accordance with this layout since then.
Look for the male yew. It stands beside the children’s playground just outside the walled garden. It may be one of the earliest plantings at Preston Hall. Applying the girth to age formula means the yew is around 324 years old. Its origin dates back to circa 1700. This was when the first house was built here.
The Callander family continues to own Prestonhall. Preston Hall stands as a testament to Scotland’s rich history. It reflects changing architectural styles. It also represents the families who shaped it.