Hopetoun House is surrounded by a large park on the South bank of the Firth of Forth, just a few miles out of Edinburgh. It was originally built by Sir William Bruce, the architect of Holyrood Palace, for the 1st Earl of Hopetoun, Charles Hope. The estate had been acquired in 1678 by his father, John Hope, even though John was was never able to live on the property. He died in a shipwreck accompanying the Duke of York, the future James VII of Scotland (James II of England).
Work on the house began in 1699 with the construction of the central body that was extended in 1712 by William Adam. Following his death in 1748, his three sons, John, Robert and James, were responsible for the interior decorating between 1752 and 1767. Inside the house, the staircases and the wooden paneling with inlaid flowers and fruits are by Bruce, while the salons with their stuccoed and gilded ceilings display touches of Adam.
On August 29, 1822, Sir John Hope, 4th Earl of Hopetoun, welcomed George IV to his home during his visit to Scotland, the first sovereign to set foot in the country after Charles II.
The Hope family created a charitable trust in 1974 to ensure the preservation of Hopetoun House, opening the main rooms to the public and reserving a wing of the house for themselves.
Hey, there is no harm in dreaming!
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Lovely pictures! The bedroom is beautiful. Just imagine the dreams one could dream. :)
ReplyDeleteI think that wicked muse might even come back to give us an idea or two.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, how did you get pictures of my bedroom! I must needs check all reinforcements around the perimeter.... LOL What a gorgeous, gorgeous place Victoria! Can you even imagine living in such a place? I sure would lose my way many times but I think I would enjoy getting lost in there. :-)
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