Interior. Detail of fireplace in ground floor hall. Digital image of C 54103 CN.

Description Interior. Detail of fireplace in ground floor hall. Digital image of C 54103 CN.

Date 5/1995

Catalogue Number SC 772436

Category On-line Digital Images

Copy of C 54103 CN

Scope and Content Fireplace in the hall of Newbattle Abbey House, Midlothian This shows a carved wooden fireplace in the entrance hall decorated with an ornate cornice and columns. The main part of the surround is richly carved with ivy and other foliage, interspersed with panels bearing mottos, monograms, shields and cherubs' heads. The inner part of the fireplace and the hearth are made from white marble. The parquet floor has a marquetry border with a scrolling leaf design. The hall was used as a place to remove coats and hats before entering the reception rooms. The fireplace would warm the area, and act as a focal point. A new porch was added to the entrance façade of Newbattle Abbey House by an unknown architect in c.1886. It seems likely that the hall was also redesigned at this time in the style of David Bryce (1803-76), who had added a two-storeyed family wing in 1858, and a further extension in 1875. Newbattle Abbey was founded by Cistercian monks in 1140, and its church dedicated to St Mary in 1233-4. It became a private residence in 1587 when the last abbot, Mark Kerr, converted to Protestantism and was able to retain his lands. His son became Lord Newbattle in 1596. The remains of the abbey are built into the surviving house, which was modified and rebuilt by the architects John Mylne (1650), William Burn (1836) and David Bryce (1858). The house was gifted to the nation in 1937 to be used as a further education college. Source: RCAHMS contribution to SCRAN.

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/772436

File Format (TIF) Tagged Image File Format bitmap