Architecture Notes

Event ID 833420

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Architecture Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/833420

NT07NE 4.00 05080 78567

(NT 0508 7855) The Binns (NR)

OS 6" map (1967)

NT07NE 4.01 NT 05254 78591 Tower

NT07NE 4.02 NT 05029 78267 Cottages and Stable buildings (ruins)

NT07NE 4.03 NT 05170 78260 Pond

NT07NE 4.04 NT 01571 78318 Walled garden

NT07NE 4.05 NT 05717 77809 East Lodge

NT07NE 4.06 NT 05082 78227 Cottage (Garden House)

House now curated by the National Trust for Scotland

NMRS REFERENCE:

Owner: National Trust for Scotland.

Occupier: Mrs Dalyell of the Binns

Architect: Thomas Brown 1823 - East Gate (10 guineas for making plan and superintending)

Reslated etc - reparations c. 1722

William Burn - adds 1810

Alexander White, plasterer 1612-30

Plans:

Dick Peddie & MacKay, Edinburgh alterations

Bin 12, Bag 2 Peddie & Forbes Smith 1913

EXTERNAL REFERENCE:

National Library: Small's "Castles and Mansions of the Lothians"

Scottish Record Office: Binns Papers 1320-1864 - text rebuilding

REFERENCE: Historic Scotland

Built for Thomas Dalyell, merchant in Edinburgh, who had acquired land of Binns 1612. Extended for his son and heir General Tam Dalyell, (1615-1685) who defeated Covenanters at Rullion Green (Midlothian) Nov. 1666 and raised the Royal Scots Greys here 1681. Altered for Sir James 5th Bt. Sir John Graham Dalyell 6th Bt. (1778-1851) was eminent antiquary and zoologist.

(Undated) information in NMRS.

The house of "The Binns", property of the National Trust for Scotland, stands today much as it did after Thomas Dalyell had completed its restoration in 1612-30. Since then, c.1745-50, two rooms were added on the S side of the house where the courtyard was, and later, other rooms were added on the W wing of the house. About 1810, the old crow-stepping and pointed turrets were replaced by battlements.

There is no record of the old house as it was when Thomas Dalyell bought it, but examination of the layout and walls (especially while re-harling was in progress in 1938) suggests that it consisted of two buildings, now part of the E and W wings, joined on the N by a main building and two towers lower in height than at present. The position of the house and the strong tradition that the site has been inhabited since Pictish times (see NT07NE 3) makes it not unreasonable to suppose that these older buildings grew up where in earlier times the Picts had their dwellings. There is written evidence of "the lands of the Bynnis" (in various spellings) from 1335 onwards, and of the existence of a house prior to 1478.

RCAHMS 1933; NTS Binns Guide

While The Binns is a house of considerable importance its external appearance has been marred by harling and the addition of battlements.

Visited by OS (JLD) 22 January 1953 and (JP) 26 March 1974.