Finlaystone House

Finlaystone House is a mansion house near the Scottish town of Kilmacolm in Inverclyde. In 1971 the building was added to the Scottish lists of monuments in the highest category A. The property is isolated on the eastern border of Inverclyde to Renfrewshire between the municipalities of Port Glasgow and Langbank on the southern shore of the Firth of Clyde. Parts of the gardens are already part of Renfrewshire.

History

First time ever, the lands of " Finlay 's Town " in the 12th century mention. Around 1400 they came by marriage into the possession of the Clan Cunningham. In this century, originated with Finlaystone Castle a fortified building predecessor of the present manor house, which was in 1796 the seat of the Earls of Glencairn up to the extinction of the line in years. In 1746, William Cunningham, 13th Earl of Glencairn was built the present mansion. As an architect engaged John Douglas. It is likely that this torn large parts of the old building, but also some fragments were transferred to the new house. Later the poet Robert Burns spent some time on the property. During this time, he carved his name in a window frame, which is preserved to this day.

After John Cunningham, 15th Earl of Glencairn, the line became extinct in 1796, the property went over to Robert Graham of Gartmore, who founded the line of Cunninghame - Graham. His son William Cunninghame Cunninghame Graham lost a fortune after he was convicted of counterfeiting. As an eleven year old Robert Cunninghame Graham was forced to sell Finlaystone House due to the financial situation in 1863. David Carrick- Buchanan purchased the property, let it expand in 1872 and leased it in 1873 to George J. Kidston, which bought it 14 years later. Between 1898 and 1902 the building was expanded again. For the work of the important architect John James Burnet was recovered. Through marriage Findlaystone came in the first half of the 20th century in the possession of the Clan Macmillan, whose clan seat, it has since become. The large parks are now open to the public, while parts of the house can be rented for celebrations.