James Gillespie Graham

James Gillespie Graham ( * 1776 in Dunblane, † March 21, 1855 in Edinburgh) was a Scottish architect. Born as James Gillespie, he took after his marriage to his first wife Margaret Graham of Orchill 1815 the name James Gillespie Graham.

Graham was a leading proponent of Scottish Gothic styles (also Scottish Baronial called ), the Scottish variant of the then widespread throughout Europe Gothic Revival. In contrast to other representatives of this style but he oriented himself more closely to medieval religious buildings as at the Scottish castle architecture. In addition, Graham also designed some buildings in neoclassical style. From contemporary viewers especially its interior design has been highlighted as particularly successful. His work is heavily influenced by the English architect Augustus Pugin.

Graham is the architect of numerous Scottish representative and religious buildings of the early 19th century. He designed, among others, the following churches: St. Mary's Roman Catholic Cathedral and the Greenside Church in Edinburgh, St. Andrews Roman Catholic Cathedral in Glasgow, as well as the Highland Tolbooth Church ( Edinburgh), which is no longer used as a church today, but under called the Hub as an event room and restaurant serves.

The showpiece designed by Graham include Duns Castle, Armadale Castle, Ayton Castle, Cambusnethan House, Crawford Priory and the Blythswood House, but was demolished in 1935. When his most famous work applies the Glenfinnan Monument at Loch Shiel. In Taymouth Castle and Hopetoun House come only parts of the interior design of Graham. The State Dining Room at Hopetoun House is considered to be inside architectural masterpiece, the Cambusnethan House as its managed -art architectural design activities.

In addition to his work as an architect Graham was temporarily Councillor and director of the George Heriot 's School in Edinburgh, where he spent most of his life.