Kinneil House

Kinneil House is a mansion on the western edge of the Scottish town of Bo'ness in Falkirk unitary authority. In 1971 the building in the Scottish lists of monuments was first included in the category B. The be upgraded to the highest category A was 2006. Moreover, the building is classified as a Scheduled Monument since 1998.

History

Towards the end of the 13th century spoke of the future King Robert I. Walter fitz Gilbert of Cadzow, the oldest known ancestor of the Clan Hamilton, to the lands in the former West Lothian. In the 1470s was James Hamilton, 1st Lord Hamilton there is a tower house built. After James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran was employed as a regent for the underage Queen Mary Stuart, he let Kinneil House to expand in 1550. During the clashes after the fall of the queen was James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton to attack the building and blow up large parts with black powder. Some fragments are preserved but still integrated into Kinneil Castle. The northern part of the ruins were rebuilt as L-shaped tower house. Parts of this building are still preserved in the northern part of the building. Its present appearance Kinneil House as Anne Hamilton, 3rd Duchess of Hamilton was making 1677-1688 extensive renovations and additions to create a seat of the House Hamilton. This existing ruinous fragments have already been integrated into the new building. Thus, in the windowless back of the original building still loopholes to find. Other planned additions were finally no longer performed.

In the 18th century Kinneil House was leased. Among the tenants counted with John Roebuck also an important head of the Industrial Revolution. After he had heard of James Watt's invention of the steam engine, he offered him space on the property to further his invention. Watt accepted the offer and worked for some time at Kinneil House. Later, the philosopher Dugald Stewart leased the property. Until 1936 the building remained in possession of the Clan Hamilton, when it was sold to the town of Bo'ness. Originally the mansion to be torn down. When after work started, however, religious ceiling and wall paintings were discovered in the 16th and 17th century, was allowed on the project 's demolition. Only the L-shaped tower house was demolished.