Penicuik House
Notes by the Penicuik House Preservation Trust

Penicuik House is the finest and most influential example of Palladian architecture in Scotland. It sits at the centre of an important 18th century designed landscape, which together form an exceptional physical record of the artistic patronage of the Clerk family, a family remarkable for its contribution to the cultural, intellectual, and scientific life of the Scottish Enlightenment. The house and policies are located ten miles to the south of Edinburgh, on the south west side of the town of Penicuik.

The designed landscape at Penicuik was laid out by Sir John Clerk, 2nd Baronet, in the first half of the 18th century. He planted extensively from 1699 until his death in 1755, following the principles set out in "The Country Seat" which described the ideal of the 18th century country house landscape. Influenced by the natural beauty and topography of the land, the policies contain eighteen structures including bridges, eyecatchers and monuments which provide its focal points. As an ensemble of 18th century garden buildings Penicuik is of exceptional importance, similar to better known examples at Stowe and Painshill.

It was Sir James Clerk, 3rd Baronet, who designed and built Penicuik House, with advice from the architect John Baxter Senior, between 1761-9. A considerable number of Clerk's sketches survive providing a valuable insight into the evolution and purpose of the design of a great 18th century house.

In his design for Penicuik Sir James rigidly followed the principles of Palladio, and successfully managed to fuse the classical style with the function of a country house. Sir James included direct reference to Scotland in the detailing of the house; statues of druids were placed in the niches flanking the entrance and the thematic scheme selected to embellish the coved ceiling of the main drawing rooms was derived from James Macpherson's "Ossian".

In 1857 extensions were added to the house by the prolific Scottish country house designer, David Bryce. Bryce's taller end 'blocks more than doubled the floor area of the house. They were built with considerable sensitivity and skill and are an unusual example of Bryce's work in the classical style.

Penicuik House was gutted by fire in 1899 and for over a hundred years has stood as a ruin. The ruin has become an accepted monument in the landscape and remains the focal point of the policies.

Penicu1k House Preservation Trust

The house and immediate surroundings are in the ownership of the Penicuik House Preservation Trust. The Trust was established in 1985 with the aim of securing the future of both, and has endeavoured since that time to secure sufficient funding to do so. A recently completed Feasibility Study has identified a dynamic and exciting way forward for Penicuik and an achieveable means of securing the future of the house.

Penicuik House Partnership

It is proposed that by creating a partnership between the Penicuik House Preservation Trust and the Scottish Lime Centre a project to consolidate the ruin of the house, providing both training and educational benefits, is possible.

Over a six year phased programme of work, the Penicuik House Partnership will consolidate the ruin of the house arid undertake the repair of the immediate garden features. The work will be professionally managed, employing apprentices and trainees on site for an eight month period each year. Interpretation facilities will be provided in the west wing and a series of training and outreach opportunities including lectures, courses and practical demonstrations would be co-ordinated on site by the Scottish Lime Centre Trust. The work will be instructed and overseen by a professional team led by architects accredited m conservation. A dedicated educational officer will be employed to manage the project and to formulate a year round educational programme.

Training opportunities

A comprehensive range of activities will be provided under the general heading of 'training'. These will include links with local primary and secondary schools utilising opportunities for cross curricular activities; participation by local groups supporting young adults with special learning needs; open days with visits and talks from local organisations and interest groups; encouragement of university and college participation; volunteer programmes; awareness days for local contractors; a local conservation 'fair' for home owners and tradesmen focussing on the local conservation areas and CP1) days aimed at budding industry professionals, managers and local authority staff. Finally, it will provide formal skills upgrading and recognition for the project contractor's site staff and apprentices through SQA National Units in Conservation Masonry.

Project objectives

The project will not only secure the future of a nationally important Category A Listed structure in the heart of Midlothian but will also result in a considerable number of trained apprentices skilled in the use of traditional materials and techniques. In addition, an educational programme for professionals and groups interested in the use of lime and traditional materials will also be provided. Access and interpretation for the enjoyment by the general public of this significant building and policies will finally be possible, as well as providing free access to green space within an ESF designated area.

Project costs & funding

The Clerk Family has agreed to provide a substantial endowment of £2.5 million to the Penicuik House Partnership to secure the future of the house. The income generated from this will ensure the long term future of the building once the initial programme of consolidation has been undertaken. The Partnership is actively seeking funding to meet the anticipated shortfall in order to allow it to begin the project in 2006.