News Update – Jun 2007:
World Monument Fund list of the 100 most endangered sites for 2008 includes Mavisbank

Mavisbank House, Loanhead, near Edinburgh - one of the finalists in the BBC 2 Restoration series - was eliminated. The architect James Simpson is a strong devotee of the refurbishment of Mavisbank House, a dilapidated Palladian villa:


Building photo from Simpson & Brown Architects 2005

Mavisbank House - Renovation:
Work to renovate the Mavisbank House, Loanhead, could begin in 2006/2007 in a £7m scheme. A development study, backed by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Midlothian Council, into the conservation, access, use and marketing of the 18th-century house and its 70-acre parkland ground, is nearing completion in Oct 2004.

Mavisbank
Mavisbank House in Loanhead, Midlothian, was chosen as one of 30 historic buildings from across the UK to be put to a viewers’ vote. The main prize for the series was a cash injection and expert advice. The BBC2 series, Restoration, saw the 280-year-old house, a ruin since it was gutted by fire 30 years ago, competing in the first shows against six other buildings in Scotland which are regarded as historic properties at risk.
17.04.03



Mavisbank house
John Clerk of Penicuik & William Adam
1723-24
Reputedly the first Palladian style villa to be built in Scotland though the now-demolished Amisfield House, Haddington is also reported to be the first.

Mavisbank House links:
www.egbt.org.uk
www.geo.ed.ac.uk
“action is finally being taken towards the restoration of Mavisbank House. As we all know, the house and its policies form the Mavisbank Conservation Area and the house is a scheduled Ancient Monument. A joint steering group has been set up to look into ways of funding this restoration project; a number of organisations are represented, most importantly Midlothian Council, Historic Scotland and the Edinburgh Green Belt Trust. A great deal of money will be needed for this but so very many people want it to come about that surely it is only a matter of time before work on the project can finally begin. Mavisbank, designed by Sir John Clerk and William Adam in 1723, would become one of the finest Adam houses in Scotland. “
www.lasswade.free-online.co.uk
“Mavisbank was saved by the Lothian Building Preservation Trust. Now exciting plans for its restoration have been developed. We have been working to advise on the commercial viability of the proposals and - very tentatively - it's possible to suggest that a phoenix may finally emerge from the destructive flames of twenty-eight years ago.”
www.edinburghconsultancy.com

Robert Adam Architect



Scottish Architecture: best Scottish Buildings of the last three decades
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Featured Edinburgh Buildings with involvement by Simpson & Brown Architects:
Rosslyn Chapel, Midlothian
St Ninian's Manse, Leith
Mansfield Traquair Centre, Edinburgh New Town
Scottish Seabird Centre, North Berwick

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Mavisbank House Building : page - adrian welch / isabelle lomholt