NEWHAILES

Newhailes House

How many times have I passed the brown road sign for the National Trust for Scotland and not followed?

NEWHAILES reads the sign; and the way snakes off to a road not taken.  Now, at last, I visit the estate and discover an attractive, well-conserved neo-Palladian villa. 

The first surprise is the façade of the East wing.  There seems to be a balance to the structure but as I draw closer I can see there are no windows, only the painted resemblance of the astragal windows.

Elizabeth Maclean

I am in a small group being shown around the grounds and the interior of the house.  Our guide, Elizabeth Maclean, is knowledgeable and cheery and certainly has a love for her subject, the 300-year history of Newhailes.  The rococo features both inside and out flow with a balance and symmetry that is pleasing to the eye.  There is a feeling of transportation in time as dusty sights and musty smells assail the senses and transport you into the past. There is a feeling of drifting gently into the 17^th century.

What amazes me is that despite the lack of technology (least of all, a world without electricity), the architect James Smith was able to construct such a mansion, drawing on classical designs.  In the brochure is a convolved account of the various artists, sculptors and figures of history who contributed to the interior of the house.

The library has shelves from the floor to the top of the high ceiling but no books as they were apparently “gifted” to the National Library of Scotland in lieu of estate duty in 1978.  Compiled by the Dalrymple family and formed by Sir David Dalrymple in the 18^th century, the books are representative of the period of Scottish Enlightenment.  There were around 7,000 volumes with pamphlets, maps, and music.

Two of the artists who contributed to the interior painting on the walls, above the lintels and on the panels are Medina and Ramsay, famous figures of the Scottish Renaissance, the revival of the Scottish culture and the arts and philosophy.

Altogether, away from the city with its noise and bustle, Newhailes is one of the many refuges in and around Edinburgh for a mindful afternoon of roaming and resting.

Laudo Manentem, Praise Virtue