@amy_boyington

Mount Stuart House, Isle of Bute, was begun for the 3rd Marquess of Bute (one of the richest men in the world) in 1879, to the designs of Sir Robert Rowand Anderson. This replaced the original house (built 1719) that had been destroyed by fire in December 1877. It is a striking example of ninteenth-century Gothic Revival architecture. The 3rd Marquess spared no expense on the lavish interior, where the emphasis is on quality and detailed craftsmanship. The Marble Hall is a captivating confection of tiered gothic colonnades built of 20 different types of marble, rising to an 80-foot-high vaulted ceiling decorated with a map of the stars made of glass crystals set into the stone. Interestingly, despite the clear advocation of mediaeval principles, Mount Stuart was equipped with the very latest conveniences. Not only was it the first house in Scotland to be lit by electricity, but a system of hot water pipes throughout the structure provided central heating. A telephone cable was installed in 1887 and the very latest plumbing system was serviced by a new waterworks built just 2 miles away. The swimming pool was the first ever heated pool to be contained within a house. The Marquess died in 1900 with Mount Stuart still not complete. In his will he left £100,000 to each of his children, with the exception of his eldest son, who inherited the Bute estates including Cardiff Castle and the family seat, Mount Stuart House, and Dumfries House in Ayrshire. Mount Stuart was completed by his heir and continued down the male line. Today, it is still owned by the family, although the Mount Stuart Trust has taken care of the house since 1989, maintaining it for the enjoyment of the public. . . . #mountstuart #mountstuarthouse #neogothicarchitecture #gothicarchitecture #19thcentury #19thcenturyarchitecture #isleofbute #architecture #countryhouse #statelyhome #historichouse #historicinteriors #luxuryinteriors #history #heritage