Gosford Estate,Longniddry, Scotland dec 2021

Gosford House, the seat of the Earls of Wemyss and March, is set in 5,000 acres of combined coast and parkland in East Lothian on the south side of the Firth of Forth and close to the celebrated golf courses of Muirfield, Gullane and Craigielaw.

The property is dominated by Gosford House, an imposing neo-classical mansion which was one of the last great architectural commissions of the celebrated Scots architect, Robert Adam. Constructed for the seventh Earl of Wemyss, the building was completed in 1800 – eight years after the architect’s death – and is recognised as an outstanding example of the later period of his work.

Inside, the building exceeds the expectations raised by its elegant exterior. The Marble Hall, in the south wing, is arguably the most arresting of its many fine features. It was completed in 1891 by William Young for the tenth Earl of Wemyss and rises to a height of three storeys, with a magnificent double staircase leading to a surrounding picture gallery. The elaborate fireplace, alabaster colonnades and ornate plasterwork reflect the strong Italianate taste of the tenth Earl, while the Palladian screen of Venetian windows are reminiscent of Adam’s original designs.