Mount Stuart House

We did a circuit of the south of the island this morning. Largely agricultural and falling below the highland fault therefore classed as Lowland, the north of the island is Highland. We planned to walk to St Ninian’s head around a small bay but it was blowing a hoolie so we decided against it!

We got to Mount Stuart just after 11.00 in time for a coffee before our timed entrance to the house at 12.00. What a place! (Thanks again to Croftcrafts for suggesting it.)

Where to start. It’s a magnificent Victorian gothic building built by the 3rd Marquess of Bute to replace a former Georgian house which burned down in 1877. He was reputedly Britain’s wealthiest man who had travelled extensively and wanted to incorporate many things he had seen on his travels in his new house. 
The chapel, to the right, has a floor design in the style of the Sistine chapel. He was obsessed with astrology and astronomy.  The ceiling in the main hall has a mirror image of the constellations of the northern hemisphere ( mirror image as it was intended that a large mirrored table would be placed beneath it but it never happened). The stained glass windows around the hall illustrate the signs of the zodiac containing prisms which reflect the sun in beams of light down into the room. 
The Horoscope bedroom has a conservatory attached and can be used by wedding couples who hire the house for their wedding - the house was used by Stella Macartney for her wedding. 
Much was never completed as the Marquess had wanted to build a conservatory in the style of the Hagia Sofia in Istanbul! Some of the plans were fulfilled in the 1980’s by the 6th Marquess.

The house is in extensive gardens. Immediately behind the house entrance is a fantastic rock garden. You can see it in the extra together with the chapel floor and the horoscope room.

We walked through wooded paths to the hot house and kitchen garden. Lots of wonderful rhododendrons, azaleas and bluebells in bloom plus a few orchids and there is a Victorian Pinetum. At the other end of the grounds was the ‘Wee garden’, huge but enclosed housing Southern Hemisphere exotic plants. Quite remarkable in Scotland.
As you can see the front of the house is all lawn, it housed an artisans village during building as everything was built in situ. The family lived in Cardiff Castle ( link through marriage) while the building work took and many of the materials were bought from there.

A great visit, we were there four hours. The only thing we didn’t manage was the walk along the shore which was probably best avoided in the current winds.
Thanks again I ( Croftcrafts)

Just back from dinner in town, only 16,500 steps today. Would you believe sitting across the room from us was a couple from our village back home!