Dalzell House

Dalzell House is a large mansion built around a 15th century castle.

The barony of Dalziel was granted to Hugh de Dalziel around 1288 and was held by the Dalziel family until around 1342 when Sir Robert Dalziel forfeited the lands for living in England without the King’s permission. It is likely that the Dalziels built a castle here however the earliest surviving part of the building is thought to date to the mid-15th century.

In 1373 the barony was granted to Sir Duncan Wallace of Sundrum and his wife, Eleanor Bruce, Countess of Carrick, by Robert II, whose heirs failing it was to pass to James Sandilands. Sir Duncan died without an heir around 1380 and the barony was subsequently granted by the King to his son-in-law, Sir James Sandilands, who had married Robert’s daughter, Johanne, in 1384.

In the 15th century the barony returned to the Dalziel family through marriage. Around this time a strong tower was built and was originally protected by a moat.

Sir Robert Dalzell was created Lord Dalzell by Charles I in 1628 and was succeeded upon his death in 1636 by his eldest son, also Sir Robert. The younger Robert was created Earl of Carnwath by Charles I in 1639 but in 1645 granted Dalzell to his nephew, James Hamilton of Boggs.

In 1649 Hamilton significantly enlarged the old tower with the addition of a three-storey wing to the south-west, complete with turrets and dormers.

In the 18th century the Hamiltons of Dalzell acquired the property of Browncastle although I haven’t been able to ascertain how. James Hamilton of Browncastle, a son of James Hamilton of Dalzell, died in 1788.

The tower was restored by Maitland Wardrop in 1853 and in 1857 R.W. Billings was commissioned to remodel and extend the house, with new west and north wings added amongst other alterations and additions.. He lived at Dalzell House for three years while the work was carried out.

Dalzell House remained in the Hamilton family into the 20th century but following the death of Gavin Hamilton, 2nd Baron Hamilton of Dalzell, in 1952 Dalzell House was sold and part of it was operated as The Gresham School for Boys from 1954 until 1967. The house was bought by Motherwell and Wishaw Town Council in 1967 but remained unused and empty although some restoration was carried out. In 1975 the house was transferred to Motherwell District Council and later put up for sale.

The house eventually sold in 1985 and was converted into eighteen apartments by the property developer Classical House, and the apartments remains private residences to this day.