Newliston (site of)

Newliston was a castle belonging to the Dundas family however it was replaced by Newliston House in the 18th century and no trace of it now remains.

The barony of Old Liston, of which the lands of Newliston were a part, were held by the Knights Hospitaller of Torphichen Preceptory. In the 15th century Duncan Dundas, second son of James Dundas of Dundas and Christian Stewart, acquired the barony of Newliston.

Whether it was Duncan who built the first castle at Newliston is unclear, however a tower, fortalice and manor on the lands of Nethir Newlistoun are mentioned in a charter of 1543.

The castle was remodelled in the 17th century, but when Sir John Dundas of Newliston died in the middle of that century he left extensive debts for his heir and daughter, Elizabeth Dundas of Newliston, who inherited the estates in 1665. She married Sir John Dalrymple, later 1st Earl of Stair, in 1669.

Their son John Dalrymple, 2nd Earl of Stair, was ambassador to the French court at Versailles between 1715 and 1720 and upon his return to Scotland he set about improving his estates of Newliston and Castle Kennedy in the French style.

William Adam drew up plans for the gardens at Newliston in 1723, but it isn’t clear if the work was carried out as he also proposed a new house that wasn’t built. The stables ay Newliston are in the Adam style and appear to be his work.

Following the death of the 2nd Earl in 1747 Newliston was sold to Robert Hog, a London merchant descended from the Hogs of Berwickshire. His son, Thomas Hog, commissioned Robert Adam to build a new house in 1789 to the south-east of the old house. The old house remained occupied until 1792 and was subsequently demolished.

In 1845 new wings were added to Newliston to the designs of David Bryce.