Document record MAB57152 - HERMITAGE OF POWIS

Site of a hermitage, dating from the late 18th century, the site located next to what is now known as Hermitage Avenue, off Bedford Road.

Site of a hermitage, dating from the late 18th century, the site located next to what is now known as Hermitage Avenue, off Bedford Road. The hermitage that was built by Alexander Leslie a few years prior on his land at Clerkseat was the pattern for the hermitage built in 1781 at this site on Firhill, or Hermitage Hill. The building was known as the 'House on the Hill'. On the historical Ordnance Survey maps of 1866-9 and 1900-3 the hermitage still shows as a feature of the 'hill', surrounded by trees with no other building work or development. Hermitages and temples were features of formal gardening in the late eighteenth century and were used only for recreation. The building of the hermitage was begun in June 1781 but the building expenses for the hermitage show that work was carried out between May 1781 and October 1782. The cost of the work totalled: £149 8d. 1d. It was an octagonal brick building and entry to the main room was at ground level. The main room was decorated with plaster ornamentation of shell pattern and contained four semicircular recesses. It also had a spring release button and when it was pressed, the wall of the recess rolled back and exposed a stone staircase going underground into the hill. The four corners at the foot of the chamber were outlined by small barrel-vaulted cells lighted by small openings. The hermitage also had an attic room, which was reached externally by an inclined slope, and in the centre of the room was a wooden corkscrew stair, probably intended to lead to the roof. A painting done by Naismith in 1798 showed a flat roof surrounded by a railing but later the roof was thatched. Between 1782 and 1785 the accounts regarding the hermitage show entries of expenses on oysters, almonds, sugar, oranges, Port and butter for use at the House on the Hill. There was also live music performed inside the building.

Author unknown, , SCOTTISH NOTES AND QUERIES, 3rd series, vIX, p165-7 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1839.

BURNETT, JG, 1951, POWIS PAPERS 1507 – 1894 (Bibliographic reference). SAB104.

Record last edited

Jan 13 2021 3:21PM