Sir William Bruce and the Scottish Country House
By Zachary Vincent
Beginning in the 1660’s, a number of commissions for important architectural projects became acquired by a certain Sir William Bruce. The gentlemen in question, who had previously lived in the Dutch city of Rotterdam and had become a thriving merchant there, had returned to his home country of Scotland to begin a series of building projects which would eventually change the way elite Scots lived from then until now. Initially unassuming, Sir William would come to dominate the market for both redesigning old family seats and constructing new ones from scratch, something which even his most esteemed contemporaries could hardly lay claim to. From the elegant grandeur of Hopetoun House to the hidden Baronial glory of Bruce’s Kinross residence, the architect impacted the design of the Scottish country house more than anyone else of his day, and, arguably, more than anyone since.
Figure 1. Hendrik Hulsbergh, plans for Hopetoun House, 17th century, engraving, Courtesy of National Gallery of Scotland
Historical debate, often centring on Sir William’s foreign influences, often neglects the important issue of exactly what impact he had upon the Scottish Country House. While widely assumed that he introduced classicism in the country house practically single-handedly, it has recently been noted that Sir William (Figure 1.) was far more versatile than this; while (arguably) his most famous project of Hopetoun House certainly projects a sense of classical balance, proportion, and restraint, a glance at some of his other projects suggests that the traditional stately homes of Scotland also had a profound influence upon Sir William’s architecture, at least as much as foreign classical ‘rediscoveries’ had. For example, the traditional tower house design of many Scottish retreats, so loved by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in a later century, was not eradicated by Bruce but rather enhanced in his expert restoration of houses which had fallen into a state of disrepair. By employing his intimate knowledge of historical architecture, Sir William renovated as many traditional tower houses as he did construct new Palladian ones. Hopetoun house is certainly an example of the understanding of symmetry, harmony, and perspective Sir William had, but is by no means the only way in which he practiced his art. In the intense care employed in designing his own country seat, Kinross House, Sir William displayed his desire for furthering modernity alongside constructing powerful homages to traditional design, particularly in the animalistic personification used throughout the property, as well as the sturdy, tower-incorporating design of the house itself.
And yet it is not only Sir William’s oft-overlooked versatility which has made him a fascinating historical figure, but also his strange personal life. The struggle he had with the Stuart monarchy in Scotland, best exemplified by his lifetime competition with the favourite architect of James VII, Master James Smith, never prevented him from supporting the exiled King and his heirs after the ‘Glorious Revolution’, something quite strange to modern commentators. What ever would compel a talented architect scorned by the Stuarts to become a stalwart Jacobite, particularly considering Sir William’s ardent Episcopalian faith? This question of loyalty has forever coloured the way country house architecture in the 17th and 18th centuries is seen today; was Sir William a conservative in disguise, protecting tradition at all costs, or was he a romantic artist, serving only his own whims and inclinations? These queries are embedded in the very stone of Scottish history and must remain an interest to art historians today who wonder about the extent to which this influenced his complex traditional- and innovative-hybrid designs. What can safely be said is that both the solidification of precedent and innovation in form Sir William Bruce (Figure 2.) demonstrated has become vital to the heritage of Scotland today.
Figure 2. John Michael Wright, Sir William Bruce, c.1664, oil on canvas, courtesy of the National Gallery of Scotland
Jacobite and genius, historical conundrum and dynamic classical innovator, Sir William left Scotland art which was undeniably influenced by his historical context, his lived experiences, and his political beliefs, yet it was almost certainly the country of his birth which most influenced his brilliance. Perhaps the most lasting tribute to the great architect is Holyrood Palace, the Queen’s official residence in Scotland to this day, which was not left untouched by Bruce’s imagination during his tenure as primary architect on the project for several years in the 1670’s. Embedded into one Scotland’s greatest symbols is the fine line between praising the old and valuing the new which was walked most influentially by a complicated artist of the 17th and 18th centuries who must not be forgotten.
Figure 3. Holyrood Palace, 1528-1678, courtesy of the Royal Collection Trust
Bibliography
Fenwick, Hubert. “Kinross House.” In Architect Royal: The Life and Works of Sir William Bruce 1630-1710,” pp. 80-95. Kineton: The Roundwood Press, 1970.
MacKechnie, Aonghus. “Sir William Bruce and Architecture in Early Modern Scotland.” Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland vol. XXIII (2013) pp. 1-14.
Wemyss, Charles. “Image and Architecture: A Fresh Approach to Sir William Bruce and the Scottish Country House.” Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland vol. XXIII (2013) pp. 117-132.