Description

Earlier 19th century. 2 sets of rusticated and tooled pink sandstone ashlar gatepiers with linking quadrant walls sited at former entrance to Hamilton Palace estate, bearing motifs from the Hamilton coat of arms. Built on ground falling to N

MAIN (CENTRAL) PIERS: Greek-cross plan, base couse; string course; frieze with triglyphs at corners and Hamilton family motifs to metopes (five-pointed star, fleur-de-lys and rose); modillions to over-hanging cornice with 2 lion masks to each side; scrolled panels to truncated pyramidal cap.

OUTER PIERS: slimmer square-plan piers with identical decoration.

QUADRANT WALLS: stugged pink sandstone ashlar with cavetto moulding below square cope.

Statement of Interest

A handsome set of gatepiers at one of the former entrances to the Hamilton Palace Estate. Hamilton Palace, which was demolished in the 1920s, was one of the most important country houses in Scotland and these gatepiers are one of a very few remaining structures on its former estate. They were probably erected by the 10th Duke of Hamilton who carried out a massive programme of remodelling the Palace from 1822. The gatepiers now stand at the entrance to Bothwell Sewage works, and occupy a prominent position on the B7071, just South of Bothwell Bridge.

The 1st Edition OS maps show both gateposts and quadrants with an adjacent lodge. The Hamilton Estate plans also show a road and lodge / gatehouse here. A five-pointed star appears on the Hamilton family coat of arms, as does the fleur-de-lys motif, the latter especially in connection with Abercorn, Sundrum, Barnes and Grange Hill.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17851685

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook 2 Books Bundle Collection (Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair,Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability)
• 
  The Victorian House Manual (2nd Edition): How They Were Built, Improvements & Refurbishment, Solutions to All Common Defects - Includes Relevant ... ... Properties (Haynes Manual) (Haynes Manuals)
• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)