Description

Earlier 20th century. Rectangular-plan burial enclosure containing two rough slab gravestones; one at 'head' of grave and one at 'foot'; double grave belonging to Thomas and Theodosia Middlemore. Gravestones roughly hewn stone slabs; both roughly rounded at apex. Larger one at 'head' of grave inscribed with cross botonee with flanking quatrefoils (na?ve design); worn inscription includes the words 'Thomas Middlemore and his wife Theodosia' and appears to give dates. Smaller grave slab at 'foot' inscribed with interlinking hearts motif and the initials T M above and below (Thomas and Theodosia Middlemore). Boundary wall of coursed rubble with rubble coping. Access gained by steps (on either side of wall) to centre of W side.

Statement of Interest

A-Group with Melsetter House, Chapel, Lodge and Gatepiers, Kitchen and Walled Gardens, Estate Office, Gardener's Cottage, The Hall, Laundry House and Spinning Cottage. A romantically sited private burial enclosure overlooking the Pentland Firth for the couple who transformed Melsetter House and its surrounding buildings at the end of the 19th century/beginning of the 20th century. Thomas Middlemore, a Birmingham industrialist, and his wife, Theodosia, purchased the estate of Melsetter in 1898 and subsequently employed the prominent Arts and Crafts architect, W R Lethaby to remodel the buildings. The Middlemores had been involved in Birmingham's Arts and Crafts movement and Theodosia was a friend of May Morris, daughter of one of the main founders of that tradition, William Morris. Thomas was born in 1842 and died circa 1923. His wife, who was some years younger than him died circa 1945. They were married in 1878.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q77776750

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

• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  For the Record
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hampshire: South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)