As Lauriston
exists today, it is a very fine Edwardian mansion. Purchased in 1902 by William Reid of
the furniture manufacturer, Morison and Company, the building reflects his interests in
furniture, Blue John ornaments, and the arts. The castle was left to the nation in trust
in 1926 and the building has been kept just as it was in the Reids’ time.
Archibald Napier, father of
the inventor of Logarithms, erected the original T-shaped tower, at the South West corner,
in the 1590’s. It has four storeys, pepperpot turrets and spiral stairs. The rest of
the mansion was added in 1827 to the plans of William Burn, and others later. Guided Tours
of the fully furnished house commence at the stair hall, leading to the inner hall. The
oak room has a secret apartment off it, containing the laird’s lug, and two hidden
safes. The library, with its pine ceiling, is a grand room, with a study in the turret and
a secret doorway through the bookshelves. The drawing and sitting rooms afford fine views
over the croquet lawns and the Forth to Fife. The house had modern plumbing for its time,
as Mrs Reid’s brother was in that trade. Other owners of Lauriston over the years
include the Dalgleish’s, Laws and Allans. |
