The Dun Estate was home to the Erskine (later Kennedy-Erskine) family from 1375 until 1980. John Erskine of Dun was a key figure in the Scottish Reformation. The current house was designed by William Adam and was finished in 1743. (Work had commenced in 1732.) There is elaborate plaster-work by Joseph Enzer, principally and most elaborately in the saloon. The house replaced the original 14th Century Tower House to the west when David Erskine, Lord Dun, the 13th Laird of Dun,[2] an Edinburgh lawyer appointed Lord of Justiciary in 1710, wanted a more comfortable and prestigious home. He opposed the union. It continued as the home to the Erskines for a further 250 years, undergoing some internal re-modeling when Lady Augusta Fitzclarence, natural daughter to William IV (previously the Duke of Clarence) and his long term mistress, Dora Jordan, married the Honourable John Kennedy Erskine, heir to the property through his mother Margaret Erskine of Dun. When they married they moved to the property and Augusta set about making several alterations, modernizing the property. The writer and poet Violet Jacob (1863 - 1946), author of "Flemington" and "Tales of Angus", was a member of the Kennedy-Erskine family and was born in the house. The last Laird of Dun was Mrs. Millicent Lovett. She moved out of the house to an estate house "temporarily" in 1948, moving all the furnishings and artifacts up into the attic. The rest of the house was leased to a local farming family who ran it as a bed and breakfast establishment for many years. Millicent never returned to the house and on her death in 1980 it was bequeathed by her to the National Trust for Scotland. The Trust discovered all the original furnishings in the attic and spent 9 years returning the house to the state it had been in at the time of Augusta. In 1989, the house opened to the public, the Queen Mother presiding to mark the tercentenary of William Adam's death.
The proximate area evinces archaeological evidence of early man dating back 9,000 years. Besides finds at the House of Dun property itself, there is a large standing stone a few miles to the north known as the Stone of Morphie.
Notable peopleedit
John Erskine of Dun (1509 – 1591), Laird of Dun, Scottish religious reformer.
David Erskine, Lord Dun (1670 – 1758), 13th Laird of Dun, Scottish advocate, judge and commissioner to the Scottish parliament. Commissioned William Adam to build House of Dun. Opposed the Union.
^Doe, John. "House of Dun". Undiscovered Scotland. Undiscovered Scotland. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
^ abDoe, John. "House Of Dun & Montrose Basin Nature Reserve". The National Trust of Scotland. National Trust For Scotland. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
External linksedit
House of Dun & Montrose Basin Nature Reserve on National Trust for Scotland website
April 11, 2024
house, national, trust, scotland, property, parish, lying, close, edge, montrose, basin, situated, approximately, halfway, between, towns, montrose, brechin, angus, scotland, south, front, north, front, illustrated, william, adam, vitruvius, scoticus, location. The House of Dun is a National Trust for Scotland property in the parish of Dun lying close to the edge of Montrose Basin and situated approximately halfway between the towns of Montrose and Brechin in Angus Scotland 1 2 House of DunThe south front top and north front of the House of Dun as illustrated in William Adam s Vitruvius Scoticus Location within ScotlandGeneral informationLocationAngus ScotlandCoordinates56 43 45 N 2 32 25 W 56 7293 N 2 5404 W 56 7293 2 5404Design and constructionArchitect s William AdamWebsitehttps www nts org uk visit places house of dunThe Dun Estate was home to the Erskine later Kennedy Erskine family from 1375 until 1980 John Erskine of Dun was a key figure in the Scottish Reformation The current house was designed by William Adam and was finished in 1743 Work had commenced in 1732 There is elaborate plaster work by Joseph Enzer principally and most elaborately in the saloon The house replaced the original 14th Century Tower House to the west when David Erskine Lord Dun the 13th Laird of Dun 2 an Edinburgh lawyer appointed Lord of Justiciary in 1710 wanted a more comfortable and prestigious home He opposed the union It continued as the home to the Erskines for a further 250 years undergoing some internal re modeling when Lady Augusta Fitzclarence natural daughter to William IV previously the Duke of Clarence and his long term mistress Dora Jordan married the Honourable John Kennedy Erskine heir to the property through his mother Margaret Erskine of Dun When they married they moved to the property and Augusta set about making several alterations modernizing the property The writer and poet Violet Jacob 1863 1946 author of Flemington and Tales of Angus was a member of the Kennedy Erskine family and was born in the house The last Laird of Dun was Mrs Millicent Lovett She moved out of the house to an estate house temporarily in 1948 moving all the furnishings and artifacts up into the attic The rest of the house was leased to a local farming family who ran it as a bed and breakfast establishment for many years Millicent never returned to the house and on her death in 1980 it was bequeathed by her to the National Trust for Scotland The Trust discovered all the original furnishings in the attic and spent 9 years returning the house to the state it had been in at the time of Augusta In 1989 the house opened to the public the Queen Mother presiding to mark the tercentenary of William Adam s death The adjacent Montrose Basin nature reserve part of the estuary of the South Esk is also a National Trust for Scotland property Contents 1 Archaeology 2 Notable people 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksArchaeology editThe proximate area evinces archaeological evidence of early man dating back 9 000 years Besides finds at the House of Dun property itself there is a large standing stone a few miles to the north known as the Stone of Morphie Notable people editJohn Erskine of Dun 1509 1591 Laird of Dun Scottish religious reformer David Erskine Lord Dun 1670 1758 13th Laird of Dun Scottish advocate judge and commissioner to the Scottish parliament Commissioned William Adam to build House of Dun Opposed the Union Margaret Erskine of Dun 1772 1848 Lady Augusta Gordon 1803 1865 nee FitzClarence fourth illegitimate daughter of William IV and mother of Wilhelmina FitzClarence Countess of Munster Wilhelmina FitzClarence Countess of Munster 1830 1906 nee Kennedy Erskine novelist Violet Jacob 1863 1946 Scottish writer amp poet known especially for her historical novel Flemington See also editClan Erskine Dun AngusReferences edit Doe John House of Dun Undiscovered Scotland Undiscovered Scotland Retrieved 4 April 2016 a b Doe John House Of Dun amp Montrose Basin Nature Reserve The National Trust of Scotland National Trust For Scotland Retrieved 4 April 2016 External links editHouse of Dun amp Montrose Basin Nature Reserve on National Trust for Scotland website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title House of Dun amp oldid 1186482129, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
