Yester House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yester House |
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South front of Yester House
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| Location | Gifford, East Lothian, Scotland |
| Built for | Marquess of Tweeddale |
| Architect | James Smith, William Adam |
| Architectural style(s) | Palladian |
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Listed Building – Category A
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| Designated | 5 February 1971 |
| Reference no. | LB14693 |
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Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland
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| Criteria | Work of Art Historical Architectural |
| Designated | 1 July 1987 |
| Reference no. | GDL00388 |
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Yester House is a grand old mansion in Gifford, East Lothian, Scotland. It was built a long time ago, starting in 1699. For centuries, it was the home of the Hay family. They later became known as the Marquesses of Tweeddale. Today, Yester House is a very important historic building. Its beautiful gardens are also listed as special places in Scotland.
Contents
The Story of Yester House
Early Owners and Changes
The land where Yester House stands was first given to a Norman knight. His name was Hugo de Giffard. This happened way back in the 1100s. The Giffords built Yester Castle in the late 1200s. This old castle is about one mile from the current house.
Later, a woman from the Gifford family married into the Hay family. The Hays became important nobles in 1488. They were called the Lords Hay of Yester.
Building a New Home
In 1646, the 8th Lord Hay became the Earl of Tweeddale. He started thinking about building a new house. The first Earl supported King Charles I. His son, John Hay, 2nd Earl of Tweeddale, made many improvements. He planted over 6,000 acres of trees. Around this time, the old village of Yester moved. It became the village of Gifford we know today.
The Earl also started creating formal gardens. These gardens were inspired by the grand gardens at Versailles. But later, in the 1750s, people preferred more natural-looking parks. So, these formal gardens were changed.
New Architects and Designs
The 2nd Earl became the 1st Marquess of Tweeddale in 1694. His son, John Hay, 2nd Marquess of Tweeddale, took over in 1697. He hired James Smith to design a new house. Building work on Yester House began in 1699. The 2nd Marquess supported the Acts of Union. This was when Scotland and England joined to form Great Britain.
The main part of the house was finished by 1715. But work on the inside continued for many years. John Hay, 4th Marquess of Tweeddale, made more changes. In 1729, he hired William Adam. William Adam was a famous architect. He changed the roof and the front of the house. He also worked on the inside rooms in the 1730s.
William Adam's sons, Robert and John, continued his work. They made more changes inside the house in 1761. They also redesigned the gardens in a more natural style. The house was updated again in the 1830s. The main entrance was moved to the west side. At the end of the 1800s, Robert Rowand Anderson modernized the house.
New Owners and Uses
The Hay family owned Yester House until the late 1960s. After the 11th Marquess died, the estate was sold. In 1972, an Italian composer named Gian Carlo Menotti bought it. He loved the house because of how good the ballroom sounded for music.
A famous golfer, Lee Trevino, even rented the house once. This was when he won his second Open Golf Championship in 1972. After Menotti passed away, his family put the house up for sale. In 2015, the estate was sold to Nicola and Gareth Wood.
