Kinross House

Kinross House is a late 17th century country house overlooking Loch Leven, near Kinross in central Scotland. Construction of the house was begun in 1686, by the architect Sir William Bruce as his own home. It is regarded as one of his finest works, and was called by Daniel Defoe "the most beautiful and regular piece of Architecture in Scotland". [Defoe's "A tour thro' the Whole Island of Great Britain" (1724), as cited in Fenwick, p.81] The house, which is undoubtedly the most important early classical mansion in Scotland, retains most of its original internal decoration. As a still occupied family home it is not open to the public, although the elegant gardens can be visited.

The structure is also notable in its precocious use of a medieval building as focus, as the house itself, and its garden avenue, are deliberately orientated on the 'picturesque' object of 14th century Loch Leven Castle on an island in the adjacent loch.

References

*Fenwick, Hubert (1970) "Architect Royal: The Life and Works of Sir William Bruce" Roundwood Press

External links

* [http://www.kinrosshouse.com/ Kinross House and Gardens]