The entrance facade in 2023
The entrance facade in 2002
The garden facade in 2002
Door pediment on the garden facade in 2002
The entrance hall
The dining room
The library
The China Closet
Built / Designed For: James Smith
House & Family History: Built in 1686 as Whitehill, the house was purchased by Sir David Dalrymple in 1709 and renamed Newhailes House. Sir David enlarged and developed the house into possibly the premier example in Scotland of a Palladian villa (Newhailes contians the finest Rococo interiors in Scotland). The library, the room Dr. Johnson called "the most learned room in Europe," was added in 1718, while the state apartment wing was constructed between 1723 and 1728. Newhailes was at the epicenter of the Scottish Enlightenment; Adam Smith, David Hume, and others were regular visitors. The National Trust for Scotland acquired Newhailes in 1997 and spent £12.7 million and 100,000 man hours to conserve it.
Collections: Newhailes contains the most important collection of decorative arts from second quarter of 18th century in Scotland. The interiors are noted for the very fine Chinese wallpapers, the Italian marble fireplaces, and the eagles over the drawing room windows.
Comments: Howard Colvin called Newhailes "the first great Palladian house in Britain."
Garden & Outbuildings: The Newhailes Tea House is one of the most important pieces of 18th century garden architecture in Scotland.
Architect: William Adam Sr.
Date: Circa 1720John Bernard (J.B.) Burke, published under the title of A Visitation of the Seats and Arms of the Noblemen and Gentlemen of Great Britain and Ireland, among other titles: 2.S. Vol. II, p. 210, 1855.
Country Life: XLII, 228, 1917.
Title: Magnificent Castle of Culzean and the Kennedy Family, The
Author: Moss, Michael
Year Published: 2002
Reference: pg. 257
Publisher: Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press
ISBN: 078461723X
Book Type: Softback
House Listed: Category A
Park Listed: Listed as a Garden & Designed Landscape
Past Seat / Home of: James Smith, 1686-1702. John Bellenden, 2nd Lord Bellenden, 1702-09. Sir David Dalrymple, 1st Bt., 1709-21; Sir David Dalrymple, Lord Hailes and 3rd Bt., until 1792. Archibald Angus Charles Kennedy, 6th Marquess of Ailsa and 17th Earl of Cassilis, 1922-36.
Current Ownership Type: The National Trust for Scotland
Primary Current Ownership Use: Visitor Attraction
House Open to Public: Yes
Phone: 01316-535-599
Website: https://www.nts.org.uk
Awards: 5 star accolade from VisitScotland in 2003.
Historic Houses Member: No