William Robertson (architect)

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St Thomas's Church in Keith, built by Robertson with Walter Lovi in 1831

William Robertson (1786 – 12 June 1841) was a Scottish architect. Born in Lonmay in Aberdeenshire, he started his career in Cullen, Moray,[1] then moved to Elgin around 1821, where he practised for the rest of his life.[2] He established himself as the foremost architect of his period north of Aberdeen,[3] described by Charles McKean as "possibly the north of Scotland's first native classical architect of substance."[4] His practice was continued by his nephews Alexander and William Reid,[1] and then by their partners and successors J and W Wittet.[5]

Robertson built numerous churches, for the Church of Scotland, the Episcopal Church of Scotland and for the newly emancipated Roman Catholic Church, including the Category A listed St Thomas's in Keith, which he designed with Walter Lovi.[6] He also improved numerous country houses around Morayshire and Banffshire, such as Milton Brodie House,[1] and he built Aberlour House from scratch, for the rich slave-owner and planter Alexander Grant.[7][8] In 1826, he published a book, entitled A Series of Views of the Ruins of Elgin Cathedral … with ground plan and table of measurements.[1]

Aberlour House, viewed from the north

He died at Elgin on 12 June 1841, and is commemorated by a memorial in the graveyard at Elgin Cathedral.[1]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e "William Robertson". Dictionary of Scottish Architects. Dictionary of Scottish Architects. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  2. ^ Sellar, W. D. H. (Ed); Beaton, Elizabeth (1993). Moray: Province and People (PDF). Edinburgh: Scottish Society for Northern Studies. p. 226. ISBN 0950599468. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  3. ^ Walker, David W.; Woodworth, Matthew (2015). The Buildings of Scotland - Aberdeenshire: North and Moray. New Haven: Yale University Press. p. 40. ISBN 9780300204285.
  4. ^ McKean, Charles (1987). The District of Moray - An Illustrated Architectural Guide. Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press and RIAC Publishing. p. 38. ISBN 1873190484.
  5. ^ Sellar, W. D. H. (Ed); Cant, Ronald G. (1993). Moray: Province and People (PDF). Edinburgh: Scottish Society for Northern Studies. p. 219. ISBN 0950599468. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  6. ^ "St Thomas's RC Church". Dictionary of Scottish Architects. Dictionary of Scottish Architects. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  7. ^ "Aberlour House". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  8. ^ "Alexander Grant of Aberlour". Legacies of British Slave-ownership. UCL Department of History 2019. Retrieved 10 August 2019.


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