Queensberry House
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| Queensberry House can be seen to the left of the Scottish parliament building, white with
the red roof. |
Queensberry House is a 17th century Category A listed building in
the Canongate, Edinburgh, Scotland, incorporated into the Scottish
Parliament complex. It contains the office of the Presiding Officer,
two Deputy Presiding Officers, the Parliament's Chief Executive, and
other staff.
The Georgian architecture style house was built in c. 1667 for
Dame Margaret Douglas of Balmakellie(1), and bought by
William
Douglas, 1st Duke of Queensberry in c. 1689.
The most famous resident is probably
James Douglas, 2nd Duke of
Queensberry who was influential behind the Treaty of Union in
1707.
The same evening the 2nd Duke was signing the Act of
Union, his son, the insane Earl of Drumlanrig, is said to have
roasted a servant boy on a spit in an oven in the kitchens. The
oven can still be seen in the Parliament's Allowances Office.
From 1803 to 1996 the building was used as an an army barracks,
a public hospital, a House of Refuge and as a geriatric
hospital.
Ian Rankin's Inspector Rebus novel Set in Darkness, first
published in 2000 is partly set in Queensberry House during the
reconstruction for the new parliament building.
Notes:
1. Dame Margaret Douglas of Balmakellie
purchased various properties on the site in the late 1660s.
The Scots Peerage, vol. 7, Balfour Paul, J. (1910), (Edinburgh:
David Douglas), pp. 20-21.
Colonel Henry Maule, of Balmakellie,
(Kincardineshire) who is found associated with his father in various
writs. He was one of the 'Engagers' for the rescue of King Charles
I., was in command of a regiment and was taken prisoner at the
battle of Preston, but escaped. He was also at the battle of Dunbar
in 1650, and was again taken prisoner at Worcester in 1651. He was
fined £2500 by Cromwell, a sum afterwards reduced to £1000, which
his father paid. He died 1667, being buried at Holyrood 8 April of
that year. He married, first, 9 August 1649 (contract 1 and 3
August), Jean Wemyss, third daughter of John, first Earl of Wemyss,
and widow of Sir Alexander Towers of Garmilton and Inverleith. She
died before 10 May 1662, leaving issue, and her husband married,
secondly, Margaret, daughter of Patrick Douglas of Spot, by whom he
had one daughter, Margaret, married to Alexander Cochrane of
Barbachlaw.
Henry Maule was the son of Patrick Maule, 1st
Earl of Panmure, Sheriff of Forfar
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