BONNINGTON HOUSE
Bonnington House ©
Probably by Alexander Black in 1858 incorporating an earlier house of 1622 with later additions of c1720
The original house of 1622 can still be discerned on the garden front, this house was apparently doubled with another block of similar size c1720. In 1858 the entire house was given the Jacobean treatment apparently by Alexander Black and is similar to Heriots Hospital.
Bonnington House ©
The Dovecote is circular plan, late 17th century, and belongs in an earlier building phase.
Bonnington House Dovecot ©
The sundial is also late 17th century and consists of an Ashlar sandstone obelisk.
Bonnington House Sundial ©
The Hamlet of Bonnington is situated one and a half miles South West of Ratho Village (an account in 1845 describes the Hamlet as 20 thatched cottages).
The proprietor of the lands of Bonnington or, as it was anciently called Bondyngton or Boundingtoun, of whom mention is made, in the Index of Charters.
King Robert I: - (Item 31) Carta to Walter Stewart, of the barony of Bathcat, the lands of Richardtoun, the barony of Rathew, the lands of Bernes, the lands of Boundingtoun, Ednam, Kenpont, &c. Edinburgh.
King David II: - (Item 37) Carta to Hew Eglingtoun, of the lands of Bondingtoun and half lands of Nortoun, in the barony of Rathow, in Lothian; ane annual furth of Wefthall.
King Robert II: - (Item 289) Carta to Roberto de Erfkyne, Militi, 20 librarum Sterlingorum annui redditus ex baronia de Cadyou, in vic de Lanark, in excambium terre de Bondyngtoun, et annui redditus quatuor marcarum de terris de Wefthall, in baronia de Ratheu, in vic. de Edynburgh, 4. Maii, an. reg. lmo.
King Robert II: - (Item 291) Carta to Hugoni de Eglyntoun, Militi, terre de Bondyngtoun, et annui redditus quatuor marcarum et octo folidorum de terris de Wefthall, in baronia de Rathew, in vic. de Edynburgh; 6. Maii, a.r. lo.
(Item 11) Carta to Robert de Erfkyne, of 20 l. Stirling of the annual rent due out of the lands of Cadzow, in Lanarkfhire, in excambion for the lands of Bondingtoun; and four marks furth of the lands of Wefthall, in baronia de Rathow, vicecom. Edinburgh.
(Item 13)
Carta to ditto, de terris de Bondingtoun, et annuo redditu quatuor marcarum et octo folidorum de terris de Wefthall, in baronia de Rathew, et vicecom. de Edinburgh, on the refignation of Robert de Erfkyne.
(Item 22)
Carta to Hugoni de Eglingtoun, Militi, et Egidie de Lyndifay forori Regis fponfe fue, de terris de Boningtoun, dimidio terre de Nortoun, et dominio terrarum de Wefthall et Cotraw, cum annuo redditu 4 marcarum et 8 folidoreum de Wefthall et Cotraw, in vicecom. de Edinburgh, tenen. De Rege et heredibus fuis Senefcallis Scotie.
(Item 14)
Carta to Robert de Erfkyne, Knight, of ane annual duty of 20 l. and 10 marks Sterling forth of the barony of Cadyow, in vicecom. de Lanark, in excambion for the lands of Bondingtoun, and an annual duty of four marks out of Wefthall, in the barony of Rathew and fhire of Edinburgh.
The surviving Taxation Roll of 26th March 1479 (reign of James the Third) shows “Bonitoun…………………x pund.”
In the middle of the seventeenth century, the said lands were the property of Lord Collington.
Jul. 5. 1608 DOMINUS LUDOVICUS CRAIGE de Wrichtislands miles, unus Senatorum Collegii Justiciæ hæres Magistri Thomæ Craige de Wrichtislandis advocati, patris, - in terris et tenementis in Edinburgh: - E. 20s. - Annuo redditu 16s. annuo redditu 13s. 4d. et annuo redditu 6m. de tenementis in Edinburgh: - Terris nuncupatis Wrichtislandis, in regalitate de Brochtoun: - E. 10l. 13s. 4d. &c. - Quarta parte terrarum de Bonyngtoun et molendini, in regalitate et baronia prædictis: - E. 6l. 6s. 8d. &c. _ Terris vocatis Maynis de Richartoun, in Baronia de Ratho et vicecomitatu de Renfrew per annexationem. E 40l. -(Vide Haddington).Iv.196
Feb. 5. 1650.ROBERTUS DUNCANE in Moit de Errol, filius legitimus Petri Duncane in Gourdhill, hæres talliæ et provisionis Jacobi Duncane de Ratho, consanguinei, -in quarta parte villæ et terrarum de Bonnitoune cum manerie loco ejusdem, infra baroniam et regalitatem de Brouchtoune; - 13 acris et 2 particatis lie fallis terræ cum pastura prædictarum terrarum: - E. 9l. 13s. 4d. -Quarta parte prædictæ villæ et terrarum de Bonnytoune: - E. … l. 6s. 8d. - 10 - acris terræ arabilis de Bonnytoune et Hillhousefield; - acris et interliriis infra baroniam et regalitatem prædictam: - E. 21l. 6s. 6d. in integro. - Decimis garbalibus prædictarum terrarum de Bonnytoune et aliarum, in parochia de Sanct Cuthberts, et infra regalitatem et baroniam prædictam. E. 20s.xx. 144.
Jan.22. 1675 Gilbertus Scott de Bonytoune, hæres masculus talliæ et provisionis Magistri Jacobi Scott de Bonytoune, patris, - in terris de Bonytoune extendentibus ad 10 libratas terrarum antiqui extentus, per annexationem infra baroniam et vicecomitatum de Renfrew: - A.E. 10l. N.E. 46l. 13s. 4d. taxatæ divoriæ: - terris dimidietatis occidentalis de Ormestoun:- terris de Whistlehill:- dimidietate occidentali terrarum de Mortoun, et pendiculo vocato Foroch, infra baroniam de Caldercleir et regalitatem de Dalkeith:- marcatis Terris de Whytcleughneis parte dictarum terrarum de Mortoune jacentibus ut supra:- dimidietate orientali terrarum de Ormestoun cum appendentiis, viz. Terris de Burnhous, Bentene, et lie two Latches:- A.E. ………. N.E. ……. - decimis terrarum dominicalium et molendinariarum de Bonytoune.
A.E. …… N.E. ….. (Vide Linlithgow.) xxxii. 83.
Maii 25. 1682 CAROLUS SCOTT de Bonyntoune, hæres masculus talliæ et provisionis Gilberti Scott de Bonyntoune, fratris germani, - in terris de Bonyntoune extendentibus ad 10 liberatas terrarum antiqui extentus, per annexationem in baronia et vicecomitatu de Renfrew. _ A.E. 10l. N.E. 40l. taxatæ divoriæ xxxvii.180.
The property is mentioned in the Poll Tax of 1694:
May 6th 1739 Mr Alan Cunningham of Bonningtoun and Mrs Dickson his spouse had a daughter baptized Margaret.
In the Registered Entails No 507, Vol.14, Fol. 464 date of Talzie, 24th December 1764,
Le Grand (Alexander) of Bonnington-Lands and eftate of Bonnington.
It has since been successively the property of families of the name Durham, Cunningham (1793) and Wilkie.
On the 23rd March 1814, the Freedom of the City of Edinburgh, was bestowed on, the Honourable James Clerk of Bonnington, one of the Barons of His Majesty’s Court of Exchequer in Scotland.
In 1826 (See Letters of Henrietta Ramage):
Letters of Henrietta Ramage 3: - “ The Bonnington Road is almost finished Mr Wilkie has behaved very handsomely sent his carts and horses free of expense.”
Letters of Henrietta Ramage 4: - “Mr William Wilkie of Bonnington has made another elopement from his mothers intempret tongue.”
Letters of Henrietta Ramage 14: - refers to Mr Wm. Wilkie visiting Millburn Tower.
William Wilkie 1836 Edinburgh Directory:
In 1845 William Wilkie of Bonnington, was in residence. In 1755 he had married Janet Liston aunt of Sir Robert Liston, and her son William (1760-1832) married Elizabeth Kidd of Boghall, Linlithgow. Their eldest son bought Bonnington from his cousin and died unmarried in 1863.
Coal is alleged to have been mined on this land but the mine collapsed. The owner in 1845 (Wilkie) had no knowledge of where the pit may have been.
In 1865 Mrs Mary Anderson was in residence.
In 1926 St Cuthbert’s Co-operative Association sells the property to a Hugh Barr.
In 1928 Hugh Barr sells the property to Mrs Mary Elizabeth Leith Malcolm or Henderson.
In 1930 valuation roll tells us the following people were in occupation. Mrs Mary Elizabeth Leith Malcolm or Henderson and Miss Stella Violet Aline Malcolm Henderson.
In 1931 property passes to Amy Louisa Huntly Henderson on the death of Mrs Mary Henderson and in 1938 the whole property passes to her after the death of Miss Stella Aline Malcolm Henderson.
In 1944 Amy Louisa Huntly Henderson or Moore Dutton, sells the property to Iver Ronald Stuart Salvesen, (ship owner) and in 1960 the property passes to his widow Marion Hamilton Salvesen.
In 1978 the property is sold to Berardino Conte for £40,000.
In 1979 the property is sold to T. Boland & Company for £250,000.
In 1980 the property is sold to Murray International Metals Ltd., for £108,000.
In 1989 the property is purchased by David Farquhar Brewster and Alexander Kinloch Brewster for £550,000. Plans were put in place to turn the property into a golf club shortly afterwards, however this scheme came to nothing.
In the early 1990s the property was let to the religious sect known as the Moonies.
In 1999 the property is sold to a Mr. Robert Nelson Wilson & Mrs. Nicola Jane Wilson.
Bonnington House Main Fireplace ©
The original main room of the house contains this fine carved fireplace. Note the paper has been stripped off the long panel to the right of the fireplace showing the wood panelling beneath. The right hand wall shows the concealed cupboards behind the wall panels.
Bonnington House Main Fireplace ©
The fireplace is shown here, in full from the front, with detail of the fireplace and tiles and detail from the overmantle.
Bonnington House Overmantle Details ©
Detail of the Acanthus carved at the top of the relief Corinthian pillars on each side of the fireplace.
The fireplace in the south wing is of white marble and less ornate.
Bonnington House Fireplace S. Wing ©
Whereas the plaster ceiling frieze in this room is far more detailed.
Bonnington House Frieze S. Wing ©
In the north wing the fireplace is much grander and the black veined marble stands out against the wooden panelling.
Bonnington House Fireplace N. Wing ©
The other fireplaces in the house are far less ornate and when you come to the attic rooms the fireplaces there are quite small.
Bonnington House Upstairs Fireplace ©
I am deeply indebted to the new owners,Mr & Mrs Wilson,for allowing me to photograph within their house.
Bonnington House Staircase ©
All Photographs Ron Day.