One crisp Scottish morning, my very dear friend Michelle arranged for a private tour of Gosford House, which is a neoclassical country home owned by the Scottish Nobleman the 13th Earl of Wemyss. The home serves as his holiday home, since his primary residence is in England.
The estate was built in 1780 and sits on more than 5,000 acres that includes stables, an ice house, curling house (very unusually for Scotland), boat house, and the family mausoleum. The estate includes 1,700 art pieces with original works by Da Vinci and Michelangelo. The home has been host to the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret, and Princess Anne. It's also been used in the filming of The Awakening and Outlander.
But everything is not as it seems from the outside. During World War 2 the British Army occupied the house and during a lively party burned down the center block of the home. By the 1950s, areas of the house had been abandoned, left roofless, and significantly damaged by fire. An aerial view of would show a hollowed north wing. Only the south wing is functional, but it's glory still shines through. The main part of the house is consumed by that extravagant three-story Marble Hall laddened with art and gleaming with natural light from the beautiful glass dome ceiling.
The idea that this is someone's personal home, who's not even in the monarchy, leaves me a little awestruck. It was an interesting day touring the house and walking the grounds.
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