Cumbernauld House

Cumbernauld House stands in the Cumbernauld Glen, near the old village of Cumbernauld in North Lanarkshire. It replaced a medieval castle built by the Fleming family, which once hosted Mary, Queen of Scots. The present house was constructed in 1731 by John Fleming, 6th Earl of Wigtown, to designs by William Adam, Scotland’s leading architect of the early 18th century. The castle was later used as stables and then destroyed by fire in 1746. One original wall from the castle remains visible in an allotment area. The house has strong links to Scottish history and notable residents. In 1746, Lord George Murray and his Jacobite army stayed overnight in the village rather than the house. Admiral Charles Elphinstone-Fleming lived there from 1799 to 1840, and his nephew Cornwallis Maude-Fleming inherited the estate before selling it in 1875. The house survived fires and changes of ownership before becoming luxury apartments in the 21st century. Visitors can still see traces of the past. The dovecote from the old gamekeeper’s cottage survives as a listed building. The conservation area includes the listed kirk and manse at Baronhill, the mediaeval street layout, and the Comyn Motte. From Wilderness Brae, a wide view shows the herringbone plan of the old burgh, unique in Scotland. The site offers a quiet glimpse into centuries of Scottish history.