Dalkeith Palace

Dalkeith Palace stands on the site of a medieval castle in Dalkeith, Midlothian. The present building was constructed between 1701 and 1711 for the Duchess of Monmouth and Buccleuch. It became the seat of the Dukes of Buccleuch until 1914 and remains in the family’s care through the Buccleuch Living Heritage Trust. The palace reflects the ambitions of its owners and the craftsmen who shaped it. The Duchess modelled the design on William of Orange’s Het Loo in the Netherlands. James Smith led the build, reusing parts of the old castle’s tower in the western wall. Marble carvers spent sixty-four weeks creating the Great Staircase, while John Adam and James Playfair later added refinements. The total cost reached £17,727, a vast sum for the time. Visitors enter through a sandstone façade with Corinthian pilasters and a deep pediment. The state apartment sits on the ground floor, shifting the Great Dining Room to the first floor. The surrounding park once featured manicured gardens, the Montagu Bridge, and a conservatory. Traces of Polish graffiti from the Second World War remain on the third floor.