William Robertson (architect)

William Robertson (1786 – 12 June 1841) was a Scottish architect. Born in Lonmay in Aberdeenshire, he started his career in Cullen, Moray,[1] then moved to Elgin around 1821, where he practised for the rest of his life.[2] He established himself as the foremost architect of his period north of Aberdeen,[3] described by Charles McKean as "possibly the north of Scotland's first native classical architect of substance."[4] His practice was continued by his nephews Alexander and William Reid,[1] and then by their partners and successors J and W Wittet.[5]

St Thomas's Church in Keith, built by Robertson with Walter Lovi in 1831

Robertson built numerous churches, for the Church of Scotland, the Episcopal Church of Scotland and for the newly emancipated Roman Catholic Church, including the Category A listed St Thomas's in Keith, which he designed with Walter Lovi.[6] He also improved numerous country houses around Morayshire and Banffshire, such as Milton Brodie House,[1] and he built Aberlour House from scratch, for the rich slave-owner and planter Alexander Grant.[7][8] In 1826, he published a book, entitled A Series of Views of the Ruins of Elgin Cathedral … with ground plan and table of measurements.[1]

Aberlour House, viewed from the north

He died at Elgin on 12 June 1841, and is commemorated by a memorial in the graveyard at Elgin Cathedral.[1]

References
  1. "William Robertson". Dictionary of Scottish Architects. Dictionary of Scottish Architects. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  2. Sellar, W. D. H. (Ed); Beaton, Elizabeth (1993). Moray: Province and People (PDF). Edinburgh: Scottish Society for Northern Studies. p. 226. ISBN 0950599468. Retrieved 4 August 2019.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  3. Walker, David W.; Woodworth, Matthew (2015). The Buildings of Scotland - Aberdeenshire: North and Moray. New Haven: Yale University Press. p. 40. ISBN 9780300204285.
  4. McKean, Charles (1987). The District of Moray - An Illustrated Architectural Guide. Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press and RIAC Publishing. p. 38. ISBN 1873190484.
  5. Sellar, W. D. H. (Ed); Cant, Ronald G. (1993). Moray: Province and People (PDF). Edinburgh: Scottish Society for Northern Studies. p. 219. ISBN 0950599468. Retrieved 4 August 2019.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  6. "St Thomas's RC Church". Dictionary of Scottish Architects. Dictionary of Scottish Architects. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  7. "Aberlour House". CANMORE. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  8. "Alexander Grant of Aberlour". Legacies of British Slave-ownership. UCL Department of History 2019. Retrieved 10 August 2019.


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