Site History
The Dalzell family held the barony up to c.1342 when it is reputed that it was sequestered from Sir Robert Dalzell for residing in England without the King's consent. James Hamilton, 1st of Dalzell, amassed a large fortune by supplying the army during the wars of Cromwell. In 1647 he had a grant of the old Barony of Dalzell, resigned by the Earl of Carnwath; he was a nephew of the Earl through his mother Christiana, a daughter of Robert Dalzell of Dalzell. Dalzell then stayed in the Hamilton family until 1952. Archibald Hamilton the 4th Laird (1694-1774) succeeded in 1727; he was a keen horticulturist and planted some rare trees. Roy's map of 1750 shows trees planted in formal grids of N/S, E/W orientation, with two main diagonals to the south-east. The main south avenue is shown on the Roy map. Archibald Hamilton was succeeded in his work by his son James, who planted a rose garden midway between the house and kitchen garden, sheltered by coniferous and deciduous trees. The main entrance was the Park Avenue until the laird put in a new north avenue and two lodges. The 5th Laird was succeeded by his brother John whose son, Archibald, was associated with Robert Owen, the New Lanark socialist, and whose experiments with their other estate at Orbiston proved too costly and it had to be sold.
In 1832, William Cobbett visited Dalzell and recorded that it would be where he 'would choose to reside'. General Hamilton died in 1834 and was succeeded by his grandson, John. The architect R.W. Billings was commissioned to carry out major alterations to the house in 1857 and he stayed to supervise the work. The gardens were also improved at this time by a local man, Andrew Cassels. In 1886 John Hamilton was created Lord Hamilton; in 1888 a royal visit by the Prince and Princess of Wales involved new furnishings. Lord Hamilton died in 1900 and was succeeded by his son Gavin. He died in 1952 and the family moved to Surrey. The house was sold, part of it being used as a boys' school until 1967 when it was purchased by Motherwell & Wishaw Town Council. The house has remained empty since then, although some restoration work was undertaken. It was transferred to Motherwell District Council in 1975 and is currently available for sale. Dalzell House was sold in 1985 for conversion into flats. The park is run as a Country Park by Motherwell District Council.
Landscape Components
Architectural Features
Dalzell House is based on an ancient keep dating back to the mid-15th century. At that time, it was surrounded by a moat and defended by a portcullis across the entrance to the keep. It was extended in the 17th century when a new three-storey turretted and dormered wing was added at the south-west. The tower house was restored by Maitland Wardrop in 1853. In 1857 the architect and antiquarian R.W. Billings remodelled and further extended the house adding a north wing and stable block. It is the only category A listed building in Motherwell District. The Terraced Garden contained several architectural features: the three terraces on the steep south face of the Burn are enclosed by ornamental walls, and on the second terrace two sundials and a fountain used to stand. The 60' deep St. Margaret's well lies in the West Courtyard; the Coach- house and Stables in the North Courtyard are in the process of conversion to housing.
The summerhouse was built c.1736 on the site of the Roman Camp at the western end of the Park; it was known as 'Gladstone's Summerhouse' after Gladstone visited in 1879. It was moved to its present site north of the house for safety but its roof was destroyed by arson in 1985. The Gazebo, built by Lord Gavin, is a mid-19th century summerhouse above The Dell and mausoleum and is listed B.
The Mausoleum was built in c.1800 on the site and plan of the former St. Patrick's Church which had been used as a parish church until 1789. The Mausoleum is listed B and the graveyard is listed B. There are also some interesting bridges across the Dalzell Burn and its tributaries.
Parkland
The former deer parks are still in pasture; the north park has lost some of its trees on the west side but retains some parkland trees on the east side. The cricket ground is within the eastern half and a field is let for horse- grazing in the west half. The southern parks are still in pasture and the striking lines of the avenue define a vista from the house southwards across the river. The river is lined with an avenue to the west known as the 'Beech Walk' and reputed to be one of the first of its kind. The main drive to the house is lined with an avenue. The marshland adjacent to the river to the south-west of the parks is now managed by the RSPB as a wildlife reserve.
Woodland
There is substantial woodland cover in the policies, composed of a wide range of species both exotic and indigenous. Sycamore is predominating in the mixed deciduous areas with yew and Rhododendron forming thick layers of understorey in many parts of the grounds. The northern fringe woodlands are suffering from litter dumping and vandalism. There are some older oaks and beech around 200 years old. Sycamore, rowan and poplar have naturally regenerated and some areas could be thinned to allow greater light penetration and improve the ground flora. There is a very old oak in the north-west of the park.
Woodland Garden
Woodland walks extend from the house on both sides of the Burn. To the east, the paths go through to the Japanese Garden, and along the gorge to the west. South of the house (on the brow of the hill overlooking the view southwards), there are the remains of the old Bowling Green, now overgrown. Woodland paths lead up to the Faerie Circle and arboretum and westwards to the Mausoleum and The Dell. The woodland is of mixed deciduous species: horse chestnut, beech, oak, ash and sycamore, underplanted with Rhododenron.
The Gardens
The Japanese Garden was apparently moved from a site further to the west in the Park, to its present position on the banks of the Dalzell Burn. It was created by Lady Sybil Hamilton in the early 1900s. Very little of the original plant material now remains although bamboo and Japanese maples have survived. It once contained a pond, Azaleas and Rhododendrons, ornamental statues (oriental dragons and lions), and a flight of steps modelled on those of the Buddhist Temple in Nagasaki. Yew and Rhododendron have grown up through this garden to the waterfall which is still an attractive feature.
A path leads from the Terraced Garden into the arboretum to the west of the house. The trees have all been recorded and the arboretum includes some good specimen trees including Tulip trees, Cedars, a Deodar, Sequoias, and an avenue of Irish Yew. Adjacent to the drive at its east end is the Cadzow oak, a very old pedunculate oak, of which the narrowest part of the girth was measured as 24' in the early 1900s. Within the arboretum is the Rose Garden of small flowerbeds planted up with shrub roses, and to the north of the Drive is the Shrubbery recently planted up with flowering shrub species. There are some interesting Rhododendrons in the arboretum. The 'Faerie Circle' to the south-west corner of the arboretum is a circle of yew trees planted above the Burn. A summerhouse was marked on the 1st edition OS map of c.1850 in this area. From here there is a good view westwards of the stone arched bridge downstream.
Woodland walks extend from the house on both sides of the Burn. To the east, the paths go through to the Japanese Garden, and along the gorge to the west. South of the house (on the brow of the hill overlooking the view southwards), there are the remains of the old Bowling Green, now overgrown. Woodland paths lead up to the Faerie Circle and arboretum and westwards to the Mausoleum and The Dell. The woodland is of mixed deciduous species: horse chestnut, beech, oak, ash and sycamore, underplanted with Rhododenron.
The area to the north of the mausoleum was planted up as a garden by Lord Gavin Hamilton in memory of his wife, Lady Sybil. The octagonal gazebo was built at the top or north end of the garden and Lord Gavin used to sit there overlooking his wife's grave. A plaque in the gazebo was inscribed with the dedication 'In Memory of 33 Happy Years'. Stepping stones lead down through the garden to the mausoleum; the garden is now overgrown.
Arboretum
A path leads from the Terraced Garden into the arboretum to the west of the house. The trees have all been recorded and the arboretum includes some good specimen trees including Tulip trees, Cedars, a Deodar, Sequoias, and an avenue of Irish Yew. Adjacent to the drive at its east end is the Cadzow oak, a very old pedunculate oak, of which the narrowest part of the girth was measured as 24' in the early 1900s. Within the arboretum is the Rose Garden of small flowerbeds planted up with shrub roses, and to the north of the Drive is the Shrubbery recently planted up with flowering shrub species. There are some interesting Rhododendrons in the arboretum. The 'Faerie Circle' to the south-west corner of the arboretum is a circle of yew trees planted above the Burn. A summerhouse was marked on the 1st edition OS map of c.1850 in this area. From here there is a good view westwards of the stone arched bridge downstream.
References
Bibliography
Sources
Printed Sources
Robert Hurd & Partners, 'Dalzell House'
Herbert Maxwell, 1911
E.M.H. Cox, History of Gardening in Scotland,1935
T. Hannan, 1928
Sales Particulars, May 1985
New Statistical Account 1845
Motherwell District Libraries, 'Dalzell House, An Outline History', 1985
Motherwell District Libraries,'Historic Buildings in Motherwell District'
Groome's
Listings
NMRS, Photographs
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Printed: 19/03/2024 06:19