Delving into the history of Balbardie House

The Courier and our friends at West Lothian local history library have teamed up to help readers take a trip down Memory Lane.

This week: Balbardie House and the Marjoribanks Family.

The first Marjoribanks of any note was Thomas Marjoribanks who was provost of Edinburgh in 1541, and MP for Edinburgh from 1540-1549.

The family’s association with Bathgate began in 1642, when John Marjoribanks purchased the estate of Balbardie. The family also owned large properties in West Calder.

Alexander Marjoribanks of Balbardie was born in 1750.

Alexander never became of national importance, but in his local town and county, he exercised a wide influence.

In 1790, he married Catherine Laurie and together they had seventeen children.

He served upon the Cleugh Road Trust which built toll-houses and a turnpike road from the ironworks at Wilsontown near Forth.

He was also convener of the Linlithgowshire Commissioners of Supply (fore-runners of county councillors).

Around 1800, Alexander bought the‘ superiority’ of Bathgate from the Earl of Hopetoun and in 1823, agreed to assist some of Bathgate’s leading citizens in having their town made into a burgh. He agreed to help, despite standing to lose customs duties which he received on any goods sold in Bathgate’s markets.

After negotiations, it was agreed that Alexander should receive half of the new burgh’s customs duties as well as a say in the appointment of two of the burgh officials. The Act became law in 1824 and he was elected first provost of the new town council.

Bathgate remained a burgh until 1975, when burgh councils were abolished.

What sort of house existed at Balbardie before the 1790s, is not known. With his new wife and growing family, and free of debt, Alexander decided to build a new house.

He chose the finest architect of his time, Robert Adam, whose work would have been known to him at Hopetoun House. The house looked south west over fine gardens with an ornamental lake, plantations and a belvedere.

After Alexander’s death, aged 70 in 1830, his estate was passed on to his son, also Alexander Marjoribanks.

He was unmarried and was more interested in foreign travels, becoming a published author with his book‘Travels in New Zealand’in 1846.

Balbardie House and estate were sold in 1861 to the Edinburgh Merchant Company which invested in land to finance schools.

The house was divided and let and coalmining began to encroach on the grounds.

On the July 13, 1956, the West Lothian Courier reported on the demolition of Balbardie House.

‘One of the oldest buildings in Bathgate, Balbardie House is in the course of being demolished by contractors.

‘Edinburgh Merchant Company, who own the property have instructed Mr R Anderson to proceed with the work which has already started.

‘Balbardie House was designed by one of the famous Adam brothers and was built by Alexander Marjoribanks in the latter part of the 18th century.

‘Marjoribanks was the leading man in the town at that time and Balbardie House and the‘Laird of Balbardie’were well known in the district mainly because of Marjoribanks’ struggle on behalf of the townspeople to have Bathgate Academy erected with money bequeathed by John Newlands.

‘The house which is Georgian in style was latterly divided into flats.’