History of Kinnaird House

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000" background="02ad2c00dkelyh.png"> <div>  <HTML><HEAD> <TITLE>Kinnaird House</TITLE> <META http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <META name="title" content="Kinnaird House"> <META name="description" content="Kinnaird House was built in 1897. The origional House was the home of James Bruce, the discoverer of the Nile. Kinnaird is located in Stenhousemuir, Falkirk, Stirlingshire and this web site gives the History of it."> <meta name="keywords" content="kinnaird house,james bruce, house kinnaird "> </HEAD>  </HTML>  </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="069c8960.jpg" border=0 width="200" height="150" ALT="Kinnaird 2001" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>   <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript"> var sc_project=254829; </script> <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript" src="http://www.statcounter.com/counter/counter.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://www.statcounter.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://c1.statcounter.com/counter.php?sc_project=254829&java=0" alt="site statistics" border="0"></a> </noscript>   </div> <bR> <div> If you have any information or pictures that you could contribute to this web site, please send it to:</div> <div> Contact: </div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:info@kinnairdhouse.co.uk" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:info@kinnairdhouse.co.uk"><U>info@kinnairdhouse.co.uk</U></A></div> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <IMG SRC="10dcc710.jpg" border=0 width="716" height="113" ALT="Kinnaird House" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <I><B>This web site is the History of Kinnaird House, Larbert, Stirlingshire, Scotland</B></I><I><B>.</B></I></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="693" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#3300FF" BORDERCOLORDARK="#000000" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#FFCC66 > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 38 WIDTH="165"><div> <A HREF="default.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Home "><U><B>Home </B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Kinnaird House Bruce Family"><U><B>Bruce Family</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="History of Kinnaird House"><U><B>Present House</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Kinnaird House Estate Gardens"><U><B>Estate Gardens</B></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 38 WIDTH="165"><div> <A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Kinnaird House Inside Kinnaird"><U><B>Inside Kinnaird</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Kinnaird House Plans"><U><B>Plans</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Kinnaird House Old Pictures"><U><B>Old Pictures</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <A HREF="kinnaird_house.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="SlideShow"><U><B>SlideShow</B></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <I>History of Kinnaird House</I></div> <div> <IMG SRC="0bdfaae0.jpg" border=0 width="250" height="174" ALT="Arial Kinnaird House" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <div> Robert Orr, who built the present mansion house dated 1897, he died in 1906 but the Orr family maintained ownership until the late 1930's.During the 2nd World War, it became the Headquarters of the Polish Army in Scotland. Since then it came under the control of the Secretary of State. It was used for various purposes, finally a store for the Hospital Emergency Supplies.</div> <bR> <div> In 1977, John Findlay Russell bought the house and began the task of restoring the house and grounds to something of there former glory.</div> <div> The house has many unique features, an imposing  entranceway, oaked panelled hall and a stone stairway of grey freestone, rises to a small landing and then, dividing in two , turns back on itsself to right and left to continue its accent to the bedrooms of the 1st floor and unusual Minstrel Gallery. Above each door on the main floor are inscriptions in English and Latin. Perhaps the inscription above the Library door "Learn to live, Live to learn" will be the inspiration to all. The house Stables and garden are all listed. The woodwork inside the house was of beautiful, hand-carved and inlaid woods with an ornately carved ceiling. Two six feet, or more, wide curved staircases descended from the second storey to the large parlour, which was papered with heavy embossed maroon leather all in perfect condition.</div> <bR> <div> The old mansion of Kinnaird does not seem to have been older than the middle of the eighteenth century, although some parts may have been of earlier date perhaps going back as far as the early years of the seventeenth century, when Master Robert Bruce was the laird. The foundations of an old keep were found when the eighteenth century house (Adan's style) was being pulled down. Nothing remains of the old house now. The name Kinnaird in 1334 is said to mean (Gaelic, Cinn na h'airde) "at the head of the height," which refers to its position in days when the sea came much further in. The grounds are very picturesque, It has a very fine approach, where it widens out near the house, with its stately avenue of trees, through which one sees the Ochil Hills. On the wall of the garden there is a coat of arms with the date 1602 over the shield, and the initials R.B. (Robert Bruce), and M.D. (Martha Douglas).buildings.</div> <bR> <bR> <div>    </div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>