Basic Biographical Details

Name: Archibald Elliot
Designation:  
Born: August 1760
Died: 16 June 1823
Bio Notes: Archibald Elliot was born in Ancrum, Roxburghshire in August 1761, the son of a carrier. He was supposedly trained as a joiner and to have worked as a draughtsman for a cabinet maker in London. He may have worked at Douglas Castle in Lanarkshire where he is said to have completed some architectural work after a falling out between the architect and the proprietor. Reputedly he also either built Castle Mona on the Isle of Man to the designs of the architect and antiquarian James Steuart or to have completed it after James Steuart’s death in 1806.

Between 1794 and 1799 Elliot exhibited designs at the Royal Academy in London. He formed a partnership with his brother, born 1770, soon after 1800. Archibald practised in London while James remained in Scotland to oversee the work of the practice there. However James died in 1810 and Archibald then divided his time between London and Edinburgh. When the contracts for Jedburgh Jail wer advertised in 1820, Elliot is described as 'Mr Elliot, architect, London'.

Archibald Elliot was one of the leading architects in Edinburgh in the early 19th century. His design for Waterloo Place and the Regent Bridge are highly successful. Being a native Scot he was favoured by many to design the National Monument.

Archibald and James Elliot specialised in castellated country houses with Gothic detailing. The buildings are often symmetrical. The interiors are generally classical in style but a number like Taymouth, Lindertis and Newbyth the interiors are designed in an elablorate Gothic style.

Elliot died in Edinburgh on 16 June 1823 and is buried in the New Calton Graveyard where he is commemorated by a fluted column with a draped urn on top. His son, also Archibald, continued the practice.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 3Edinburgh, ScotlandBusiness   
Item 2 of 3London, EnglandBusiness   
Item 3 of 3Carmarthen Street, Fitzroy Square, London, EnglandBusinessc. 1816  

Employment and Training

Employers

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 1Archibald & James Elliot  Partner 

Buildings and Designs

This was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details):
 Date startedBuilding nameTown, district or villageIslandCity or countyCountryNotes
Item 1 of 45 Blair CastleBlair Atholl PerthshireScotlandOffice wing and kitchen tower - date unknown
Item 2 of 451804Loudoun CastleGalston AyrshireScotlandNew castellated house around 17th-century core enclosing tower of c.1600
Item 3 of 451805Stobo Castle  PeeblesshireScotland 
Item 4 of 45After 1805Taymouth CastleTaymouth PerthshireScotlandPaterson house demolished by the Elliots and new house built on new site.
Item 5 of 45c. 1805Dreghorn CastleColinton EdinburghScotlandEnlarged and remodelled.
Item 6 of 451806AuchmoreKillin PerthshireScotlandAlterations and enlargement
Item 7 of 451806Kirkcaldy Old KirkKirkcaldy FifeScotland 
Item 8 of 451807GuildhallDunfermline FifeScotland 
Item 9 of 451809Dunkeld House  PerthshireScotlandWorks for the Duke of Atholl, including castellated gateway and stables (demolished).
Item 10 of 451810St Mary's ChurchHaddington East LothianScotlandConsultant architect with his brother for alterations by James Burn including plaster vault in the nave.
Item 11 of 45c. 1810Minto House and stablesMinto RoxburghshireScotlandPorch, offices etc added
Item 12 of 451814Dunkeld CathedralDunkeld PerthshireScotlandRestoration of choir as parish church
Item 13 of 451814Dunkeld House  PerthshireScotlandRestoration of Low Wing after fire in 1814 and lodges about 1815
Item 14 of 451815Calton Prison  EdinburghScotlandBuilt, as New Prisons
Item 15 of 451815LindertisKirriemuir AngusScotlandOriginal house
Item 16 of 451815The Regent Bridge  EdinburghScotlandBridge signed 'Archibald Elliot Architect'.
Item 17 of 451816Callendar HouseFalkirk StirlingshireScotlandGrecian mausoleum in grounds
Item 18 of 451816Midlothian County Hall  EdinburghScotlandOriginal building
Item 19 of 451816St Paul's Episcopal Church  EdinburghScotland 
Item 20 of 451817Cockpen Parish ChurchCockpen MidlothianScotlandSupervised the construction by R & R Dickson
Item 21 of 451817Waterloo MonumentPeniel Heugh RoxburghshireScotlandOriginal monument (after the first one designed by William Burn collapsed)
Item 22 of 45Before 1817Newbyth HouseEast Linton East LothianScotlandDeisgn provided.
Item 23 of 451818Lochnell CastleBenderloch (near) ArgyllScotlandEnlarged in castellated style.
Item 24 of 451818Parliament House, Supreme Courts of Scotland  EdinburghScotlandCourt Rooms for Lords Ordinary at south end of Parliament Hall. (Now demolished)
Item 25 of 451818St Giles Cathedral  EdinburghScotlandProposals to remove the shops along the south side of the Cathedral. Complete 'reparation' of the Cathedral proposed.
Item 26 of 451818The County BuildingsPaisley RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 27 of 451818Waterloo Place, including Calton Convening Rooms  EdinburghScotland 
Item 28 of 45181935 St Andrew Square  EdinburghScotlandTo form the Royal Bank of Scotland's head office extension to E. Alterations to staircase.
Item 29 of 451819Albyn Place  AberdeenScotlandScheme for layout - not executed
Item 30 of 451819Layout of streets, Rutland Place, Rutland Street, Rutland Square  EdinburghScotlandDrew up plans
Item 31 of 451819Lochnaw Castle  WigtownshireScotlandHouse enlarged (addition since demolished)
Item 32 of 451819Parish SchoolInverkeithing FifeScotland 
Item 33 of 451819Rutland Street and Rutland Square  EdinburghScotland 
Item 34 of 451819St George's ChurchPaisley RenfrewshireScotlandIn conjunction with William Reid
Item 35 of 451820Broughton Place Church  EdinburghScotland 
Item 36 of 451820Feuing plan of ground at Rubislaw  AberdeenScotland 
Item 37 of 451820Houses, shops and warehouses, Commercial StreetLeith EdinburghScotlandFeu-plan and elevations of houses
Item 38 of 451820The County PrisonJedburgh RoxburghshireScotland 
Item 39 of 45c. 1820The Haining  SelkirkshireScotlandEnlargement
Item 40 of 45c. 1821Edmonstone House  EdinburghScotlandPlans, Stable court and offices
Item 41 of 451822Castle Hill, temporary stands   EdinburghScotland 
Item 42 of 451823Blair Atholl ChurchBlair Atholl PerthshireScotlandCompleted after his death
Item 43 of 451823Jedburgh Castle JailJedburgh RoxburghshireScotland 
Item 44 of 45Before 1823St Mark's Episcopal ChurchPortobello EdinburghScotlandProvided a plan gratuitously.
Item 45 of 451829Midlothian County Hall  EdinburghScotlandOld County Buildings to be removed and proposal (not carried out at this time) for new buildings to be erected on south of Victoria Street, still on George IV Bridge.

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Colvin, H M1995A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-18403rd editionNew Haven and London: Yale University Press