Basic Biographical Details Name: | William Stirling I | Designation: | | Born: | 15 October 1772 | Died: | 5 February 1838 | Bio Notes: | William Stirling I was born at Dunblane on 15 October 1772, the eldest son of James Stirling, wright and cabinetmaker, who came of a long-established Dunblane merchant family which may have had landed connections. He commenced practice as an architect builder as his father's partner c.1798, the firm then becoming James Stirling & Son, although William Stirling I practised solely under his own name from the early years of the nineteenth century. On 4 December 1803 at Kirkintilloch he married Jean Erskine, daughter of David Erskine, WS of Dundas & Wilson, who had died in 1791; her maternal grandmother was Mrs Graham of Airth, who was a Stirling of Ardoch. This brought family links with other branches of the Erskine, Stirling and Graham families, and with the related Masterton family, resulting in him gaining the architectural business of the Linlathen, Airth, Gartmore, Ardoch, Braco, Gogar and Strowan estates in addition to those of Kippendavie, Kippenross, Tillicoultry, Airthrey, Tullibody, Dunira and Cardross.
From about 1807 Stirling's practice had intermittent links with David Hamilton's. This appears to have originated at Airthrey where Stirling was replaced by Hamilton as architect but retained as contractor. Since both the calligraphy and the style of Stirling drawings becomes identical to that of the Hamilton office from about 1816, it is probable that Stirling's 'chief assistant and superintendent', his cousin William Stirling II (born c.1789), who had served his articles with him, was sent to Hamilton's office to gain experience which would bring the firm more up-to-date and designed most of the firm's work thereafter. Airth Parish Church, where they competed against Hamilton, seems to have been William II's first major design, and he appears to have done most of the designing from at least 1818, although on at least one occasion, at Lecropt, Hamilton and the Stirlings were joint architects.
From 1806 onwards Stirling began buying land and property around Dunblane and out of some eleven purchases created the small estate of Holmehill on which in 1826 he erected a fine Tudor mansionhouse, very much in the Hamilton idiom. He died on 5 February 1838 and was buried in Dunblane Cathedral Churchyard alongside his younger brother Robert who had returned from Jamaica in 1819 and had died on 27 January 1832. He probably had some part in the firm, perhaps more in an administrative capacity than an architectural one.
Stirling left a very substantial estate. In addition to the estate of Holmehill, £600 in furnishing and personal effects, and house property in Dunblane and Millrow, he left £13,338 in secured loans, bonds and accounts due and £3,300 in consolidated annuities.
The practice, though not the cabinetmaking business which seems to have been at a low ebb, was inherited by William Stirling II. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | Dunblane, Perthshire, Scotland | Private/business | | | |
Employment and TrainingEmployees or PupilsThe following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | William Stirling II | c. 1803(?) | c. 1807(?) | Apprentice | | | William Stirling II | Before 1816 | 1838 | | |
Buildings and DesignsThis was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details): | | Date started | Building name | Town, district or village | Island | City or county | Country | Notes | | | Duchally Estate | | | Perthshire | Scotland | Unspecified work; date unknown | | | Gartshore Estate | Kirkintilloch | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Unspecified work; date unknown | | 1801 | Logie Manse | Logie | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | First scheme | | c. 1801 | Woodside | | | | Scotland | Alterations and additions | | 1802 | Dunira | | | Perthshire | Scotland | Based on scheme by Henry Holland, London | | 1803 | Comrie Lodge | Comrie | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1803 | Logie Manse | Logie | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Executed scheme | | c. 1803 | Cardross House and stables | | | Perthshire | Scotland | New entrance and alterations and new stables | | c. 1803 | Tullibody House | Clackmannan | | Clackmannanshire | Scotland | | | 1804 | Airth House, stable block | | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1804 | House for Mr Alvis | | | | Scotland | | | 1804 | Strowan House | Crieff (near) | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1805 | Alva House, stables | Alva | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1805 | Logie Parish Church | Logie | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Original church | | 1805 | Logie School | Logie | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1806 | Dunblane Cathedral | Dunblane | | Perthshire | Scotland | Proposed alterations and repairs | | 1806 | Woodend House and farm | Madderty | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1807 | Airth House | Airth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Executed David Hamilton's scheme | | 1807 | Airthrey Estate (?), steading | | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1807 | Doune Lodge Stables | Doune | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1807 | Dunblane Cathedral Churchyard, schoolroom | Dunblane | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1807 | Dunblane schoolhouse | Dunblane | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1808 | Kinnaird House | Larbert | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Repairs on original house | | c. 1808 | Bannockburn House | Bannockburn | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Repairs | | 1809 | Airthrey Castle, Lodges | | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1809 | Kippenross House | Dunblane | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Scheme for enlargement executed | | 1810 | Alva Manse | Alva | | Clackmannanshire | Scotland | Repairs | | 1810 | Keavil House | Dunfermline | | Fife | Scotland | Alterations | | 1810 | Methven Castle | Methven | | Perthshire | Scotland | Offices | | After 1810 | Airth School | Airth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | c. 1810 | Graham of Gartmore Monument | Port of Menteith | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1811 | Logie House | Dunfermline | | Fife | Scotland | Unspecified work | | 1812 | Lecropt Manse | | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1812 | Monzie Castle, East Lodge | Crieff | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1813 | Airth Manse | Airth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1813 | Dunfermline Abbey | Dunfermline | | Fife | Scotland | Consulted on William Stark's proposals | | 1814 | Athenaeum | Stirling | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Designed building (construction was contracted to architect/builder Allan Johnstone) | | 1814 | Dunblane Cathedral, Riccarton's Stile | Dunblane | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1814 | Dupplin Castle | Forteviot | | Perthshire | Scotland | New south west wing built | | 1815 | Leighton Library | Dunblane | | Perthshire | Scotland | Repairs | | 1816 | Kippendavie | Dunblane | | Perthshire | Scotland | Reconstruction | | 1817 | Dunblane Cathedral | Dunblane | | Perthshire | Scotland | Supervised repairs and restoration designed by Gillespie Graham | | 1817 | Port of Menteith Manse | Port of Menteith | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1818 | Airth Parish Church | Airth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Submitted design - and scheme selected and built | | 1818 | Comrie Manse | Comrie | | Perthshire | Scotland | New front block | | 1819 | Trinity Gask Manse | Trinity Gask | | Perthshire | Scotland | Addition at rear | | 1820 | Linlathen House | Broughty Ferry | | Dundee | Scotland | Reconstruction and new wing | | 1820 | Rattray Parish Church | Rattray | | Perthshire | Scotland | Design probably by him rather than William Stirling II | | c. 1820 | Dupplin Castle, stables | Forteviot | | Perthshire | Scotland | Enlargement | | c. 1820 | House (?) for D Saddler | | | | Scotland | | | 1821 | House, Allan Park | Stirling | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1821 | Kincardine in Menteith Manse | Kincardine in Menteith | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1821 | Moncreiffe House, Stables | Bridge of Earn | | Perthshire | Scotland | Enlargement | | 1821 | Moncreiffe Inn | Bridge of Earn | | Perthshire | Scotland | Enlargement | | 1823 | Kippen Parish Church | Kippen | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1823 | Redgorton Parish Church | Redgorton | | Perthshire | Scotland | Scheme for new aisle - not executed | | 1824 | Blairgowrie Parish Church | Blairgowrie | | Perthshire | Scotland | Probably responsible for design | | 1824 | Culross Abbey Church | Culross | | Fife | Scotland | Extensive repairs | | 1824 | Culross Manse | Culross | | Fife | Scotland | Repairs, addition of west wing, and offices | | 1824 | Garden House | | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1824 | Tibbermore Manse | Tibbermore | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1825 | Forteviot Manse | Forteviot | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1825 | Lecropt Parish Church | Lecropt | | Perthshire | Scotland | As joint architect with David Hamilton (tenders to be submitted to either architect) | | c. 1825 | Dron Parish Church | Dron | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1826 | Ardoch House, stables | | | Perthshire | Scotland | Addition | | 1826 | Colquhalzie | | | Perthshire | Scotland | New wing | | 1826 | Crieff Old Parish Church | Crieff | | Perthshire | Scotland | Completion of church | | 1826 | Holmehill House | Dunblane | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1826 | Holmehill Lodge East | Dunblane | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1826 | Lecropt School | Lecropt | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1827 | Tillicoultry Parish Church | Tillicoultry | | Clackmannanshire | Scotland | | | 1828 | Ardoch House | Ardoch | | Perthshire | Scotland | New wing (attribution) | | 1828 | Red Lion Inn | Falkirk | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1829 | Drumshoogle Farmhouse | | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1829 | Dunblane Manse | Dunblane | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1829 | Monzie Church | Monzie | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1829 | Monzie Manse | Monzie | | Perthshire | Scotland | Reconstruction | | 1830 | Creich Parish Church | Creich | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1830 | Culross Abbey House | Culross | | Fife | Scotland | Re-roofing, new interior | | 1830 | Parish Church of Forteviot | Forteviot | | Perthshire | Scotland | Repairs jointly with Andrew Heiton | | c. 1830 | Argaty Estate | Doune | | Perthshire | Scotland | Unspecified work | | c. 1830 | Arnprior Estate, farms | | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | c. 1830 | Barbush Estate | Dunblane | | Perthshire | Scotland | Unspecified work | | c. 1830 | Cowden Castle | Muckart | | Perthshire | Scotland | Unspecified work | | c. 1830 | Drummond Castle Estate | | | Perthshire | Scotland | Unspecified work | | c. 1830 | Falkirk Heritors, work on church, manse or school (?) | Falkirk | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Unspecified work on church manse or school | | c. 1830 | Gartmore Estate | | | Perthshire | Scotland | Unspecified work | | c. 1830 | Glentyan Estate | | | Perthshire | Scotland | Unspecified work | | c. 1830 | House (?) for C Stewart, surgeon | | | | Scotland | | | c. 1830 | Manor | | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Unspecified work | | c. 1830 | Tillicoultry House Estate, stables (?) | Tillicoultry | | Clackmannanshire | Scotland | Unspecified work, probably stables | | 1831 | Inn at Bridge of Allan | Bridge of Allan | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1831 | Parish Church | Port of Menteith | | Perthshire | Scotland | Repairs and alterations to first church - demolished 1875 | | 1831 | United Associate Church | Bridge of Teith | | Perthshire | Scotland | Provided design | | 1832 | Dunipace (Old) Parish Church | Dunipace | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1832 | Keir Mains Farmhouse and Factor's house | | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Farmhouse | | 1832 | Logie Manse | Logie | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Addition | | 1832 | Muckhart Manse | Muckhart | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1832 | Obelisk to Sir David Baird | Tom A' Chaistel, Strowan | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1832 | Ochtertyre Estate, Locherlour Steading (?) | Ochtertyre, near Crieff | | Perthshire | Scotland | Unspecified work | | 1834 | Colquhalzie House stables | | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1835 | Dunblane United Associate Church Hall | Dunblane | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1836 | Monzievaird Manse | Monzievaird | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1837 | William Simpson's Asylum | Plean/Quarter/Cushen Quarter | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Building completed |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Barty, A B | 1944 | A History of Dunblane | | | pp 219 and 231-2 | | Colvin, H M | 1995 | A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840 | 3rd edition | New Haven and London: Yale University Press | | | Love, J | 1928 | Local Antiquarian Notes and Queries | | Falkirk: Falkirk Library | Volume III, p154 | | Pride, Glen L | 1999 | The Kingdom of Fife | 2nd Edition | The Rutland Press | p25, p26, p186 | | Walker, David | 1972 | The Stirlings of Dunblane and Falkirk: Fragments of five architectural biographies | | in the Bulletin of the Scottish Georgian Society, Volume 1, 1972 | |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | | Perthshire Sasines | | Perthshire | | Airth muniments, National Library of Scotland | Practice Accounts notebook of the Stirlings, 1801-17 | | | | National Archives of Scotland (formerly SRO) | Dunblane Sheriff Court Books | | 1838 |
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