Basic Biographical Details

Name: George Paterson
Designation:  
Born: Early 1700s
Died: 26 February 1789
Bio Notes: George Paterson must have been born in the first quarter of the 18th century. He practised as an architect in Edinburgh, his first known works being in the 1750s.

In 1758 he was elected a member of the Royal Company of Archers and in 1776 was a member of the committee for building Archer's Hall, Edinburgh.

He appears to have had a connection with Robert Mylne and superintended various buildings for which Mylne was the architect including St Cecilia's Hall in Edinburgh, Amisfield, East Lothian and possibly for some work at Pitlour, Fife. He seems to have had a close relationship with Francis Charteris, Earl of Wemyss as he had an arrangement by which he built houses on the west side of St John Street, Edinburgh, sharing the cost with Charteris. In 1784 the houses had not sold and Charteris was to occupy the lower floor and Paterson the upper floor.

Paterson owned a small estate at Monimail in Fife called Cunnochie. He worked for the Montrose estates in the 1770s; a receipt of 28 January 1771 by George Paterson for £15 15s indicates that he was paid 'for his trouble' when he spent four weeks at Buquanan [sic].

In a letter of 1770 he was 'looked upon to be the most reasonable and least expensive architect in this country'. In 1778 he discharged and renounced land on the east side of St Andrews Square in Edinburgh to John Hamilton of Bargeny of £845 1s 11d.

Paterson is not listed in Williamson's 'Directory of the City of Edinburgh' 1784-5, unlike John Paterson (who was probably his son).

Paterson died on 26 February 1789. His estate passed to his son, also George.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 2St John Street, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate/business   
Item 2 of 2Cunnochie, Fife, ScotlandPrivate   

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 211753Rossie HouseAuchtermuchty FifeScotlandDesign for addition of two storey pavilions linked to main block by colonnaded quadrants - not built.
Item 2 of 211754Marlefield  RoxburghshireScotlandRepairs and alterations
Item 3 of 211755Dunfermline AbbeyDunfermline FifeScotlandRepairs
Item 4 of 211756Dysart HouseDysart FifeScotlandNew house
Item 5 of 211759Bothwell CastleBothwell LanarkshireScotlandAlterations
Item 6 of 211759University of St Andrews, Chapel of St SalvatorSt Andrews FifeScotlandAlterations
Item 7 of 211760St Cecilia's Hall  EdinburghScotlandSupervised the construction on behalf of Robert Mylne.
Item 8 of 211765Kingsbarns ManseKingsbarns FifeScotland 
Item 9 of 211766Amisfield  East LothianScotlandSuperintended alterations for Robert Mylne.
Item 10 of 211769HousesCupar FifeScotland 
Item 11 of 211770Dunfermline AbbeyDunfermline FifeScotlandRepairs
Item 12 of 211771House at Ibert  StirlingshireScotlandContract and estimate for building a new house and porter's lodge at Ibert. Presumably house constructed. Recipts for construction survive.
Item 13 of 211772Todericks Wynd, head, Merchiston’s land  EdinburghScotlandDrew up report on defect of roof of this tenement. Final warrant subscribed to this report. Did he carry out the work?
Item 14 of 211774Kinghorn Parish ChurchKinghorn FifeScotland 
Item 15 of 21c. 1775Glamis Castle  AngusScotlandWest wing
Item 16 of 21c. 1777Balbirnie House, including walled garden and stablesMarkinch FifeScotlandSubmitted a scheme for rebuilding the house - not executed. John Baxter secured the job.
Item 17 of 211778Dalhousie Castle  MidlothianScotlandRepairs
Item 18 of 211779ManseDysart FifeScotland 
Item 19 of 211780Houses, St John Street, west side  EdinburghScotland 
Item 20 of 211780Mount StuartRothesay (near)ButeButeScotlandRepairs and alterations including addition of staircase towers flanking the main block (see Watts: 'Views of Seats')
Item 21 of 21c. 1780Scone PalaceScone PerthshireScotlandAlterations

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Colvin, Howard2008A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840 London: YUP. 4th edition 

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Scots Magazine1789  Death note

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1Edinburgh City ArchivesEdinburgh Dean of GuildBox 1780/40