Basic Biographical Details

Name: James Clerk (Sir)
Designation:  
Born: 1709
Died: 1783
Bio Notes: Sir James Clerk was born in 1709, the son of Sir John Clerk, 2nd Baronet and his second wife Janet Inglis. He studied law at Leyden in 1731-2 and visited Rome in 1732-4. Like his father he was a competent amateur architect and a cultivated man. One of his main architectural contributions was the new house at Penicuik along with the stable block. He also designed a circular library which was never built. A number of other buildings have been attributed to him.

He died in 1783.

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 61760sPenicuik House stablesPenicuik MidlothianScotlandIncludes Gibbsian steeple and 'Arthur's Oven', a reproduction of the domed Roman building in Stirlingshire.
Item 2 of 61761Penicuik HousePenicuik MidlothianScotland 
Item 3 of 61770s(?)Elie HouseElie FifeScotlandPlan for rebuilding - not executed
Item 4 of 61770s(?)Hailes House  EdinburghScotland 
Item 5 of 61771Penicuik KirkPenicuik MidlothianScotlandAttribution
Item 6 of 61773Rossdhu House  DunbartonshireScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Colvin, Howard2008A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840 London: YUP. 4th edition 
Item 2 of 2Gow, Ian and Rowan, Alistair1995Scottish Country Houses  Chapter entitled 'A Bibliophile's Bagnio, Sir James Clerk's Pantheon for Penicuik'