Basic Site Details Name: | Glen Tanar Estate, Boathouse and Bridge of Ess | Town, district or village: | Glentanar/Glen Tanar | City or county: | Aberdeenshire | Country: | Scotland | Parish: | | Status: | | Grid ref: | | Notes: | Thomas Mawson has been widely credited with the layout of the gardens and estate but his role appears to have been far more limited than suggested in his autobiography and by later writers. When William Cunliffe Brooks first leased the estate and began his improvements, Mawson was but eight years old.
Mawson had been introduced to the "tyranical" but generous Sir William Cunliffe Brooks (1819-1900) by Frank Stanier of Peplow Hall Shropshire. Before he died, Sir William in turn had recommended Mawson to three further clients in Aberdeenshire, Mrs Mary Grenville Pickering of Kincardine House, Sir Alan Mackenzie at Braclkey and Lord Errol of Slains Castle.
Mawson was certainly professionally involved with improvements to the estate in April 1895,almost certainly with the re-design of the entrance to the park. Mawson’s partnership with Gibson began in 1898, two years before the death of Sir William and the dates generally given for their involvement are the two years c1898-1900. There appears no record of work at Glen Tanar in the Thomas Mawson archive at Kendal currently catalogued, nor in “The Art and Craft of Garden Making,” which Mawson used to illustrate many of his projects.
The boathouse seems likely to have been the work of Mawson, with the summerhouse, steps, balustrades, and various lakes which are all part of the gardens.
Mawson is widely credited with the widening of the Bridge of Ess in 1894, although this appears doubtful. The bridge carries the public highway over the river and is therefore outside the boundary of the estate. Further, Mawson who described himself as a garden architect, would not have had the necessary engineering skills for such a project.
See separate entry for Tower Lodge | Building Type ClassificationThe building is classified under the following categories: | | Classification | Original classification? | Notes | | Bridge | | | | Boathouse | | | | Garden | | |
EventsThe following date-based events are associated with this building: | | From | To | Event type | Notes | | August 1894 | | Foundation stone | Keystone ceremony laid for widening of bridge. | | 1895 | 1899 | Build/construction | Architectural and garden work, including entrance to the park |
PeopleDesign and ConstructionThe following individuals or organisations have carried out design/construction work. Where architects or practices worked together, matching letters appear beside their names in the Partnership Group column. | | Name | Role | Partnership Group | From | To | Notes | | Charles Ewen | | B | 1894 | | Widening of Bridge of Ess | | George Haywood Truefitt | | | 1898 | 1899 | See Beard p52 | | Dan Gibson | | A | 1898 | 1899 | Architectural work in association with Mawson's garden work, including entrance to the park | | Mawson & Gibson | | A | 1898 | 1899 | Architectural work in association with Mawson's garden work, including entrance to the park | | Thomas Hayton Mawson | | A | 1898 | 1899 | Garden work |
ClientsThe following individuals or organisations have commissioned work on this building/design: | | Name | Notes | | Brooks, Sir William Cunliffe | Client for Mawson & Gibson work |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this building: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Beard, Geoffrey | 1978 | Thomas H Mawson, A Northern Landscape Architect | | University of Lancaster Visual Arts Centre | p52 | | Inventory of designed landscapes | 1986 | Inventory of designed landscapes | | | Volume III p228 | | Mawson, Thomas H | 1927 | The Life and Works of an English Landscape Architect | | | p46 etc | | Waymark, Janet | 2009 | Thomas Mawson: Life, Gardens and Landscape | | Frances Lincoln Ltd. London | p87 |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this building: | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Aberdeen Journal | 2 August 1894 | | | p7 | | Manchester Guardian | 20 April 1895 | | | p5 - Correspondence with editor concerning Continental earthquake |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this building: | | Source | Archive name | Source catalogue no. | Notes | | Historic Environment Scotland | Listed Buildings Register | 3127 | Bridge of Ess | | Historic Environment Scotland | Listed Buildings Register | 47083 | Boathouse - probably Mawson | | Information courtesy of Graeme More who has specialist knowledge of Dan Gibson | Information via website (from Graeme More) | | | | National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMS | George Truefitt at Glen Tanar 1875-85: photo album | | Album of sketches, photos & cuttings Acc No 1998/44 |
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