David Rhind, was responsible for some of the most iconic buildings and structures that adorn our country, including Carlowrie Castle which sits on the outskirts of Kirkliston. Built to the Scottish Baronial style in 1852, Carlowrie Castle was commissioned by Edinburgh wine merchant Thomas Hutchison, but more significantly the architect was David Rhind whose catalogue of eminent buildings and structures is quite astonishing.
Carlowrie Castle, 1852
Trained in London in the drawing office of Augustus Pugin, Rhind went on to design a host of landmarks which will be familiar to many of us. If you have ever visited The Dome on Edinburgh’s George Street, you have been in a Rhind building which was originally the Commercial Bank of Scotland. Worshippers in Camelon Church, Falkirk; Victoria Place Church, Falkirk; St Luke’s Episcopal Church, Dumbarton; Kilmany Parish Church, Fife; Hobkirk Parish Church and Robertson Parish Church have all been able to be so, courtesy of Rhind the architect.
Rhind was a close contender for the design of the current Houses of Parliament in London. After the medieval Palace of Westminster was largely destroyed by fire in 1834, a competition was held to see which architect would be chosen to design the new Houses of Parliament. Rhind was one of the close runners-up to Sir Charles Barry who, ironically, was assisted by Augustus Pugin, Rhind’s former teacher.
However, Rhind’s submission was not lost to posterity; Stewart’s Melville College, Edinburgh is a scaled-down version of what would have been the design of the Houses Parliament had Rhind won the competition.
Stewart's Melville College, formerly Daniel Stewart's Hospital 1855
Rhind is buried with his second wife and family in St Cuthbert’s Churchyard under the shadow of Edinburgh Castle.
David Rhind
© Reproduced with
acknowledgement to Lynda Sheppard.
Lynda is great granddaughter of David Rhind.
A P George Kirkliston Heritage Society