Descriptive Gazetteer Entry for Gosford

Gosford, the seat of the Ear; of Wemyss, in Aberlady parish, Haddingtonshire, 3 furlongs E of a small bay of its own name, 2 miles NNE of Longniddry station, and 5¾ NW of Haddington. The estate was purchased, and the mansion built, in the latter half of last century by the sixth Ear;, whose great-great-grandson, Francis Wemyss-Charteris Douglas, ninth Earl of Wemyss since 1633, and sixth of March since 1697 (b. 1818; suc. 1883), as Lord Elcho, may be said to have created the volunteer movement in 1859, and holds 57,158 acres, valued at £50,080, 10s. per annum, viz., 10,136 in Haddingtonshire (£22,524, 11s.), 41,247 in Peeblesshire (£14,315, 16s-), 1504 in Edinburghshire (£5570), 1261 in Berwickshire (£747), and 3010 in Perthshire (£7666, 3s.). Standing amid extensive and finely planted grounds, Gosfordlifts its top into charming vista view, as seen from the North British railway; is approached on the W side of the grounds by a fino lodge, designed by Mr Billings; and contains a large collection of pictures, many of them by the old masters. A hospital in connection with Dunglass collegiate church anciently stood at Gosford Spital, but has entirely disappeared. See Wemyss, Amisfield, Neidpath, Elcho, and Barns.—Ord. Sur-, sh. 33, 1863.


(F.H. Groome, Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland (1882-4); © 2004 Gazetteer for Scotland)

Linked entities:
Feature Description: "the seat"   (ADL Feature Type: "residential sites")
Administrative units: Aberlady ScoP       East Lothian ScoCnty

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