ASHLEY HOUSE
Formerly known as
RATHO BANK
Ashley House a ©
A two storey three bay villa over a raised basement. With two bay recessed later additions to the left and a single storey classical orangery to the right.
The 1845 statistical account tells us that,
The estate comprises three lands
Those formerly known by the name of Ratho Bank, consisting of three parts of the Abthan of Ratho, which at one time belonged to Sir James Fleming of Ratho Byres. Another part of the said Abthan of Ratho, all lying within the Barony of Kirkliston, regality of St. Andrews and Sheriffdom of Fife, the whole lands subsequently belonged to Sir W.A. Cunningham of Livingston Bart and were disposed in 1779 to George Reid Esq., of Balerno, which was succeeded by his grandson G. Reid Esq. By whom, in 1819, they were disponed to the late George Veitch, W.S. from whose trustees they were in 1829. Purchased by the present proprietor, (Mr Brown).
The lands of Marylands, which originally formed part of the estate of Ratho.
The remaining portion of the estate of Ratho, lying on the north side of the Union Canal and extending from Marylands to the Parish Church, was lately added by Mr Brown. (This was during the period 1829 and 1845).
These aforementioned portions now make up the estate of Ashley.
The rectified valuation roll of 1814.
| Description of property | Present proprietor |
| Called Abthen of Ratho. | |
| Part of the east most park of Ratho-Byres, | |
| consisting of 13 acres(L.= £) L 39 18 9 | |
| George Reid of Rathobank, L460 18 8 | |
| Remainder of the lands called Abthen of Ratho, L 420 0 0 | |
| Per decreet 30th. April 1807 L 460 18 8 | |
| Abstract. | |
| George Reid, for his part of Norton before stated L 91 2 0 | |
| Ditto, for Windrahams lands, as before stated L 100 0 0 | |
| Ditto, for his parts of Ratho-Byres, &c. as before stated L 460 16 8 | |
| L 651 18 8 | |
Originally it was a farm belonging to the Reid family.
24th June 1818, the Edinburgh and Glasgow Union Canal Coy. acquired part of the lands of South Platt from George Reid of Ratho Bank.
2nd July 1821 George Reid of Ratho Bank sold part of Ratho Byres.
In 1821 a boatload of Scotsmen and their families emigrated to Van Diemen's Land. Many of them were granted land at Bothwell. One of the settlers was Alexander Reid who named his grant ‘Ratho’ after his family farm at ‘Ratho Bank’ near Edinburgh. He made at least one visit home prior to 1839. Where he stayed in the area is not known and the family holdings had been sold by this time.
He played golf at his new home and the course is still in existence today and claims to be the oldest Golf Course in the Southern Hemisphere. Alexander Arthur Reid the last Reid to own Ratho (at Bothwell) lived from 1861-1960. Witnessing many changes over the years he was responsible for formalising golf at ‘Ratho’ from invitation only into a club-like structure.
13th May 1826 the trustees of George Reid of Ratho Bank sold the lands of Westfield to John Innes of Cowie.
10th July 1826 the trustees of George Reid of Ratho Bank and the said George Reid sold the lands of Ratho Hall and mansion house to John Innes of Cowie.
Joseph Samuel, sculpted a bust of the late George Veitch. This work is dated 1827 and is in the Signet Library, Edinburgh.
(Joseph Samuel, (1791-1850) b… died 1.7.1850 London. Sculptor, London (1791-1823), 22 Windsor Street, Edinburgh (1823-28), London (1828-1850).
The stables of the property carry the date 1831.
Post Directory 1833 Wm. Henry Brown, Esq.
George Thomson, gardener.
In 1834 the house name is changed from Ratho Bank to Ashley.
The New Statistical Account of 1845 describes it as consisting of 250 acres, with some 10 acres laid out in ornamental grounds and plantations.
William Henry Brown (1784-1870) christened 29.8.1784, Carriden, Linlithgowshire*. Died 3.10.1870, Ashley House, Ratho.
Mr. Brown was a glass painter & designer, Merchant; China & Glass Manufacturer; Farmer. Royal warrant holder, (1824). His father William Henry Brown, was a Farmer. His mother was Margaret [Janet] Wood.
He was married twice, his second wife was Mary Brown (1802/3-8.12.1885).
Died, at Ashley House, on the 3rd inst., WILLIAM HENRY BROWN, Esq., of Ashley. Edinburgh Evening Courant, 5.10.1870, 4e.
In the following census details we find age discrepancies.*
1841 Census
William Brown (48),
Robert (20) W.S.
1851 census
William Brown (61) Widower. Farming 250 acres employing 19 labourers.
His other addresses were:
| 1813 | Merchant, 9 Greenside Street, Edinburgh. |
| 1814-1818 | Merchant, 19 Union Street. |
| 1814-1819 | W. H. Brown & Co., Cloth Agents, 34 North Bridge. House 19 Union Street. |
| 1820-53 | China Warehouse, 3 Waterloo Place. House, 19 Union Street. Stained glass first advertised. |
| 1823 | Advertisement in Edinburgh Directory, with royal warrant: William Henry Brown, China & Glass Manufacturer to His Majesty, 2 Waterloo Place, Edinburgh. Stained & Painted Windows &c. Designed & executed by W. H. B. |
| 1834 | House, “Ashley”, [sic] 25 Forth Street. |
| 1853 | Last year the business at 2 Waterloo Place was advertised in the Edinburgh Directory. |
| 1854 | Announcement in the Scotsman, 20.5.1854, let, of shop at 1 Waterloo Place closing down within a fortnight.‘IMPORTANT NOTICE. CHINA, GLASS and EARTHENWARE. …’ |
| 1854-69 | Removed to Ashley House, Ratho. |
Buried: Dean Cemetery, Edinburgh, section I. B. W. (Interior boundary wall). Inscription:
WILLIAM HENRY BROWN ESQUIRE
OF ASHLEY, MIDLOTHIAN
DEPARTED THIS LIFE 3rd OCTOBER 1870.
MARY BROWN,
HIS WIDOW,
DAUGHTER OF DAVID BROWN, OF GREENKNOWE, DIED 8th DECEMBER 1885, AGED 82.
“It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good.”
“The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away, Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
WILLIAM HENRY BROWN, ESQ.
OF ASHLEY
Examples of his work: -
| Abbotsford 1823 | Abbotsford. Armorial glass in hall. Account for these is dated 28 January 1824. See letter of W. H. B. to Sir Walter Scott, dated 11th April 1829. |
| Ashley, Ratho. n.d. | Panels in gazebo. |
William Henry Brown was a pioneer of the stained glass revival, but as he worked before the early English practitioners, he is never mentioned in Anglican books on the subject.
Manuscripts (2):
Letter to Sir Walter Scott, 11.04.1829. NLS: MS. 3908, f207.
Letter to John Blackwood, 07.12.1850. NLS: MS. 4938, f25. Blackwood Papers:-
Waterloo Place
9 Dec [embe] r 1850
My Dear Sir,
I beg to remind
you of your promise
to return the Paper,
which must be
an overlook.
Yours truly
Wm. H. Brown.
John Blackwood Esqr.
George Street
Information on Joseph Samuel and W. H. Brown reproduced from: -
Dictionary of Scottish Artists
by kind permission of the author
W. T. Johnston.
1838 Edinburgh Directory
Andrew White, Gardener.
1841 Census.
William Brown (48) Independent means,
RobertBrown (20) W.S.
1871 Census.
Mrs Mary Brown (67) widow.
1881 Census.
Mary Brown (77) life renter,
Ann (87) her sister and partitioner.
1899-1919 William Thompson Mitchell. The main part of the house was damaged by fire during 1918 (the date of the west wing being added is unknown however this part was not damaged in the fire). In the 1920 valuation roll it is recorded that the property is under repair.
1905 Robert Scott Little Hardie, Stock and Share Broker, is in residence.
February 1919, Elizabeth Thomas Mitchell sells the property to John Young.
The fire-damaged portion was rebuilt in 1920. The restoration work by Dunn and Findlay. The plans for the restoration are with The Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland.
August 1920 purchased by Mrs Brunhilde Mauck or Dodds.
1932-1971 owned by Charles Mowbray Pearson M.D., FRCS (previously of 14 Manor Place, Edinburgh).
Recollections of Mowbray Pearson (retired university lecturer (Geography) and his sister Katharine) who lived in the house from 1932-1970.
Mrs Dodds is believed to have been responsible for changing the windows upstairs to the present style; Mr Pearson described these as very draughty.
Miss Pearson remembers the stables very well from having her own horse; she describes them as three very superior stalls on one side of the coach house with a loose box and two other stalls on the other side. The groom’s quarters were up above this. She talks of a circular stone staircase with an iron railing going up into the hayloft and there was also a bothy with a fireplace.
The stables were entered through a large gate and due to the dip at the south side are actually on three levels. From the main coach house you went down stairs to two stone pigsties, byre for two cows and a hen house all built of stone. The drain from the stables ran down into the pigsty. All of these opened onto the garden level. In 1932 the house had running water but no mains electricity. This was supplied by an engine in the stables, which also charged a number of batteries.
Ashley House b ©
This picture was taken in 1932 and shows the house from the south. Looking across what was the tennis court.
the left-hand side is the pre fire extension and the different style windows on the upper floor of the central or original building can be clearly seen.
The large tree on the right, which shaded the conservatory, was a cedar tree and was cut down in the 1970s.
1971 owned by Mr & Mrs Lennan.
The property was put on the market in June 1999 with an asking price of offers over £520,000, it was purchased by Mr & Mrs Paton, Edinburgh Hoteliers.
The owners of this type of property, which was quite common in the 1800s, were known as ‘Bonnet Lairds’ – small landowners who farmed their land themselves and worked laboriously in order to raise enough money to preserve their station in life.