RATHO HOUSE
Ratho Park ©
Now known as
RATHO PARK
Built by William Burn for John Bonnar of Ratho 1824, the Tudor house, with corner turrets, stepped battlements and mullioned windows identically disposed on two floors; an imitation of Jacobean in the shaped gables which all surmount projecting bays. It is planned as a compact rectangular with the main suite of rooms overlooking a balustraded terrace along the symmetrical south front, a lower lying office court to the north and an entrance tower on the east side in the East Barsham manner. The interior is austere Grecian. Symmetrical entrance hall, long symmetrical saloon opening into the well staircase whose balustrade is of interlaced hoops. Along the south side a dignified sequence of drawing room, library and dining room. All have coffered ceilings except the last, which has octagonal and square compartments. Upstairs the bathroom contains a marble bath in a pilastered timber aedicule. It is as old as the house and the shower in the ceiling does not seem to be much newer.
STEADING & STABLES of 1836, also by Burn.
Extract from Clason’s New Statistical Account of Scotland: -
There is no authentic notice to be found of the Barony of Ratho earlier than the beginning of the fourteenth century. It is not improbable that this was one of the many forfeited estates, which fell into the hands of the Crown during the wars carried on by the different competitors for the Scottish throne, upon the death of Alexander III, for in 1315, the Barony of Ratho and other estates, was granted by Robert I to the Steward of Scotland, upon his marriage with Robert's daughter, (see above) Margery, by whom the sovereignty of this country eventually devolved upon the Stewart family. On the accession of Robert II in 1371, the same barony, with its pertinents and other estates, was settled on the King’s eldest son, as the Prince and Stewart of Scotland (Chalmer’s Caledonia) and the whole estates of the Stewarts were formed in 1404 into a principality, with regal jurisdiction. In the middle of the seventeenth century, this property appears to have been in the possession of a Lord Collington, as it is specially mentioned in the report of a commission appointed by Charles II to take account of the losses sustained by him during the usurpation of Cromwell. In 1563, Ratho estate became by purchase the property of Mr. Alexander Fowlis, in whose favour a charter and new gift were granted by the King as superior, with the customary legal minuteness. It is as follows: “Of all the sundries, the lands of Ratho, with the pertinents thereof, comprehending all and haill the thirty-six oxengate of the town and lands of Ratho, with the mansion, tower, fortalice, manor-place, houses, biggings, yards, orchards, doucats, loch and meadow thereof called Ratho Myre, lying within the parish of Ratho and sheriffdom of Edinburgh and by annexation within the barony and sheriffdom of Renfrew, united and erected into a haill and free barony, called the barony of Ratho, to be holden to his Majesty.” This property continued in the family of Fowlis till 1778, when Mr. Archibald Christie succeeded as heir to Alexander Fowlis. In 1786, it was purchased by Thomas Macknight Crawford of Belleville, in North Carolina; and in 1818, it became the possession of A. Bonnar, Esq.
Alexander Foulis, first of Ratho, born 1614, was the 10th child (7th son) of George Foulis and his second wife Janet, daughter of George Bannatyne (b1587, m1603, d1631). Alexr or sevint sone was borne the 28 of july 1614. his godfathers mr gibsone, mr alexr andro and Alex. Foulis; his godmother jean wynrame.
Alexander's son John Foulis second of Ratho married Margaret Brysson and they had a daughter Janet who was married to a Colonel Adam Rae. (Adam Rae, styled Major Rae and Colonel Rae but most frequently plain Adam Rae b1642 was a first cousin of Sir John Foulis).
Sir John Foulis of Ravelston mentions Ratho in hare hunting and hawking.
In his accounts books the following entries occur where Ratho is mentioned: -
| May 1680 | To ye wright to drink at ratho 13s 4d and to a pyper yr 6s 8d | £ 1 0 0 |
| June 1680 | For a pt of a coatch hyre to Gogars douchters buriall. | £ 1 5 0 |
| Spent wtL. torphichan, old ratho, Catherhall, etc. | £ 0 13 4 |
| For a mutchkin seek to old ratho In my oune house | £ 0 10 0 |
| For a chopin wine wt old ratho, Randerstoune, adam Rae, etc. | £ 0 10 0 |
| Spent wt old ratho and yr after wt Jon Smart and ar. Y. | £ 0 3 4 |
| July 1680 | To the lyme man at ratho to compleat ye paymt of 20 bags Lyme at 11s the bag he got formerlie 2mks | £ 9 13 4 |
| Spent wt ad. Rae., Jon foulis, ratho, major wood, etc. Sauchtounhal and yr after in adam raes house. | £ 1 0 0 |
| Spent at dalmenie wn I went about ye militia yr wt old ratho. | £ 0 5 6 |
| Jan. 1681 | for wine and eall wt G.R., Ratho and adam rae. | £ 0 7 0 |
| Spent in G. Rots chamber wt him, young Ratho, will Lockart and Ja. Nicols., etc. | £ 0 10 0 |
| Feb. 1681 | For a pt of a coach wt adam Rae, solihill, young ratho,to rickartounes buriall at Currie. | £ 1 12 0 |
| Spent in G. Rots. Chamber wt him Ja. Nicols, ad. Foulis and mr da. Dewar. | £ 0 13 4 |
| Spent wt old and young ratho., wm lockart and major rae. | £ 0 4 0 |
| Spent wt sr James Hay, walstoune, mr Rot Cuningham and old ratho and G. Rots. | £ 0 5 6 |
| March 1681 | For a mutchkin wormit wine wt old ratho in G. Rots chamber I receaved from ratho a yeirs @ rent to lambmes 1680 of 4000mks prinll no @ rents preceiding that time is owing. | £ 0 5 0 |
| Spent wt ratho, Sr Jon Gibsone, alex. Gibsone, Ja. Nic. and ar. yo. | £ 1 4 0 |
| For a pint of wine wt Comr Elphinstone, Ratho, dalmahoy, etc., after choosing ye commissioners, Coling. And Sr Jon Maitland for ye shyre. | £ 1 0 0 |
| April 1692 | Spent at corstorphin wt L. foster at taking up ye name of ye fencible men in ye paroch. | £ 0 7 0 |
| At night wt Coling., Mr th. Skein and Adam rae (after rathoes buriall in a hearse wt coatches) advysing anent his children and ye affairs. He lyes at ye foot of northmost throughstane save one at my tomb. | £ 0 4 0 |
| For a pair mourning gloves to myself. | £ 2 2 0 |
Dec. 6. 1695 ALEXANDER FOULES de Ratho, hæres Joannis Foules de Ratho, patris, - in terris et baronia de Ratho comprehendente 36 bovatas terrarum villæ et terrarum de Ratho, cum lacu et prato ejusdem ab antiquo Rathomire nuncupatis, infra parochiam de Ratho, et per annexationem infra baroniam et vicecomitatum de Renfrew, unitis in baroniam de Ratho. -A.E. 4l. 8s. N.E. 13l. 4s. xiv.367.
In Ratho (July 1698) Christian Goodale named as the father of her child Alexander Foulis, Laird of Ratho and she was given £12 for a quarter year's maintenance of the child; but when the elders of the Kirk called on Foulis he refused to meet them, saying “I have nothing to do with you.”
In 1778 Mr Archibald Christie succeeded as heir to the Fowlis family.
Court of Session Productions in Register House hold, John Fisher, joiner and cabinet makers Waste book: 1784-6 (No.3183), Account Book: 1784-8 (No. 3184), Abstract account book: 1787-8 (No 3185). Notes on the volumes: (No.3183) contains sketches of cabinets or bookcases, (No. 3184) itemised account of timber work for building of Ratho House. (No. 3185), workmen’s wages.
Process: cs.21/1789 July 7/ Fisher v creditors.
In 1786 Thomas McNight Crawford of Belville in North Carolina, purchased the property.
The Statistical Account of 1791/9 tells us, "Thos. McNight who purchased the estate about five years ago and has already distinguished himself exceedingly by the uncommon spirit with which he conducts his improvements and whereby he is greatly increasing the value of his property." See farming, for a full report on the improvements to the estate carried out by this gentleman.
In 1818 the estates came into the possession of A. Bonnar.
In 1824 Ratho House was rebuilt. The inscription on the Dovecot tells us that a large house had stood on this site prior to 1713.
Dovecot Ratho Park Lintel ©
The house is an imposing building and if we look at the plans of the principal and bed chamber floors we get an even better idea of what life must have been like for the wealthy of that time.
Plan Ratho House ©
Thomas Bonnar (1810-1873) and Thomas Bonnar (1840-1899) are both buried in the Dean Cemetery, Monument by D. W. Stevenson.
1833 John Bonnar, esq.
James Anderson, Gardener.
1835 Built by John Bonnar and now the property of his heirs.
Splendour and Grecian elegance of its architecture.
1836 John Bonnar Esq., James Anderson, Gardener.
1838 & 1842 John Hogg, Gardener.
1842 Edward Jackson (Edinburgh Directory).
1845 Robert Cadell.
1845 Heirs of late John Bonnar.
1850 Mrs Anne Cadell.
1855 John Orr Ewing.
1861 Census
Alexander Learmont (30) Lt. Col. 17th Lancers retired,
Charlotte L. (22) born in Bombay the East Indies,
John Hendry (1).
1862 John Orr Ewing let to Col Erskine.
1866 Oliver G Miller.
1867/9 Alterations carried out to house.
1870 John Dougal.
1871 Mrs Charlotte Sanford Dougal widow of John Roney Dougal (Register of General Sasines and Valuation Roll).
1881 Census
Charlotte Dougal (74) widow/landed proprietor,
Ellen J. Dougal (45) daughter.
1900 Sir Charles W. Cayzer M.P. of Ralston is renting the property.
1903 James Joseph MacLaren, barrister–at–law, Ratho Park is renting the property and remains in residence.
1927 The New Century Golf Club, which had been formed in 1902 at Corstorphine Hill, Edinburgh, later Corstorphine Golf Club, was forced to relocate due to the expiry of its lease. The club moved to Ratho Park, changing its name in the process to the Ratho Park Golf Club Ltd. and using the mansion house as its clubhouse.
The club later purchased the property and continue there to this day.