Cardrona House, Lodge Traquair, Scotland

Text courtesy of Historic Environment Scotland. © Crown Copyright, reprinted under the Open Government License.

This lodge is sited on the B7062. This is part of one of the oldest estates in the parish, being known until circa 1465 as Easter Hopkailzie. The boundary of Easter and Wester Hopkailzie occurred near Kirkburn, with the lands to the east being known as Cardrona (and those to the west becoming known as Kailzie). The Govan family held the property until 1685 when they sold it to James Williamson of Hutcheonfield, the family with whom it stayed (via the Ker family) into the 20th century. The house was built in 1841 for Captain James Ker Williamson to replace the earlier house, which was retained for 'offices'. This later lodge was built on a formerly wooded area at the end of a new drive. Previously access was through 2 separate drives, neither of which had lodges. The northern most T-plan drive was a relatively plain affair; it followed a field boundary and was screened from the house by a landscaped area of mixed trees. Primarily, carts and workers in the general running of the estate used it. It was a back way to the new house that led to the stables, kennels, walled garden and estate workers housing. The formal drive to the house was sited a little to the south of the present drive. It wound through a landscaped wooded area and drew up in front of the house. This new drive cut through a former area of parkland between the older drives in a sweeping arc. The old formal drive was no longer used but the other still remains in use. The lodge is listed as a good example of a 19th century estate building with original features (timber porch, sash and case windows, castellated bay, bracketed eaves and braced gables) retained.