Overview of John Patrick Crichton-Stuart

Patron of the arts and philanthropist. Born at Mount Stuart (Argyll and Bute) and educated at Harrow and Oxford. Crichton-Stuart was a learned and deeply spiritual man who, in 1868, caused a sensation by becoming an ardent convert to Roman Catholicism. He became a religious scholar of some note. His early life is said to have inspired Benjamin Disraeli's novel Lothair. He commissioned Robert Rowand Anderson (1834 - 1921) to completely rebuild his home at Mount Stuart in remarkable style and, in Wales, Crichton-Stuart worked on Cardiff Castle (1865) and Castlell Coch (1871-9). Crichton-Stuart also extended Cardiff Docks to cope with increased volumes of production from his South Wales collieries. His monopoly in the port of Cardiff gave rise to a dispute with fellow-Scot Archibald Hood (1823 - 1902), who also had significant mining interests in South Wales.

A respected historian, Crichton-Stuart was also responsible for bringing about the restoration of as many as 60 notable buildings in Scotland, including Dunblane Cathedral, Falkland Palace, Pluscarden Abbey, Rothesay Castle, St. Andrews Priory. He was generous in terms of patronage and public benefaction, supporting Glasgow and St. Andrews Universities. On his death, his heart was taken to the Holy Land to be buried on the Mount of Olives.