House of Falkland


(Falkland House School, House of Falkland School)

A fine two-storey country house, in the Jacobean-style, which now houses a school for boys with special needs, the House of Falkland (or Falkland House School) is located a half-mile (1 km) west of Falkland in Fife. Built between 1838-44 by William Burn (1789 - 1870) for Onesiphorus Tyndall-Bruce (1790 - 1855) and his wife, the heiress Margaret Tyndall-Bruce (1788 - 1869) at a cost of £30,000. The couple lived at Nuthill House, but this was demolished and the stone reused for this new house. Burn's style was subdued, perhaps not wishing to eclipse the nearby Falkland Palace. The house comprises two connected sections; a main block of two storeys and a single storey service range attached to the northwest. The tall chimneys are copied from Winton House in East Lothian. The property has been A-listed since 1972.

The House of Falkland was bought in 1890 by John Patrick Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute (1847 - 1900). He immediately employed Robert Weir Schultz (1860 - 1951) to redesign the interior, in the Arts & Crafts style, featuring an idiosyncratic medley of inlaid wood, exuberant plasterwork, heraldic glass and opulently painted ceilings.

The independent Falkland House School was founded in 1984 and is responsible for the education, day and residential care for male pupils from early primary age through to 18 years who are experiencing social, emotional and behavioural problems including Autism and Tourette's Syndrome. The school accommodates up to thirty boys with small class sizes between two and six.

The stables now include the offices of the Falkland Heritage Trust. They follow a traditional courtyard design, with a clock-tower over the arched entrance, and are the work of John Swinton (1823). Nearby is the poignant roofless shell of the Crichton-Stuart Memorial Chapel, built to commemorate the short life of a son of the house. The structure was the work of Reginald Fairlie (1883 - 1952), begun in 1912 but never finished. It was subsequently used as a burial ground.


Use the tabs on the right of this page to see other parts of this entry arrow

If you have found this information useful please consider making
a donation to help maintain and improve this resource. More info...

By using our site you agree to accept cookies, which help us serve you better