The History of Mauldslie Castle…
Maudslie was built for the 5th Earl of Hyndford and secured by Mr James Hozier, former MP for South Lanark from 1886 to 1906. It is said on election night victories, people would make a beeline for the castle to wish him well. It was passed down through the family but sadly demolished in 1935. The elegant gatehouse does, however, survive.
Mauldslie Castle
It was the Hoziers who were to turn Mauldslie Castle into a spectacular mansion house. To do this they commissioned David Bryce who built the house in the 1850s followed by the bridge and accompanying gatehouse in the early 1860s.
In 1893 William Wallace Hozier bequeathed a large sum of money to build the Lady Hozier Convalescent Home in Lanark which he gifted to Glasgow Infirmary.
He died in 1906 and was succeeded by his son James Henry Cecil Hozier, 2nd Lord Newlands.
He entertained George V in July 1914, after he and Queen Mary visited Glasgow just a month before the War was declared. They enjoyed pie, beans and chips for lunch ! The royal couple then left by car to open Hamilton Library. It is said that Sir Winston Churchill frequented the Castle on numerous occaisions and married Clementine.
Lord Newlands died childless in 1929. In 1933 the castle was put up for sale and did not find a buyer so in 1935 it sold to a demolition contractor.
The estate has passed through a number of hands since, with the stables turned into a number of dwellings.
A real Royal Affair!
Now…
The Pleasure Gardens still survive - with beautiful terraced lawns.
Trees: Yew, Giant Redwood, Hemlock, Laurels, Rhododendrons - all stand proud within the properties gardens.
Stone - blocks of stone can be found hidden in the undergrowth. In fact, we are currently restoring a piece that we found that has a beautiful carving of an Angel on it. We also unveiled the remnants of stairs within the bushes. It is said that the stonework was taken to other Castles in Scotland, such as Airth Castle.
Come and sit with the Angels Chair at Mauldslie. Stone that has been carved and excavated from the grounds.
The Keys - the former owner of our home found the keys to the Castle in the undergrowth. Quite remarkable that such a handsome building would be so disregarded. But, the keys remain, thank goodness!
Main Door - It is said that the only remaining door to the Castle can be found in a Bistro in Larkhall, ‘The Applebank Inn’ if you want a look!
Cobbles - we are currently restoring the original cobbles (entrance to original kitchen area), back to their former glory. It doesn’t take much, a wash and tidy and they look brand new!
What next?
In conclusion, as the current proprietors, we don’t know as much as we would like to about this magnificent historical area. The Facebook page - Lost Houses of the Clyde Valley, continue to post remarkable pictures and stories, that we love to read and hear about. If anyone has any stories, tales and historical facts we would welcome them. We strive to maintain and restore the gardens in which the Castle once stood. As we walk around the gardens and describe what was once here to people, it amazes us how interested and surprised everyone is to hear what was once here. In fact, we recently invited some regular walkers to come and see this magical spot, in which they thanked us with tears in their eyes saying, ‘they were truly thankful for being allowed to see such a beautiful, historical place that they had been fascinated by for many years’. They could not believe they were actually here! We have invited them for tea in the gardens when the weather gets better, and I am sure it shall be another wonderful moment to cherish. We are now, of course, absolutely delighted to allow people from all walks of life to come and stay on our grounds in our self-catering cabins.
If you would like to experience the ambiance and atmosphere of a truly magnificent and historical place, come and stay with us and Book a Cabin soon at Punch Tree Cabins.
Our Green Terraced Lawns!
