Preston Hall

A house has stood on the site since 1700 and in 1738 Henrietta, the widow of Alexandra Gordon, 2nd Duke of Gordon, bought the estate and commissioned William Adam to make alterations to the house prior to her son putting it on the market in the early 1780’s.

After a prosperous career in India with the East India Company, Alexander Callander returned to Scotland to look for a home. He first bought the neighbouring estates of Elphinstone and Crichton, before acquiring Preston Hall Estate in 1789. At the time of purchase, the house had been vacant for almost ten years and extensive work was needed to make the house habitable. A London based architect, Robert Mitchell, was employed to demolish and replace the hall with the foundation stone laid on Friday 18th March 1791.

Unfortunately, Alexander Callander never lived to see his home, and the house was passed to his brother, John Callander, who completed the work in 1801.

Further facts

Preston Hall was commissioned by Alexander Callander in 1791. Unfortunately he died during the build and it passed to his older brother, John Callander. Alexander made his money working in India for the East India Company.

Ensign Ewart, who captured the French standard at the Battle of Waterloo, was temporarily buried at Preston Hall folly whilst work was being carried out at Edinburgh Castle