Alexander McGill (died 1734) was a

Scottish Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: *Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland *Scottish English *Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...

mason and

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs, and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

, who worked in partnership with fellow architect James Smith. His work was influenced by that of

Sir William Bruce Sir William Bruce of Kinross, 1st Baronet (c. 1630 – 1710), was a Scottish gentleman-architect, "the effective founder of classical architecture in Scotland," as Howard Colvin observes.Colvin, p.172–176 As a key figure in introducing the Pa ...

, and some of his designs later appeared in William Adam's ''Vitruvius Scoticus''. The son of George McGill, a mason in

Arbirlot Arbirlot (Gaelic: ''Obar Eilid'') is a village in a rural parish of the same name in Angus, Scotland. The current name is usually presumed to be a contraction of Aberelliot''Statistical Account of Scotland'', edited by Sir John Sinclair of Ulbster ...

Angus Angus may refer to: *Angus, Scotland, a council area of Scotland, and formerly a province, sheriffdom, county and district of Scotland * Angus, Canada, a community in Essa, Ontario Animals * Angus cattle, various breeds of beef cattle Media * ...

, he was apprenticed in June 1697 to Alexander Nisbet, a mason in

Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...

. By 1710 he had been admitted into the mason's lodge, and he is known to have visited London on at least one occasion (in 1717).Colvin, pp.530-531 From 1699 McGill was involved on work at Kellie Castle, Angus, in association with

Alexander Edward Alexander Edward (10 June 1651 – 16 November 1708) was a priest of the Scottish Episcopal Church who later became a draughtsman, architect and landscape designer. He was a stylistic follower of Sir William Bruce, and planned several gardens in ...

, and from 1700 with Smith at Yester House in East Lothian. At the House of Nairn, McGill completed William Bruce's design after the latter's death. His own designs include those of Donibristle House in Fife,

Blair Drummond Blair Drummond is a small rural community northwest of Stirling in the Stirling (council area), Stirling district of Scotland, predominantly located along the A84 road. Lying to the north of the River Forth, the community is within the registrat ...

(1715–17), which was demolished in 1870, and a town house for James Graham, 1st Duke of Montrose in

Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...

's Drygate (demolished 1855). McGill designed the original Mount Stuart House on the

Isle of Bute The Isle of Bute (; or '), known as Bute (), is an island in the Firth of Clyde in Scotland, United Kingdom. It is divided into highland and lowland areas by the Highland Boundary Fault. Formerly a constituent island of the larger County of ...

for

John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute (; 25 May 1713 – 10 March 1792), styled Lord Mount Stuart between 1713 and 1723, was a British Tory statesman who served as the Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1762 to 1763 under George III. He became the ...

, which was later remodelled by William Adam, before burning down, leaving only McGill's pavilions. McGill also designed several churches, including the New Kirk in

Dumfries Dumfries ( ; ; from ) is a market town and former royal burgh in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, near the mouth of the River Nith on the Solway Firth, from the Anglo-Scottish border. Dumfries is the county town of the Counties of Scotland, ...

, and

Newbattle Newbattle (from Old Scots ''Neubothle'', "new building") is a village and civil parish in Midlothian, Scotland. The village lies south of Dalkeith, about seven miles from Edinburgh. It is notable for containing Newbattle Abbey, a stately hom ...

Parish Church (1727). In November 1720 McGill became the first City Architect of Edinburgh, with a salary of £50 a year, at least until the pay was discontinued during lean times in 1725. He carried out various minor public works in the city, until 1729 after which no further mention of him occurs in the city records.Fleming, p.331

References

*Colvin, Howard (1978) ''A Biographical Dictionary of Scottish Architects 1600-1840'', John Murray *Fleming, John (1962) ''Robert Adam and his Circle'', John Murray Scottish architects 1734 deaths Year of birth unknown {{UK-architect-stub