Phantassie () (in English "damp gentle slope") is an

agricultural Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created f ...

hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...

near

East Linton East Linton is a village and former police burgh in East Lothian, Scotland, situated on the River Tyne, Scotland, River Tyne and A199 road (former A1 road (Great Britain), A1 road) five miles east of Haddington, East Lothian, Haddington, with ...

East Lothian East Lothian (; ; ) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, as well as a Counties of Scotland, historic county, registration county and Lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area. The county was called Haddingtonshire until 1921. In ...

, Scotland. It is close to the

River Tyne The River Tyne is a river in North East England. Its length (excluding tributaries) is . It is formed by the North Tyne and the South Tyne, which converge at Warden, Northumberland, Warden near Hexham in Northumberland at a place dubbed 'The ...

Preston Mill Preston Mill is a watermill on the River Tyne at the eastern edge of East Linton on the B1407 Preston Road, in East Lothian, Scotland, UK. It is situated close to Prestonkirk Parish Church, the Smeaton Hepburn Estate, Smeaton Lake, and Phan ...

, and

Prestonkirk Parish Church Prestonkirk Parish Church is a Church of Scotland parish church at East Linton, in the parish of Traprain, East Lothian, Scotland, UK, close to Preston Mill, Smeaton, Phantassie, and the River Tyne. Building The original church is said to h ...

. The Phantassie Farm and Workshop, presently owned by Hamilton Farmers, is the birthplace and childhood home of the

civil engineer A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering – the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructure while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing i ...

John Rennie the Elder John Rennie (7 June 1761 – 4 October 1821) was a Scottish civil engineer who designed many bridges, canals, docks and warehouses, and a pioneer in the use of structural cast-iron. Early years John Rennie was born near Phantassie in Haddin ...

(1761–1821), and his brother George Rennie (1749–1828). John Rennie is commemorated at Phantassie by

baluster A baluster () is an upright support, often a vertical moulded shaft, square, or lathe-turned form found in stairways, parapets, and other architectural features. In furniture construction it is known as a spindle. Common materials used in its ...

s taken from

Waterloo Bridge Waterloo Bridge () is a road and foot traffic bridge crossing the River Thames in London, between Blackfriars Bridge and Hungerford Bridge and Golden Jubilee Bridges. Its name commemorates the victory of the British, Dutch and Prussians at the ...

in London, which he designed. The estate was formerly the property of the Countess of Aberdeen, until purchased by the Rennie family in the 18th century. The 18th century main house is a category A

listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Hi ...

, while the farmstead is category B listed.

Phantassie Doocot

Phantassie Doocot is a "beehive" doocot, or

dovecote A dovecote or dovecot , doocot (Scots Language, Scots) or columbarium is a structure intended to house Domestic pigeon, pigeons or doves. Dovecotes may be free-standing structures in a variety of shapes, or built into the end of a house or b ...

, and is a

National Trust for Scotland The National Trust for Scotland () is a Scottish Building preservation and conservation trusts in the UK, conservation organisation. It is the largest membership organisation in Scotland and describes itself as "the charity that cares for, sha ...

property, along with the nearby

. It was built in the 16th century, and has an unusual parapet in the shape of a horseshoe. Behind the thick walls, there are 544 nestboxes which, in years gone by, would have given good shelter to the birds. The building was given to the National Trust for Scotland in 1961 by William Hamilton of Phantassie Farm, and is a category A listed building. Phantassie walled garden has been used for over 150 years and is dedicated to the rearing of Gloucester and Berkshire pigs, as well as Black Rock hens and

organic Organic may refer to: * Organic, of or relating to an organism, a living entity * Organic, of or relating to an anatomical organ Chemistry * Organic matter, matter that has come from a once-living organism, is capable of decay or is the product ...

produce.

Photo gallery

Image:Phantassie Doocot and field.jpg, The doocot and field Image:Phantassie Doocot close.jpg, The beehive doocot at Phantassie Image:Phantassie Doocot 04.jpg, The doocot Image:Doocot closeup.jpg, Horseshoe-shaped parapet of the doocot

References

External links

National Trust for Scotland webpage for Phantassie DoocotFamily life at Phantassie in the mid-1870sAerial photos of Phantassie from RCAHMS
Villages in East Lothian Tourist attractions in East Lothian History of East Lothian Category A listed buildings in East Lothian Dovecotes {{EastLothian-geo-stub