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Pollok House

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akakd
akakd
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4 out of 5
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Editor Pick

Pollock House

  • June 14, 2006
  • Rated 4 of 5 by Drever from Ayr
Pollock House

Imagine owning the whole south side of Glasgow. The Maxwell family did for almost 700 years until well into the last century. Their ancestral home, Pollok House in its 361 acres of park and woodland sits only minutes away from the city centre. In 1966 family member Anne Maxwell Macdonald presented the mansion to the city of Glasgow. The National Trust for Scotland now manages it.

The mansion designed by William Adam in 1752 is now the historic jewel at the heart of Pollock Park. It overflows with collections of Spanish art, antique furniture, silverware and ceramics, and an impressive library. The Country Park itself offers woodland walks and cycle tracks. The mansion shares Pollock Country Park with the Burrell Collection another spectacular compilation of art and antiques. The short walk between, past Highland cattle grazing verdant pastures, is a delight.

There is always something going on in Pollock House. On some Saturdays couples are wed in the library overlooking the garden. The magical quality of the Christmas celebrations at the house offers something special. There are also regular antiques fairs and special children's events. At the weekend staff and family members dress in period costume giving an entertaining glimpse into what life was like in the Victorian era.

The interiors of the house are spectacular with marble and mahogany hallway and period ceramics, silverware and furnishings on display. The numerous paintings on view contain important works by the English poet and artist William Blake, and an impressive collection of Spanish paintings, including works by El Greco and Goya, including the famous ‘Lady in a Fur Wrap’.

Sir William Stirling Maxwell (1818-1878) collected most of the paintings. He became an authority on the art and history of Spain, and published the first reference work in English on the subject. He had the paintings hung to complement the interiors.

The furnishings are mostly eighteenth century and there are several beautiful and interesting rooms to explore, including the “upstairs” quarters of the family. Take a look round the servants’ quarters and you will see the grand scale needed to keep a large family home running. Look for the photograph of the Victorian servants and count the number of people employed. The head housekeeper’s sitting room is now the Trust gift shop, which includes a food shop, and the former dining room for the more “important” servants is now a bookshop.

Once you've built up your appetite head for the Edwardian kitchen. It now forms an award-winning restaurant serving such culinary delights as home made soups and baking. If preferred you can sit outside in a small courtyard.

Before leaving explore the beautifully kept gardens with their collection of over 1,000 species of rhododendrons. Walk also along the White Cart River to the farm buildings to see the heavy draft horses and the water powered sawmill. Although not now including the south side of Glasgow the well-manicured grounds are still extensive and well worth exploring.

From journal Glasgow City of Architecture and Culture

Editor Pick

Pollock House/Pollock Park

  • November 5, 2000
  • Rated 3 of 5 by akakd from , Arizona
Pollock House/Pollock Park

Pollock House, once a family home, is now the historic jewel at the heart of Pollock Park. The mansion was designed in 1752. We spent quite a bit of time exploring part of the 355 acres of well-manicured grounds. The famous Burrell Collection is also in Pollock Park. We had lunch downstairs in the glassed-in cafe overlooking the grounds.

From journal Glorious Glasgow

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