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William Robertson (Scottish architect)
Scottish architect (1786–1841) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
William Robertson (1786 – 12 June 1841) was a Scottish architect. Born in Lonmay in Aberdeenshire, he started his career in Cullen, Moray,[1] then moved to Elgin around 1821, where he practised for the rest of his life.[2] He established himself as the foremost architect of his period north of Aberdeen,[3] described by Charles McKean as "possibly the north of Scotland's first native classical architect of substance."[4] His practice was continued by his nephews Alexander and William Reid,[1] and their partners and successors J and W Wittet.[5]
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Robertson built numerous churches, for the Church of Scotland, the Episcopal Church of Scotland, and the newly emancipated Roman Catholic Church, including the Category A-listed listed St Thomas's in Keith, which he designed with Walter Lovi.[6] He also improved numerous country houses around Morayshire and Banffshire, such as Milton Brodie House,[1] and he built Aberlour House from scratch for the rich slave-owner and planter Alexander Grant.[7][8] In 1826, he published a book, entitled A Series of Views of the Ruins of Elgin Cathedral … with ground plan and table of measurements.[1]
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He died at Elgin on 12 June 1841 and is commemorated by a memorial in the graveyard at Elgin Cathedral.[1]