Earl of Stair's Monument, Newhailes, Musselburgh

Earl of Stair's Monument is an eighteenth-century stone obelisk standing in the woodland north of Newhailes House, on the edge of Musselburgh in East Lothian, Scotland. It is a quiet, rarely mentioned corner of the Newhailes estate, and one of the few features of the grounds that can be tied to a firm date.

What is the Earl of Stair's Monument?

The monument is a tall ashlar obelisk, a slender four-sided shaft of dressed stone, set on an inscribed pedestal with a projecting cornice. The pedestal rests on a rock-faced base, so the smooth upper stonework contrasts with a rougher, more natural-looking foundation. Historic records from the mid-nineteenth century describe it as a stone column roughly 20 feet high, standing near the mansion. It is protected as a Category B listed structure.

Who is it dedicated to?

A Latin inscription commemorates John Dalrymple, 2nd Earl of Stair. He served as second-in-command to King George II at the Battle of Dettingen in 1743, one of the best-known military episodes of the War of the Austrian Succession. The monument is dated 1746, only a few years after the battle, which makes it a fairly immediate tribute to a soldier and diplomat of the Dalrymple family.

How does it connect to Newhailes?

The estate was once called Whitehill. Around 1686 it was bought by the architect James Smith. In 1709 it passed to Sir David Dalrymple, who renamed it Newhailes to distinguish it from his other property, Hailes Castle in East Lothian. Sir David belonged to the same Dalrymple family as the Earl of Stair, which explains why a monument to a national military figure stands on this particular estate.

The obelisk was part of a designed landscape. The listing notes that it once stood amid landscaped pleasure grounds, and a shell grotto lies nearby in the same wooded area.

Restoration in 1907

The pedestal was recarved in 1907 for Sir Charles Dalrymple, and a bronze plaque records the work. This is why the monument is described as dating from 1746 and restored in 1907.

Practical notes

• Location: woodland north of Newhailes House, Musselburgh, East Lothian (about 55.9424, -3.0808).
• Type: obelisk monument, Category B listed.
• Best for: visitors interested in Scottish history, estate landscapes and eighteenth-century garden architecture.
• Nearby: Newhailes House and its grounds, the shell grotto and the wider Musselburgh area, a short distance east of Edinburgh.

Frequently asked questions

When was the monument built? It is dated 1746 and was restored in 1907.

Who does it commemorate? John Dalrymple, 2nd Earl of Stair, who was second-in-command to George II at Dettingen in 1743.

What is it made of? Ashlar stone, set on a rock-faced base.

Where exactly is it? In the woodland to the north of Newhailes House, in Musselburgh, East Lothian.

Is it protected? Yes, it is a Category B listed structure.