Private Collections

Cullaloe: Two Centuries of Architecture, Artistry and Family Life

26 October 2026

Douglas Girton

A feature of our November 2026 edition of Five Centuries is a collection of furniture and works of art from an interesting Scottish country house called Cullaloe.

Cullaloe, a Category B listed country house near Aberdour, Fife, combines 18th-century agricultural origins with an early 19th-century romantic landscape and classical architecture. Originally built as a substantial farmhouse on the Moray Estate, the property was transformed during the Regency era by the notable Whig politician and writer, James Stuart of Dunearn (1775–1849). Stuart developed Cullaloe into a fashionable ferme ornée (ornamental farm), enhancing the grounds with sweeping terraced walks, a vaulted stone temple, and a rugged, rustic stone pyramid tower.

Five Centuries

Explore the November 2026 edition of Five Centuries, the perfect spot for period interiors.

Following Stuart’s high-profile bankruptcy and subsequent flight from Scotland after a fatal duel in 1822, the estate was acquired in 1828 by Francis Stuart, 10th Earl of Moray. The Earl commissioned the celebrated Scottish architect James Gillespie Graham (1776–1855), who was designing the Earl’s prestigious Moray Estate in Edinburgh’s New Town, to expand the house. Graham cleverly retained the original 18th-century structure, seamless grafting a grand, parallel classical block onto the south-east elevation. The estate sits adjacent to the historic Cullaloe Quarry, which supplied the prized, fine-grained sandstone used to construct iconic monuments across the UK, including Fettes College in Edinburgh and Lord Nelson’s Monument in Great Yarmouth.

In the 20^th century, the Mathewson family played an important role in the later restoration and transformation of Cullaloe. Niel Mathewson had long admired the property while growing up in the area, and after marrying his wife Carolyn in 1955, he spent several years searching for the perfect family home. In 1963, the couple successfully purchased Cullaloe and moved in with their three young children, taking on the task of modernising the historic property. Their renovations included reconfiguring the bedroom, as well as reglazing, rewiring and replumbing the house. Niel’s position as a director at Nairn’s in Kirkcaldy, one of the world’s largest linoleum and floorcloth manufacturers, proved advantageous at a time when building materials were scarce in the post-war period. Meanwhile, Carolyn, who had studied dressmaking at the Royal College of Art in London and was a contemporary of designers such as Zandra Rhodes, brought her own expertise and creative vision to the interiors. Her elegant, traditional taste complemented the Georgian character of the house, helping to establish its distinctive style. Through their combined efforts, the Mathewsons not only created a welcoming family home but also contributed to the preservation and continued evolution of Cullaloe.

Specialist

Douglas Girton

Head of Fine Furniture & Works of Art

Department

Cullaloe: Two Centuries of Architecture, Artistry and Family Life

Five Centuries

Douglas Girton

British & European Furniture