SCOTLAND’S GREATEST PALACE — The treasures of Hamilton Palace

Hamilton Palace in South Lanarkshire was once one of the premier country houses in the British Isles, replete with fabulous collections of outstanding works of art, furniture, and furnishings.

This fascinating talk will explain and illustrate how the Dukes of Hamilton — premier peers of Scotland — enlarged the palace and amassed their great collections to create one of Europe’s grandest, most ostentatious statements of power, wealth and taste. Beginning in the 16th century, leading authority Dr Godfrey Evans (Principal Curator of European Decorative Arts at National Museums Scotland) traces the architectural development of the palace down to the 19th, when extraordinary interior works of black marble, copious gilding, vibrant furnishing, and exotic ornamentation created a truly majestic whole.

The Virtual Hamilton Palace Trust’s project is to bring the palace alive online for scholars, researchers, and everyone to marvel at this lost magnificence.

The event is free to attend, however a voluntary donation can be made to support the work of the Trust.

Please note the event is held in the Upper Library which is only accessible by stairs.

The WS Society (charity SC050987) in association with the Virtual Hamilton Palace Trust (charity SC034592).