Hamilton Palace Mausoleum
Hamilton Palace Mausoleum is a remarkable Roman-style domed
structure of panelled masonry. The mausoleum is one of Lanarkshire’s
most iconic buildings and is seen by thousands of motorists every
day travelling along the M74 motorway.
The building stands to
an overall height of about 123 feet (37m) and occupies a site some
650 feet (200m) north of the former Hamilton Palace. The building
was begun in 1842 by architect David Hamilton and was completed 5
years after the death of the 10th Duke by architects David Bryce and
Alexander Richie in 1858. The Duke was interred in the mausoleum
alongside many of his family.
Hamilton Mausoleum is now the
solitary remaining testament to the colossal scale and grandeur of
the buildings which once stood in the Hamilton Low Parks.
The
coffins of Alexander, 10th Duke and his ancestors were later re-buried in
Hamilton's Bent Cemetery due to the subsidence and flooding that
affected the mausoleum.
The Duke was interred in an Egyptian sarcophagus of the Ptolemaic
period, on a black marble slab in the main chapel, while 17 of his
ancestors were interred in the crypt below. The coffins of the 10th
Duke and his ancestors were later removed after subsidence and
flooding from the River Clyde affected the mausoleum, and were
re-buried in Hamilton's Bent Cemetery.
A monument in the cemetery records those interred; namely James,
Lord Hamilton (d.1479); John, 1st Marquess of Hamilton (d.1604);
James, the 1st Duke (1606-49), James, 4th Duke (1658 - 1712), James,
5th Duke (1703-43), James, 6th Duke (1724-58), James, 7th Duke (1755
- 1769), Douglas, 8th Duke (1756-99), Archibald, 9th Duke (1740 -
1819) and Alexander, 10th Duke (1767 - 1852), together with wives
and other family members.
During the 1960s and 70s the structure was observed to be
subsiding, and a 20 foot plumb-line hanging on the front of the
mausoleum indicated a lean from true verticality. The monolithic,
plinth-based construction prevented structural cracking however,
and, after many anxious years, the building settled back to near
vertical (180 degrees).
Inside the mausoleum are displayed the original bronze outer
doors, featuring bas-relief work. The interior has the
longest-lasting echo of any building in the world, a phenomenon
dramatically demonstrated to visitors by slamming the entrance
doors. Another curiosity of the interior architecture is the
"Whispering Wa's" or walls. Two people can stand at either end of
one of the curved interior walls, facing away from each other into
the niche of the wall, and hold a whispered conversation. The
remarkable acoustics of the walls project the sound to the listener
at the other side.
In the 1970s, the glass oculus in the dome was replaced with a
perspex version, which was moved into position by helicopter.
Impressive from the outside, but book
one of the tours taken by knowledgeable museums staff and you can
get to see the breathtaking interior of the Mausoleum which has the
longest-lasting echo of any building in the world, a phenomenon
which is dramatically demonstrated to visitors by slamming the
entrance doors. The interior is also famous for its ornate
decoration and eerie atmospheric crypt. Amongst one of the
fascinating secrets of the mausoleum is the ‘whispering corner’.
The Mausoleum is an interesting and exciting historical
attraction which makes for a great day out for all the family. A
small charge of £2 per adult and £1 consession applies for a tour of
the Mausoleum. Bookings are made via the nearby Low Parks Museum.
Any contributions will be
gratefully accepted
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