Brisbane Observatory, North Coast and Cumbraes, North Ayrshire

Description

Brisbane Observatory dates from 1805 to 1809. It is a small, symmetrical, single-storey, three-bay, private observatory building, possibly designed by James Gillespie Graham in a neoclassical style for the personal use of Sir Thomas Makdougall Brisbane (1773-1860) who was a pioneer of positional (navigational) astronomy.

The observatory is square in plan with a prominent bowed central bay to the south (the bow formerly supported a large dome). The building is currently roofless and has lost most of its interior but its walls are mostly standing to full height except at the south and part of the east wall (2018). Around the base of the building is an excavated channel covered with capstones (some are missing).

The south and east elevations are faced in finely droved ashlar and the remaining elevations are built of random rubble which retain evidence of previous harling. The ashlar elevations have fine deeply moulded cornices at cill height and at the eaves. The cill to the south has a circular carved imprint which is a setting for an astronomical instrument. There is also a blocking course remaining in parts. There is a blind ashlar window remaining to the east elevation.

The windows to the north entrance elevation have dressed stone margins with a projecting keystone; the doorway is pilastered and corniced.

The building's interior, seen in 2018, is a shell. The walls are stripped back to rubble and show evidence of being battened and covered with lath and plaster. There is the remains of a dividing wall to the north of the plan which separated the observatory room from a smaller retiring room with fireplace openings still in place.

There is a small, circular open rubble structure which is partially ruinous 11 metres to the southwest. It appears to be 19th century in date and is likely functionally related to the observatory.

Statement of Interest

The Brisbane Observatory is a highly important and rare example of an observatory building and is among the earliest of its type in Scotland. Although built for private use by an amateur scientist, it was designed and laid out to house cutting edge telescopes to enable high precision calculations, which directly led to the advancement of astronomy on a national and international level.

While the building has lost a significant amount of fabric including the roof and its interior, there is a sufficient amount of fabric remaining to inform our understanding of the building and how it was used. The building still retains its remote setting in a rural landscape and also maintains its important functional relationship with its meridian pillars that are ancillary structures which helped to position the telescopes.

The Brisbane Observatory is significant in the history and development of navigational astronomy. This significance is closely associated with Thomas Brisbane and his pioneering scientific research which had a far reaching impact in Scotland and internationally. The association of this building with Edward Troughton, Britain's leading instrument maker in the 18th and 19th centuries is also significant.

The building is nationally and internationally significant for the history of astronomy and represents the early professionalisation of this scientific discipline.

Age and Rarity

Brisbane Observatory was built between 1805 and 1809 for Sir Thomas Makdougall Brisbane (1773-1860) and fully equipped with telescopes by Edward Troughton in 1810-11 (Morrison-Low, pp. 28-29). The architect of the building has been attributed to James Gillespie Graham, who was re-modelling the North Brisbane Mains for Thomas Brisbane in 1807 (Addyman, p. 30).

The observatory was built in estate policies, 200 metres northwest of the 17th century Brisbane House (the Brisbane family seat) which was demolished in 1941. Already derelict, the house was destroyed by the Army as part of practice operations during the Second World War. The observatory had been abandoned for many years since Brisbane's death and by 1950 it no longer had its roof (Brisbane Observatory Trust, 2016).

Thomas Brisbane was a highly respected amateur astronomer and a successful career soldier. A contemporary and friend of the Duke of Wellington, he made a name for himself in the Napoleonic Wars and as the Governor General of New South Wales in Australia from 1821 to 1825. It was Brisbane's experiences and near-death at sea early in his military career that drove his ongoing interest in astronomy, using his research and calculation methods to improve navigation. In scientific circles, he was regarded for the comprehensive mapping of the stars in the Southern Hemisphere, his contribution to geomagnetic science and most significantly for his patronage and development of astronomy as a professional discipline in Scotland.

The Brisbane Observatory building is first shown on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey (surveyed 1855, published 1856) as almost square in plan with a semi-circular bow projection to the centre of the south which is still evident and a circular projection to the centre of the north elevation which is no longer in place. The 2nd Edition Ordnance Survey map (surveyed 1895, published 1897) records a small circular building to the southwest of the Observatory which still exists today in ruinous form. Little is known about this building but it may have housed a telescope.

The only known architectural plan of the observatory was published at the time of Brisbane's death in 1860. The engraved plan shows the telescope instruments positioned within the observatory. The larger of two rooms was to the south of the plan, with the transit circle close to the east wall and the mural circle to the west – the transit circle and mural circle are precision telescopes. The smaller, ante room was to the north of the plan. The engraving shows a large stone table with an equatorial instrument and journeyman clock housed in a small heptagonal (seven-sided) addition to the centre of the north elevation. This is found before the only doorway into the observatory and the structure also appears to have been used as a porch as well as the housing for another large instrument. This heptagonal room (shown as a circular room on the 1st Edition map) was lost by the time the 3rd Edition Ordnance Survey was published (revised 1909, published 1910). The present pilastered doorpiece to the north elevation may be a later 19th century addition.

In his autobiography, Reminiscences of General Sir Thomas Makdougall Brisbane of Brisbane and Makerstoun, Bart, published posthumously, Brisbane describes of the observatory as having a large room with a 12 foot diameter dome, below which was an altitude and azimuth instrument, with 18-inch circles and a sidereal clock and two journeyman clocks (Brisbane, p. 66). Additionally the large room accommodated a 14 ½ foot transit circle and a pier mounted 2 foot mural circle. The mural circle, a new type of measuring telescope able to produce highly accurate measurements was the most important of Brisbane's instruments which he procured from the leading instrument maker, Edward Troughton of London in 1810 and installed in 1811. The mural circle was at the cutting edge of positional astronomy and when the model for this instrument was shown to the Board of Visitors at the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, they were sufficiently impressed to commission a larger version for that observatory. (See the National Maritime Museum, Ref. AST0973).

The Brisbane Observatory is the first of three observatories built by the soldier-astronomer. His second was another positional observatory constructed in Parramatta, east of Sydney, Australia, during his tenure as Governor General of New South Wales in the early 1820s. The plan of this observatory was based on that at Largs and was equipped with the very expensive instruments commissioned for the Brisbane Observatory which he transferred to Australia. Here observations led to the rediscovery of Encke's Comet in 1822 and the 1835 publication of the first detailed survey of the positions of the stars in southern hemisphere (see Richardson). The observatory was demolished in 1855 and later it was found that Brisbane's Star Catalogue was unreliable.

On his return to Scotland in 1826, Brisbane settled at his wife's Makdougall estate at Makerstoun, near Kelso where he built two further observatories (astronomical and magnetic). It is argued that his most important contribution to astronomy and the study of geomagnetics was made here. Nothing survives of the magnetic observatory but the empty dome of the astronomical observatory was restored in 1987.

The study of astronomy was known since early times but the growth of modern observational astronomy was greatly developed following the invention of telescopes during the Renaissance and with Copernicus's model of a heliocentric universe which appeared in the mid-16th century. Knowledge of the movement of our planet, other planets, the moon and stars with the sun at the centre of the solar system was essential to the development of time-keeping and navigation and was the basis for observational astronomy. Purpose-built buildings to observe the sky and to house telescopes and precision instruments were built from this date but their number and survival are limited. Astronomical observatories started to appear in centres of scientific study in Europe from the 17th century. The earliest and most famous in Great Britain is the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, established in 1675.

By the end of the 18th century, the science of astronomy was keenly pursued by academics as well as gentlemen scientists which coincided with the period known as the Age of Enlightenment, an intellectual movement that would contribute to the transformation of scientific ideas into what was to become the modern sciences of mathematics, physics, chemistry and astronomy.

Astronomical observation was expensive, mainly due to the cost of the instrumentation, but it is in the late 18th and early 19th century that there is a momentum to formalise the study of astronomy with the funding and formation of public institutions.

The first public observatory in Scotland was planned by James Craig at Calton Hill from 1776. The 'Old Observatory' (LB27608) was nominally opened in 1793 but its history is complex and it was not until 1818 that a suitable building was erected nearby sponsored by the Astronomical Institution (of which Thomas Brisbane was a member). Therefore the Glasgow Observatory at Garnethill (later demolished) opened in 1810 is regarded as the earliest purpose-built public observatory in Scotland. Notably, Brisbane is associated with both the Glasgow and the Edinburgh observatories as advisor on their planning.

Private patronage was essential at first and Thomas Brisbane was among the key figures in the development of astronomy as a formal discipline in Scotland. He had planned his observatory at Brisbane Glen from 1805 and worked closely with the famed and highly respected instrument maker Edward Troughton to equip his building in 1811. It is during this period that Brisbane was taking part in discussions for the new observatory at Calton Hill and his planning of the positioning of the instruments in his own building may have influenced the scheme in Edinburgh.

There is a relatively small number of known (and surviving) public observatories related to observational astronomy in Scotland – either for use by an institution or the general public. All of these are listed buildings and include the observatories at Calton Hill Edinburgh (1776 and 1818), Dumfries (1835), Paisley (1884), Blackford Hill Edinburgh (1894), Eskdalemuir (1904) and Dundee (1935). There were also meteorological observatories, the most significant is at Ben Nevis (1889).

Following the arrival of Halley's Comet in 1835, astronomy became even more popular and this led to the increased popular interest in this science over the course of the 19th century. In parallel with the development of public institutions, wealthy enthusiasts who could afford to alter and equip an existing part of their property, adapted a tower or built an architectural folly in at their estate for their telescopes. There are 14 listings that include reference to an astronomical observatory either within the building or as a standalone tower.

The Brisbane Observatory is an extremely important and rare example of an observatory building and is among the earliest of its type in Scotland. Although built for private use by an amateur scientist, it was designed and laid out to house cutting edge telescopes to enable high precision calculations, which directly led to the advancement of astronomy on a national and international level. The commissioning of Troughton's mural circle for the building influenced the decision to acquire this type of telescope by the Royal Observatory in Greenwich and its physical layout may have been adopted by the City Observatory in Calton Hill, Edinburgh.

Shortly after he set up the observatory, Thomas Brisbane was recommissioned in the Army in 1812 and there were no significant astronomical observations made at the building. The time Brisbane did spend here allowed him to familiarise himself with observational technique that he would go on to use at his observatory in Australia. While the Brisbane Observatory has lost a significant amount of fabric including the roof and its interior, there is a sufficient amount remaining to inform our understanding of the building. It is nationally and internationally significant for the history of astronomy and represents the early professionalisation of this scientific discipline.

Architectural or Historic Interest

Interior

All internal floor, walls, wall linings, windows and doors have been lost. The only remaining elements of the interior include the fragments of a fire place on the east wall and several surviving recesses. A recent physical survey has also found an additional flue which extends below floor level (Addyman Archaeology, 2016). This flue provided sub-floor ventilation, preventing the building from being susceptible to movement. There is a reference to 'steam apparatus' being supplied to Brisbane for his observatory in 1809 which may have a functional connection to this flue. (Brisbane Papers, 1809)

The first set of instruments developed for Brisbane Observatory were dismantled and taken to Australia during Brisbane's time as Governor General of New South Wales. The observatory at Brisbane was later re-equipped following Brisbane's return however there are no surviving fixtures and fittings that directly illustrate Brisbane's early 19th century astronomical experiments.

There is some special interest under this heading.

Plan form

The observatory is almost square in plan with a semi-circular bow projection to the centre of the south elevation, which once supported the observatory's dome, which was lost with the roof in the 1950s.

The observatory largely retains its original plan form, with the exception being the loss of the central north heptagonal projection seen on the 1st and 2nd Edition Ordnance Survey. The building retains an excavated channel around the perimeter of the building covered by capstones. This channel is thought to have retained the buildings orientation, isolating it from ground movement and surface vibration (Addyman Archaeology, 2016).

Internally the plan form incorporates a number of semi-circular recesses, visible in the east and west walls. These recesses allowed for the movement of astronomical instruments.

The building's plan form is instructive in reflecting the latest theories in the early design of observatories. The plan of this observatory is known to have influenced the design of Brisbane's observatories at Parramatta and Makerstoun, as well as the layout of observatories buildings more widely, such as at Glasgow, Edinburgh and Capetown. Brisbane is known to have advised the Glasgow Society on Promoting Astronomical Science on how to plan and position the observatory in Glasgow (Brisbane Papers, 1809).

Technological excellence or innovation, material or design quality

As stated under 'plan form', the Brisbane Observatory was influential in the planning of subsequent observatories and is of interest for its design. The building is neoclassical, a style which was current for most building types in the early 19th century. The surviving architectural detailing of the Brisbane Observatory is notable and the ashlar stone work where it is retained is finely detailed.

The suggested architect of the observatory, James Gillespie Graham (1777-1855) was one of Scotland's most influential architects of the first half of the 19th century. He was based in Edinburgh and worked all over Scotland. Although perhaps best known for his Gothic style work, he was also skilled in the classical style. The adjacent Brisbane Mains (LB7311) was one of his first commissions.

Setting

Brisbane Observatory was built in estate policies and is 200m northwest of the 17th century Brisbane House (demolished in 1941). The estate lies to the north of Largs and is accessed from rural single track roads.

The observatory building is isolated within in a fragmented estate landscape. It was always intended to be remote from Brisbane House to enable celestial observation. More importantly, its position in the landscape is specifically aligned with meridian pillars set within the estate and further afield in Largs. These structures, which still survive (and are listed separately) enabled the correct positioning of the telescopes within the observatory building.

The rural setting is therefore relatively unaltered from the date the observatory was constructed. The building still retains its important functional relationship with its positional ancillary structures.

The building is located within the Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park.

Regional variations

N/A

Close Historical Associations

The Brisbane Observatory has a close historic association with a nationally important person whose association with it is well authenticated and significant.

The observatory was built for Major General Sir Thomas Makdougall Brisbane, 1st Baronet to conduct research. Thomas Brisbane was among the key figures in the development of astronomy as formal discipline in Scotland. He was not only a considerable figure in Scottish science and a notable patron of scientific enterprises at home, he is also credited with making a significant contribution to the international scientific community in the 19th century. The research he conducted led to improvements in astronomical instruments, navigation and the understanding of astronomy. In 1828 he was awarded a gold medal of the Royal Astronomical Society. When the award was presented, Brisbane was described as being 'the founder of Australian science' (Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Sir Thomas Makdougall Brisbane). Brisbane was the vice-president of the Royal Astronomical Society from 1827 and succeeded Sir Walter Scott as president of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1833. He was extensively involved with the Astronomical Institution of Edinburgh and the Royal Observatory of Edinburgh. His esteem was so great in Australia that the city of Brisbane is named after him.

Brisbane commissioned Edward Troughton (1753-1835) a leading British designer, inventor and maker of navigational, surveying and astronomical instruments, to create purpose made instruments to fit the building. In 1806 Troughton in partnership with Brisbane devised a 'mural circle,' the first of its kind, a form of measuring telescope for the observatory, which marked an improvement in accuracy. The complete 2ft diameter mural circle was shown to the Board of Visitors of the Royal Observatory at Greenwich prior to being installed at Brisbane. Troughton's explanation of the nature of the changes he and Brisbane had introduced persuaded them to order a 6ft mural circle for Greenwich in 1809. The fame of Troughton and Brisbane's new instruments and their improved planned layout within the observatory were subsequently adopted at Edinburgh's Royal Observatory, and at national observatories such as the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa and at Washington (Morrison-Low, p. 9 and Brisbane Observatory Trust, p. 2).

While the condition of the Brisbane Observatory has been altered by the significant loss of fabric, in its remaining form the building is still able to directly illustrate its historical association with Thomas Brisbane.

External Links

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