28-878: Belmont House may refer to: Belmont House, Toronto , care home in Canada Belmont House, Shetland , lairds house in Scotland Belmont House (Montevideo) , hotel in Uruguay Belmont House, Herefordshire , country house in Herefordshire, England Belmont House and Gardens , country house in Kent, England Belmont House School , Newton Mearns, Scotland Belmont Manor House , Virginia, USA Belmont Hall, Cheshire , Cheshire, England Perry Belmont House, historic name for
56-629: A where Southern Middle English had o , a difference still found in standard English two and Scots twa . The Scots and Northern English dialectal variant laird has been recorded in writing since the 13th century, as a surname, and in its modern context since the middle of the 15th century. It is derived from the Northern Middle English laverd , itself derived from the Old English word hlafweard meaning "warden of loaves ". The Standard English variant, lord ,
84-608: A claim of a "laird" title to go along with it, but the Lord Lyon has decreed these meaningless for several reasons. Laird (earlier lard ) is the now-standard Scots pronunciation (and phonetic spelling) of the word that is pronounced and spelled in standard English as lord . As can be seen in the Middle English version of Chaucer 's Canterbury Tales , specifically in the Reeve's Tale , Northern Middle English had
112-404: A descriptive title premised on landownership. The Lord Lyon, Scotland's authority on titles and heraldry, has produced the following guidance regarding the current concept of a "souvenir plot" and the use of the term "laird" as a courtesy title: The term "laird" has generally been applied to the owner of an estate, sometimes by the owner himself or, more commonly, by those living and working on
140-457: A lairdship. A woman who holds a lairdship in her own right has been styled with the honorific "Lady". Although "laird" is sometimes translated as lord and historically signifies the same, like the English term lord of the manor , laird is not a title of nobility . The designation is a "corporeal hereditament" (an inheritable property that has an explicit tie to the physical land), i.e.
168-645: A name, dignity or title, have been confirmed in the Scottish courts. A study in 2003 by academics at the Universities of Edinburgh and Aberdeen concluded that: The modern Scottish Highland sporting estate continues to be a place owned by an absentee landowner who uses its 15-20,000 acres for hunting and family holidays. While tolerating public access, he (82% of lairds are male) feels threatened by new legislation, and believes that canoeing and mountain-biking should not take place on his estate at all. The use of
196-670: A regular layout running down to the sea. The house and adjacent farm square are designated category A, and the grounds are included on the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland. The house was built for Thomas Mouat, whose father William was laird of the Garth estate in Shetland. Thomas visited Lothian , around Edinburgh, to gather ideas on contemporary architecture, and may have been influenced by Hopetoun House . In
224-399: Is a courtesy title , it has no formal status in law. Historically, the term bonnet laird was applied to rural, petty landowners, as they wore a bonnet like the non-landowning classes. Bonnet lairds filled a position in society below lairds and above husbandmen (farmers), similar to the yeomen of England. An Internet fad is the selling of tiny souvenir plots of Scottish land and
252-469: Is a designation that applies to an owner of a large, long-established Scottish estate. In the traditional Scottish order of precedence, a laird ranked below a baron and above a gentleman . This rank was held only by those holding official recognition in a territorial designation by the Lord Lyon King of Arms . They are usually styled [ name ] [ surname ] of [ lairdship ]. However, since "laird"
280-416: Is almost exclusively a family home but is occasionally used by visitors and locals as a venue for bed and breakfast, short holidays, weddings, and other events. Income generated from room lets or functions is reinvested into maintaining the house and supporting the local community by allowing Open Days, Family BBQs and Picnics. The house was restored from 1996 to 2010 to its original Georgian elegance but with
308-529: Is now a residential site occupied by Martin Wilson and Rufus the Retired Police (RPD) dog, with rooms set aside for Bed and Breakfast accommodation and evening meals . The original interiors are described by Historic Scotland as "a particularly remarkable survival." [REDACTED] Media related to Belmont House, Shetland Islands at Wikimedia Commons Laird Laird ( / ˈ l ɛər d / )
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#1732779549882336-400: Is of the same origin, and would have formerly been interchangeable with laird ; however, in modern usage the term lord is associated with a peerage title, and thus the terms have come to have separate meanings. (In Scotland, the title baron is not a peerage; the equivalent of an English baron is a Lord of Parliament , e.g. Lord Lovat .) In the 15th and 16th centuries, the designation
364-570: The International Temple , Washington, D.C. Belmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument in Washington, D.C. Mrs. O. H. P. Belmont House , New York City See also [ edit ] Belmont Mansion (disambiguation) Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Belmont House . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change
392-498: The Lord Lyon prior to 2008 is a member of Scotland's noblesse . Such a person can be recognised as a laird, if not a chief or chieftain , or descendant of one of these, by the formal recognition of a territorial designation as a part of their name by the Lord Lyon. The Lord Lyon is the ultimate arbiter as to determining entitlement to a territorial designation, and his right of discretion in recognising these, and their status as
420-455: The Lord Lyon considers these particular titles to be meaningless because it is impossible to have numerous "lairds" of a single estate at the same time, as has been advertised by these companies. However, despite the law and guidance by the Court of the Lord Lyon, the sellers view the contract purporting to sell a plot of Scottish souvenir land as bestowing the buyer with the informal right to
448-612: The Scottish press in the 1920s and 1930s. A contemporary popular view of lairdship titles has taken a unique twist in the 21st century with sales of souvenir plots from sellers who obtain no legal right to the title. A souvenir plot is defined in the Land Registration (Scotland) Act 2012 as "a piece of land ... of inconsiderable size or no practical utility". Several websites, and Internet vendors on websites like eBay , sell Scottish lairdships along with minuscule "plots of land" – usually one square foot . The Court of
476-420: The addition of modern amenities (fire alarm systems and sprinklers). It is fully furnished with Georgian furniture and original artworks, comfortable new beds and settees. The property can sleep up to 8 people in splendour. Walled gardens are laid out to the south of the house. These have been restored by The Belmont Trust with walls restored and trees and shrubs planted to form sheltered spaces to sit and enjoy
504-402: The ancient pre-Union Parliament of Scotland , although such voting rights were expressed via two representatives from each county who were known as commissioners of the shires , who came from the minor noble class (including lairds) and were chosen by their peers to represent them. A certain level of landownership was a necessary qualification (40 shillings of old extent). A laird is said to hold
532-487: The community and local interest groups and Trust. The house is now owned and run by Martin Wilson who uses the house as his home but also, from time to time, as a venue for events and for bed and breakfast. Belmont House is protected as a category A listed building , and the grounds are included on the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland , the national listing of significant gardens. Belmont House
560-451: The designation cannot be held in gross , and cannot be bought and sold without selling the physical land. The designation does not entitle the owner to sit in the House of Lords , and is the Scottish equivalent to an English squire , in that it is not a noble title, more a courtesy designation meaning landowner with no other rights assigned to it. A laird possessing a coat of arms granted by
588-400: The early 19th century, the east wing was added to the house (now demolished), but otherwise, it has remained unaltered. The Mouat family continued to occupy the house until the mid-20th century. It was then sold and became derelict. From 1996 and over the following 15 years works were carried out, largely by local craftsmen, to bring the building back into use. The property was sold in 2022 and
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#1732779549882616-406: The estate. It is a description rather than a title, and is not appropriate for the owner of a normal residential property, far less the owner of a small souvenir plot of land. The term "laird" is not synonymous with that of "lord" or "lady". Ownership of a souvenir plot of land is not sufficient to bring a person otherwise ineligible within the jurisdiction of the Lord Lyon for the purpose of seeking
644-570: The honorific " The Much Honoured " by lairds is archaic, although technically correct. The wife of a laird is traditionally accorded the courtesy title Lady ; in the UK television series Monarch of the Glen (based on the 1941 novel by Compton Mackenzie ), the wife of "Hector Naismith MacDonald, Laird of Glenbogle" is referenced as "Lady of Glenbogle". King George V and his wife Queen Mary were reported as being "The Laird and Lady of Balmoral " by
672-531: The island of Unst , the most northerly of the Shetland Islands , [United Kingdom] and also of Scandinavia . It was constructed in 1775 by Shetland landowner Thomas Mouat of Garth who was a local Shetlander. The Estate has been described as "possibly the most ambitious, least-altered classical mansion in the Northern Isles ." The house was restored from a derelict state between 1996 and 2010 by
700-447: The link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Belmont_House&oldid=955213289 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Belmont House, Shetland Belmont House is a neo classical Georgian Country House Estate on
728-466: The title of Laird. This is despite the fact that the buyer does not acquire ownership of the plot because registration of the plot is prohibited by Land Registration (Scotland) Act 2012, s 22 (1)(b). As ownership of land in Scotland requires registration of a valid disposition under Land Registration (Scotland) Act 2012, s 50 (2), the prohibition on registration of a souvenir plot means the buyer does not acquire ownership, and accordingly has no entitlement to
756-490: The views over Bluemull Sound to the south. The gardens are open to the public. Belmont was built in 1775, with the farm square to the rear complete by 1790; together they form “miniature Palladian classical groups with flanking pavilion wings” (ref Buildings of the Land: Scotland's farms 1750–2000, Miles Glendinning and Susanna Martins, ed Piers Dixon; RCAHMS 2008). Surrounding enclosures including garden grounds form
784-533: Was used for land owners holding directly of the Crown, and therefore were entitled to attend Parliament. Lairds reigned over their estates like princes , their castles forming a small court. Originally in the 16th and 17th centuries, the designation was applied to the head chief of a highland clan and therefore was not personal property and had obligations towards the community. The laird might possess certain local or feudal rights. A lairdship carried voting rights in
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