Sir Walter Scott and his publisher Robert Cadell

Roddy Martine, Bryan Hickman and Jim Brown

Historical Background of Cockenzie House:

Originally linked to the Seton family, who supported the Jacobites and lost their estates after the 1715 uprising.
Purchased in 1736 by William Cadell, a manager for the York Buildings Company, and part of the Cadell family for nearly 200 years.
The house was integral to the salt industry, an essential trade due to its role in preserving food.
Salt and coal were stored and managed from the site, which had unique "clinker walls"—built from industrial waste, a rare architectural feature.

The Cadell Family:

William Cadell was a pioneering industrialist involved in coal, paper, and ironworks. His descendants continued expanding the family’s enterprises.
Francis Cadell helped open the Murray River to trade in Australia, bringing experience and even steam engines from Scotland.
Robert Cadell, born in the house in 1788, became Sir Walter Scott’s trusted publisher.

Robert Cadell and Walter Scott:

After the bankruptcy of Scott and his publisher Archibald Constable, Cadell helped salvage Scott’s finances through a new partnership.
Cadell arranged the publication of Scott's novels in the Magnum Opus editions, acquiring copyrights and building a significant publishing business.
He was instrumental in hiring J.M.W. Turner to illustrate Scott’s works—adding visual prestige and commercial value.
Scott and Turner both visited Cockenzie House; Scott’s diary notes breakfasting there with Mrs. Cadell.

Turner, Illustration, and Legacy:

The house features paintings by Andrew Brown, who retraced Turner’s steps in illustrating Scott’s Scotland.
Cadell played a major role in the commemoration of Scott after his death, lobbying (unsuccessfully) for an obelisk instead of the famous gothic Scott Monument in Edinburgh.

Other Notable Residents and Anecdotes:

Later family members included a Victoria Cross recipient and an early photography enthusiast whose glass negatives were rediscovered under floorboards in the 1970s.
The house hosted plant hunter Sir Everard Im Thurn, linked to Conan Doyle’s The Lost World.
A rare early steamboat photograph (the Tulliallan Castle) was also discovered on the site.

Recent Use and Conservation:

The house became a nursing home in the 20th century, now operated by a local trust aiming to preserve its legacy with holiday cottages, a restaurant, and events.
It's a popular spot for ghost hunters due to reports of paranormal activity.

Scott's Trust in Cadell: Scott trusted Cadell enough to assign him the copyrights to his literary works—an extraordinary gesture that helped preserve Scott’s legacy and allowed the publication of affordable collected editions.
Turner’s Visit: The presence of J.M.W. Turner at Cockenzie House to sketch for Scott's illustrations links two of the greatest names in 19th-century British culture.
Literary Tourism Pioneer: Scott saw economic and cultural value in publishing historical fiction tied to Scottish landscapes, essentially creating early literary tourism.
Photographic Time Capsule: The discovery of wrapped glass negatives beneath floorboards provides a rare visual insight into mid-19th-century domestic life.
Historical Landscape Painting: A 1630s painting of Seton Palace, one of the earliest depictions of the Scottish landscape, shows the area from a historic viewpoint and is held in the National Portrait Gallery.