Mains House, photographed in 1870 by Thomas Annan.
The estate was originally known as Balvie, and it was acquired in 1767 by the tobacco merchant John Glassford (1715-1783). He was succeeded by his son Henry (d 1819) and, after the latter's death, by James Macnair (d 1865). McNair sold the estate to John Campbell Douglas of Blythswood, who had adopted the name Campbell on succeeding to the Blythswood estate. He changed the name to Mains and made major extensions to the existing house.
Reference: Sp Coll Dougan Add. 73
Glasgow University Library, Special Collections
Keywords:
country houses, Mains House, mansions, tobacco lords, tobacco merchants