Gilbert Laing Meason Lindertis

‘‘Landscape architecture’ relates to connections between places and buildings. The term was invented by a Scots friend, Mr Gilbert Laing Meason of Lindertis in Forfarshire.’ This is a quote from The Claudians: gardens, landscapes, reason and faith: John Claudius Loudon and Claudius Buchanan, Tom Turner (Kindle, 2024). 

Gilbert Laing Meason’s Contribution to Landscape Architecture

 In Book III of his Encyclopedia of Cottage Farm and Villa Architecture. Loudon wrote that: ‘The Principal Defect of English Villas is in the want of a sufficient union between the house and the grounds; or, in other words, of cooperation between the Architect and the landscape-gardener in fixing on situations, and in laying them out. "Our parks may be beautiful," Laing Meason observes, "our mansions faultless in design; but nothing is more rare than to see the two properly connected. Let the Architect, by study and observation, qualify himself to include in his art the decorations round the immediate site of the intended building; and the improving taste of the gentry of England will second him in his efforts." Viewing the subject in the same light as Meason, we shall, in the present Book, first direct the attention of the reader to Fundamental Principles; next depict the Beau Idéal of an English Villa; afterwards, give Miscellaneous Designs for Villas, and Designs for Appendages to Villas; and, lastly, Designs for their Finishing, Fittings-up, Fixtures, and Furniture.’

Gilbert Laing, who became a scholar and a wealthy gentleman, was born on a flat, isolated, treeless, windswept Island in the Orkneys. On inheriting property from his mother’s cousin, he took his benefactor’s name and became Gilbert Laing Meason. The inheritance let him build a castellated mansion, in 1813, in the county of Angus. Meason also became a founder member of Sir Walter Scott’s Bannatyne Club which published rare books on Scottish subjects, and re-issued a 1619 book on gold mining in Scotland. Architecturally, Lindertis was inspired by Richard Payne Knight’s home, Downton Castle

Meason also admired Sir Uvedale Price and the situation of his house, at Lindertis, resembles that of Price’s house, at Foxley in Herefordshire. Both enjoy views across well-treed valleys to distant hills. Now demolished, the character of Lindertis is best described as picturesque and romantic. It did not have a Reptonian terrace separating the house from the garden. Meason was interested in horticulture and the plants near the house are likely to have in exotics.

Meason shared Price’s enthusiasm for landscape painting and, in 1828, published a book on The landscape architecture of the great painters of Italy. This was the first use of the term ‘landscape architecture’. The French term architecte paysagiste is similar, and dates from 1804, but it had a different meaning. I don’t know whether Olmsted took the term from Morel or from Meason. For Morel, architecte paysagiste was used to signal an admiration for the design style of English landscape gardens. Good though the style was, this is not a satisfactory foundation for one of the world’s most important professions. Meason had no similar intention. And nor did he want to found a new profession. His aim was to ‘extend the theory and the practice’ of relating buildings to landscapes - to deal with the problem that: ‘Our parks may be beautiful, our mansions faultless in design, but nothing is more rare than to see the two properly connected’.

The Legacy of Gilbert Laing Meason’s Landscape Architecture Principles

Gilbert Laing Meason’s impact on landscape architecture is rooted in his innovative approach to integrating buildings with their surroundings. His seminal work, "The Landscape Architecture of the Great Painters of Italy," published in 1828, is credited with coining the term "landscape architecture." Unlike the French term "architecte paysagiste," which focused on English garden styles, Meason’s approach was broader, aiming to harmonise architecture with its landscape. His critique of the disconnect between buildings and their landscapes highlights a crucial shift towards a more cohesive design philosophy. Meason’s Lindertis estate, with its picturesque and romantic aesthetic, reflected his commitment to blending architecture seamlessly with natural scenery. This vision set a precedent for future landscape architects, emphasising the importance of design that respects both built and natural environments. His principles continue to influence modern landscape architecture, advocating for thoughtful integration and aesthetic harmony.