The Hill House: the library

Walter would often work late into the evening as well as entertaining guests and clients here. The Blackie family owned a successful publishing business, Blackie & Sons, that began in 1809 and finally ceased publishing in 1991.

Charles Rennie Mackintosh designed the Library as a masculine space, with dark-stained oak shelving, along with coloured glass inlays and embedded organic motifs, reflecting Walter’s interest in science and nature. When it came to implementing these ideas, local joiner and glazier William Jack was paid £92.13.0d in 1902 to complete the library.

In this room, we also have the original writing desk that belonged to Walter Blackie. Complementing Mackintosh’s style for the room, this late Victorian oak desk helps to bring the library to life. It was generously donated back to the Hill House in 2019.

Our library is home to over 1,000 books, many of which were published by Blackie & Sons. These books tell all sorts of stories, from daring adventures to practical engineering – and everything in between! We hope that you’ll be inspired by these titles the next time you visit the Hill House.

See more photos of the library on our instagram page.