Scotland is almost unique among smaller European nations in the distinctiveness and richness of its architectural heritage, dominated from the earliest times by monumental stone buildings. Prehistoric tombs and houses, early Christian, Romanesque and Gothic churches, medieval and Renaissance castles and palaces were followed, from the 17th century onward, under the stimulus of burgeoning wealth and power, by buildings reflecting a dazzling range of stylistic movements and forceful designers – including world-renowned names such as Robert Adam, Alexander Thomson and C. R. Mackintosh. In the 20th century, Scotland again saw distinctive developments and personalities.

Miles Glendinning and Aonghus MacKechnie bring these diverse movements and architects to life, while setting them in their wider cultural context. The built environment has always been one of the central strands of Scottish identity, and this book, for the first time, sets out its story in a concise and readable form.