Goldielea, Dumfries

A watercolour drawing of the home of Robert Burns' friend, Maria Riddell.   Goldielea is a mansion house and estate to the south west of the town of Dumfries, so called because it became the property of the Goldie family in the late 18th century. It was purchased in 1792 by Walter Riddell, younger brother of Robert Burns' great friend, Robert Riddell of Glenriddell who lived at Friar's Carse, close to the poet's farm at Ellisland.   Walter Riddell re-named the mansion house Woodley Park in honour of his wife, Maria Banks Woodley. Unfortunately he was forced to sell it back to the Goldie family within two years of having bought it. Burns was not a great admirer of Walter Riddell, who he considered dissolute and lacking good sense but he became a close friend of his wife, and he was a visitor to their home.   Maria Riddell was a beauty, but also had an intelligence and honesty which earned Burns' respect. This drawing shows the house set against the railway viaduct on the Dumfries to Stranraer line with was built in 1859.