General view from south-east, 1998

Designed in 1842 for the 10th Duke of Hamilton (1767-1852) by the distinguished Edinburgh architect William Burn (1789-1870), what was known as the Duke's Riding School was built to replace the stables court within the Hamilton Palace complex. Becoming the museum of the Cameronian (Scottish Rifles) Regiment in 1983, it now forms part of a redesigned and enlarged Hamilton Museum.

This view shows the building prior to recent conversion works, the nearer (east) end wall now being attached to a modern entrance section which links the building to the former Crawford residence. Built of the local warm orange-red sandstone, the arcaded treatment of the six-bayed exterior with clerestorey windows formed in the arch-heads (lunettes) may reflect the original arrangement of the top-lit stalls within, probably disposed in series on each side of a central aisle.

The modern and appropriate use of this building as a museum for the Cameronians, named in honour of the minister Richard Cameron who was killed in 1680, provides a reminder of the strong Covenanting traditions of the Hamilton area and of the Presbyterian sympathies of the ducal family during the critical period of conflict in the latter half of the 17th century. Aware of these sympathies, after the Battle of Bothwell Brig in June 1679 many of the defeated Covenanters sought refuge in the grounds of the palace from the pursuit of the victorious Government army under the Duke of Monmouth. He complied with Duchess Anne's request not to enter her parks 'lest he disturb the game'.