David Smythe (1746-1806) was a Scottish judge who was later appointed to Commissioner of Justiciary. He was the only son of David Smythe, 9th of Braco, 3rd of Methven Castle. He became an advocate in 1769, served as Sheriff-Depute from 1786-93, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1788, and was raised to the bench in 1793, taking the title Lord Methven. He married Elizabeth Murray in 1772 and had three sons and four daughters. After her death in 1785, he married Euphemia Murray, whose beauty was the subject of one of Robert Burns’s songs, and had two sons and two daughters. His surviving son from his first marriage succeeded to the Methven estate upon his death followed by his eldest son of his second marriage.

The Adam office made a design for a Greek Doric alcove and seat for ‘Mr Baron Smyth’. The drawing is undated and the location for the proposed seat is unknown, however, Bolton suggests it was probably for his residence at Methven Castle.

Literature: A.T. Bolton, The Architecture of Robert and James Adam, Volume II, Index, 1922, p. 57; D. King, The Complete Works of Robert and James Adam and Unbuilt Adam, Volume 2, 2001, p. 227; A. H. Millar, ‘Smythe, David, Lord Methven (1746–1806)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, online [accessed 06 November 2023]

Louisa Catt, 2023