Living in the Highlands, I do a lot of travelling, usually breaking the journey with an overnight stop somewhere. The latest trip involved staying overnight in an amazing historic house in the Scottish Borders. A surprisingly wonderful experience for someone who spends a lot of her daydreams in the past.
We stopped at Ednam house, a beautiful 18th Century house tucked away in the old market town of Kelso. The house is built on the site of Chatto Lodge, Bonnie Prince Charlie’s residence when his army occupied the town in 1745.
The house was built in 1761 for James Dickson, whose portrait hangs over the fireplace in the entrance hall. He commissioned architect James Nisbet to build the house. It was Nisbet’s first major commission, and before that he had worked as a mason on some of Robert Adam’s designs in Scotland. The celebrated artist Joseph Rose created the elaborate Italian plaster ceilings.
Dickson’s own life was a rags to riches adventure…
James Dickinson’s Story
As a boy, James Dickson lived in Kelso but at the age of eleven he ran away, fearing he would be punished after damaging the well in the town centre. The story goes that he went to London to make his fortune. He ended up in the Caribbean and became a naval agent in Cuba, where he did indeed become very rich.
Returning to Scotland, in 1761 he built himself this fine mansion in Kelso, which he named “Havannah House”. Later, after buying the barony of Ednam, he renamed the property Ednam House.
Imagine how proud be must have been when he moved into this house! I wonder if he hung his new portrait where it is now, and felt the thrill of pride very time he walked into the hall?
History House Serendipity
Have you ever had that “I could live there” feeling about a house? I had seen the hotel online but that did not prepare me for the actual house!
Ednam House is such a beautiful example of an 18th century mansion. The symmetry of the exterior and the richly decorated interiors are a joy. It has often been described as one of the finest Georgian buildings in the Borders. As soon as I walked into the entrance hall I immediately felt at home. The building has obviously undergone some changes over the years — one of two pretty late-18th century summerhouses in the garden is now gone, extensions have been added on both sides — but I found it very easy to imagine what it must have been like to live here all those years ago.
The interior
Steps from the drive lead to the pedimented entrance. Inside, when you can tear your eyes away from the beautiful plaster ceiling and magnificent fireplace, you notice that immediately ahead is the door to the sumptuous drawing room.
The two doors on either side open to second doors leading to the next room, and in between, the walls are thick enough for hidden passages. I didn’t see any sign of concealed entrances but that did not stop my writer’s brain from inventing them!
Originally, the long windows of the bay looked out over the gardens and the River Tweed. Now the central window has been replaced with stairs down to the new dining room, which has windows on three sides, to take advantage of the views.
This room has another wonderful ceiling, depicting Apollo in his chariot, chasing Aurora across the sky.
However…
Anyone who writes or reads late Georgian and Regency romance might well look at that ceiling and think of Phaëthon (son of the Greek God Helios, who drove his chariot towards the Sun and nearly set the earth on fire in the attempt) who gives his name to the popular sporting carriage of the day, the phaeton.
First Floor of this Historic House
We were lucky enough to have one of the rooms with wonderful views over the gardens and the river Tweed.
We ascended the grand staircase just off the hall and found ourselves in an impressive inner landing with natural light flooding in from the beautiful lantern roof.
The present-day entrance to Ednam House is off the main street through Kelso and dates from the 1930s. Before that carriages approached from the south via Abbey Court. You can see some archive pictures, showing the house before the more recent extension, here https://www.trove.scot/place/98111
James Dickson died in 1771 and the house then had several owners until the Brooks family bought it in 1928. Ralph Brooks turned it into a hotel and his family owned it for more than 80 years. There is also mention of its being a temperance hotel at one time! In 2014 it became part of the Robert Parker Collection.
Sadly, I didn’t take enough pictures!
I hadn’t thought of writing a blog. It was fellow Libertà hive member Joanna who suggested it, when I was waxing lyrical about this historic building. I have included my photos here (and when I go back I shall take lots more!) but there are plenty of super photos in this online gallery as well as a virtual tour of the house on the Ednam House website, here. Just scroll down to the bottom of the home page.
I have loved sharing my serendipitous visit to Ednam House with you and I hope you enjoyed seeing it, and perhaps find the lovely old 18th century building just as inspirational as I do.
Until next time – happy reading!
Sarah
The perfect place to stay for an historical writer, Sarah. Such beautiful interiors. I’m sure you can’t wait to go back.
The house has such a comfortable feel to it, I am really looking forward to stopping there again next time we head south. So many of the Historic houses one visits are huge houses that were built to impress the owner’s guests rather than to provide a real home. I really felt my characters could actually call this place home.
You do find the most interesting places, Sarah. It looks fantastic and certainly worth a visit. Thank you
Glad you liked it, Joanna. I love visiting historic houses but to actually be able to stay in one, eating, sleeping and soaking up the atmosphere was really quite special.
You make me feel as if I were right there with you, Sarah. Many thanks for the virtual encounter.
Thank you, Sophie! I really enjoyed staying in this old house, just sitting by that glorious fireplace in the hall, or gazing out of the bedroom window over the gardens was a delight – my imagine ran riot! Although, if I had been alive in the 18th century I would most likely have been a servant, lighting the fire or making the bed, but a girl can dream:-)