Wedderburn Castle

{{Short description|Castellated ashlar country house in Berwickshire, Scotland}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2014}} {{Use British English|date=February 2014}} {{Infobox building | name = Wedderburn Castle | former_names = Wedderburn House | image = Wedderburn Castle.jpg | image_size = | caption = | pushpin_map = Scotland Scottish Borders | map_caption = | building_type = Country house | architectural_style = Adam style, castellated | governing_body = Private | owner = David Home Miller | address = TD11 3LT | location_town = {{convert|2|mi|km}} east of Duns, Berwickshire | location_country = Scotland | coordinates = {{coord|55.768638|-2.306979|display=inline,title}} | construction_start_date = 1768–69, incorporating 15th century tower house; James Nisbet, 1770–1775{{sfn|Historic Environment Scotland|LB42543}} | completion_date = later alterations, including demolition of surviving parts of tower house (to NE) during early 19th century{{sfn|Historic Environment Scotland|LB42543}} | demolished_date = | height = | material = Ashlar | top_floor = | floor_area = | floor_count = 3 | architect = Robert and James Adam | website = {{URL|wedderburncastle.com}} {{designation list | embed = yes | designation1 = Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland | designation1_offname = Wedderburn | designation1_date = 1 July 1987 | designation1_number = {{Historic Environment Scotland|num=GDL00383|short=yes}} }} }} '''Wedderburn Castle''', near Duns, Berwickshire, in the Scottish Borders, is an 18th-century country house that is now used as a wedding and events venue.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wedderburn-castle.co.uk/|title=Wedderburn Castle: Exclusive Scottish Castle Wedding Venue|website=www.wedderburn-castle.co.uk}}</ref> The house is a Category A listed building{{sfn|Historic Environment Scotland|LB42543}} and the grounds are included in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland.{{sfn|Historic Environment Scotland|GDL00383}}

==History== Wedderburn Castle is the historic family seat of the Home of Wedderburn family, cadets of the Home family (today Earls of Home). It was designed and constructed 1771–1775 by the famous architect brothers Robert Adam and James Adam, with the work superintendent being architect James Nisbet of Kelso, for Patrick Home of Billie, who had already completed Paxton House (using James Adam and Nisbet from 1758, with Robert Adam doing the interiors {{circa|1773}}). With battlemented three-storey elevations in the typical Adam Castle style, the apparent symmetry of Wedderburn Castle conceals a rectangular courtyard, originally filled by the 17th-century (or earlier) tower house, also known as Wedderburn Castle, of which only a heraldic panel remains. It was demolished in the early 19th century, leaving the courtyard accessed through an archway at the back.

==The approach== left|thumb|Wedderburn Castle from the South East The castle is approached by way of the north or Lion Gate of 1794 designed by John Plaw and the long drive (leading from the West gate), which passes the 18th-century stables (a square court entered through a pedimented archway) and the stables cottages, before continuing to the castle. The former stables building is now used as a barn wedding and events venue.

The West Gate is another archway, but defined by screen walls and gabled lodges.

==The castle interior== Entering the front of the castle through a large porch (above which is the Home of Wedderburn coat of arms), there is a double staircase with an iron balustrade leading up to a balcony, behind which is a long gallery connecting the drawing room and the dining room. Across the hall and above the front door is a long minstrel gallery, again connecting the drawing room and the dining room. On the right of the staircase are the drawing room, and the morning room (previously the smoking room), beyond which is the ballroom. There are several fine chimneypieces, the best being in the drawing room of white Carrara marble and various other materials<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=White|first=Roger|date=5 September 2021|title=Wedderburn Castle: The medieval castle that became Robert Adam's forgotten masterpiece|url=https://www.countrylife.co.uk/architecture/wedderburn-castle-the-medieval-castle-that-became-robert-adams-forgotten-masterpiece-232027|website=Country Life}}</ref> by Piranesi from 1774. To the left are the dining room, and a further staircase leading up to the bedrooms. The ground floor has a large kitchen and further bedrooms. [[File:Home of Wedderburn COA.png|thumb|upright|Coat of arms of George Home of Wedderburn and his heirs]]

==The owners == Around 1413, the Earls of Douglas held the feudal superiority of the barony of Wedderburn, when Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas granted it as a feu to his esquire, Sir David of Home. In a charter dated at Dunbar Castle on 29 February 1413, George of Dunbar, Earl of March, confirmed the previous charter granted by his brother, Archibald, Earl of Douglas, the superiority having passed by forfeiture from the Dunbar family to Douglas.{{sfn|Milne Home|1902|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=PmQDAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA3 3], [https://books.google.com/books?id=PmQDAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA17 17–19]}} By 1550, the Homes had acquired the superiority of Wedderburn, as indicated by a sasine in favour of David Home, brother-german (full brother) and heir of George Home of Wedderburn (killed at the Battle of Pinkie), stating that the heir and his brother held it of the Crown in chief.{{sfn|Milne Home|1902|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=PmQDAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA38 38–39]}}

Daughters of this lineage retained "Home", appending it to their married surnames, resulting in variations such as Forman Home, Milne Home, Home Robertson, and Home Miller. From 1898 to 1973, Wedderburn Castle was leased to the Arbuthnots. From 1973 to 2010, it was owned by Georgina Home Robertson. The current owners are David Home Miller and Catherine Macdonald-Home.<ref name=":0" />

==Citations== {{reflist}}

==References== *{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=LB42543|desc=Wedderburn Castle|cat=A|access-date=21 March 2019}} *{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=GDL00383|desc=Wedderburn|access-date=21 March 2019|fewer-links=yes}} *{{cite book | title=Report on the Manuscripts of Colonel David Milne Home of Wedderburn Castle, N.B. | publisher=Printed for His Majesty's Stationery Office, by Mackie & Co. LD. | year=1902 | location=London | last2=Historical Manuscripts Commission | authorlink2=Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts | last1=Milne Home | first1=David William | authorlink1=David Milne Home (politician) | ref={{SfnRef|Milne Home|1902}}}} *{{cite book | title=Borders and Berwick: An Illustrated Architectural Guide to the Scottish Borders and Tweed Valley | publisher=Rutland Press | author=Strang, Charles Alexander | date=3 October 1994 | pages=43–4 | isbn=978-1873190104}}

==External links== {{Commons category}} *{{Official website}} *{{Historic Environment Scotland|cat=PLA |num=59748 |num2=NT85SW 14 |desc= Wedderburn Castle}} *[https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1254555 GEOGRAPH image: Looking over Cairnhill lands through the haze to Wedderburn Castle]

Category:Country houses in the Scottish Borders Category:Castles in the Scottish Borders Category:Category A listed buildings in the Scottish Borders Category:Listed houses in Scotland Category:Berwickshire Category:Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in the Scottish Borders Category:Robert Adam buildings