Broughton Place, Scottish Borders facts for kids
Broughton Place is a special old house located in the village of Broughton in the Scottish Borders. It was designed by a famous architect named Basil Spence. He made it look like a 17th-century Scottish Baronial tower house, which is a type of strong, castle-like home.
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The Story of Broughton Place
How the House Was Built
Broughton Place was built a long time ago, between 1936 and 1938. A professor named Thomas Renton Elliott and his wife asked an architecture company in Edinburgh to design it. The main designer was a young architect named Basil Spence. He worked very closely with Mrs. Elliott to make sure the house was exactly what they wanted.
Basil Spence later became known for designing very modern buildings. But Broughton Place looks quite different from his later work. It shows how talented he was, even when he was just starting out!
What the House Looks Like
The house is made of brick and covered with a special rough plaster called Harl. Inside, it has beautiful wooden walls and fancy plaster designs on the ceilings. A sculptor named Hew Lorimer also helped make the house special. He created two cool relief panels (sculptures that stick out from a flat surface) and two lion statues for the gateposts.
Its Place in History
Broughton Place stands on the same spot where an even older house used to be. That earlier house belonged to John Murray of Broughton. He was an important secretary to Bonnie Prince Charlie during the Jacobite Rising of 1745. This was a time when people tried to bring the old royal family back to the throne in Scotland.
What Broughton Place Is Used For Now
From Home to Flats
In 1975, Broughton Place was changed from one big house into several smaller homes, called flats. This means different families can live there now.
The Broughton Gallery
For many years, a special art gallery called the Broughton Gallery was located on the ground floor of the house. It opened in 1976 and showed modern British art and crafts. The gallery was a place where people could see and buy beautiful artworks. It closed its doors in 2010.
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