Manderston facts for kids
Manderston House is a very grand and beautiful home located in Duns, a town in Berwickshire, Scotland. It is the home of the Palmer family. This amazing house was completely rebuilt between 1901 and 1903. It has incredibly fancy rooms, including a staircase covered in real silver!
The owner at the time, Sir James Miller, 2nd Baronet (1864–1906), told the architect, John Kinross, that he could spend as much money as needed. He simply said, "It doesn't matter." This shows how much effort and detail went into making Manderston House so special. The house is considered a very important historic building, known as a Category A listed building. The land around it, including the farm at Buxley, is also a protected historic area.
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The House's History
Manderston was once owned by the powerful Hume family. Their old tower house (a type of strong, tall building) was even shown on a map from 1750 made by General Roy. Later, the estate was briefly owned by the Swinton family. The famous actress Tilda Swinton is related to this family.
The large house you see today at Manderston includes parts of an older, elegant Georgian house. This older house was built around 1790 for a person named Dalhousie Watherston.
Amazing Buildings at Manderston
The original house from around 1790 was changed a bit in 1870. Then, at the start of the 1900s, John Kinross completely redesigned it. Manderston House is one of several very important historic buildings on the estate. Other buildings built by Kinross include the stables, a boat house, and a gamekeeper's cottage. He also designed a group of buildings at Buxley, located at the northern part of the estate.
Close to the main house is a cricket pavilion, which is also a historic building. The Manderston cricket club started in 1899, making it one of Scotland's oldest cricket clubs. The pavilion, built around 1900, was fixed up in 1999 for the club's 100th birthday. This was possible thanks to special funding.
The Family Behind the House
Sir James Miller's father, Sir William Miller, 1st Baronet (1809–1887), became very wealthy by trading goods like herring (a type of fish) and hemp (a plant fiber) in Russia. He held important positions, like being a British Vice-Consul in Russia and a Member of Parliament in the UK.
Sir James Miller, 2nd Baronet, married Eveline, whose father was Alfred, 4th Baron Scarsdale. It is said that Sir James wanted to rebuild Manderston House to be as grand as his wife's family home, Kedleston Hall. Sir James and Eveline did not have children. So, the estate went to his brother, John Alexander Miller, 3rd Baronet. He also did not have children. Eventually, the estate passed to his sister, Amy Elizabeth Miller. She was the great-grandmother of the current owner, 4th Lord Palmer.
Manderston House is also home to the world's largest collection of Huntley & Palmers biscuit tins! These tins date all the way back to 1868. You can visit Manderston House on certain days to see these amazing collections and the house itself.
Manderston on Screen
Manderston House has been used as a filming location for several movies and TV shows. Its grand appearance makes it perfect for historical dramas.
- The House of Mirth (2000 film)
- The Edwardian Country House (a TV show from 2002, also known as Manor House in the U.S.)
- Man to Man
- First Night (2010)
- The Awakening (2011)
- Secrets of the Manor House (2012)
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