july 2019



A visitor’s eye view



Our visitors to Mellerstain come from far and wide but we also have a loyal following from much closer to home.


None more so than Beth Duff from Earlston in the Scottish Borders who is unquestionably one of our most frequent and loyal visitor. Beth’s love of Mellerstain started around 5 years ago when she came to visit the house for the first time and after running out of time, she decided to come back to view the gardens with her Border Collie Jess.



It was during this visit that Beth suggested to us that Mellerstain should think about offering season tickets as other places do. This helpful suggestion was rewarded with a free season ticket that year and the rest as they say is history. Beth has been a regular visitor to Mellerstain every season ever since.


Mellerstain House and Gardens is open to visitors every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday from Easter until the end of September. As a Season Ticket holder, Beth enjoys a walk in the gardens and parkland around 3 or 4 times a week but will always visit the house at least once every season too.


When asked what it is that makes Mellerstain so special, Beth says that it is the fact that there is always something different to enjoy and the fact that the landscape and the wildlife are always changing with the seasons. For example, here in early June, Beth said that she had just spotted a roe deer with twin fawns and that she loves keeping an eye on the cygnets. This year there are 11!


This year, the introduction of the new Wildlife Garden by the thatched cottage, the extensive work that has been carried out in the Formal Gardens in the last couple of years and the new Woodland Walk, mean that it is possible to enjoy new walks and discover new features. Beth loves to arrive at 11am as she finds that this is the best time to see the wildlife, but she was keen to stress that whilst Mellerstain does get busy, that it never ever feels crowded and that this is one of the lovely things about it.



Of course, there are different plants and trees to enjoy throughout the changing seasons. The azaleas at the end of the lake are magnificent and the perfume is simply gorgeous in the early summer. The magnolias which have been planted in the formal gardens will make a fabulous feature when they bloom in spring and the acers in the parkland are stunning and colourful towards the end of the season. Beth is also fascinated by the trees at Mellerstain, some of which have been planted by Royalty including the Queen, Duke of Edinburgh and Queen Mary.


The new Woodland Walk passes the families’ dog graves, two of which are where the Airedale Terriers Saxon and Celt are buried. Beth informed us that it was Sarah Dowager Countess of Haddington who brought them with her by ship from Canada when she came to Mellerstain in 1924. More famously, Sarah was a driving force behind the Edinburgh International Festival and was known for playing the grand piano in the Music Room at the family home.



There is no doubt that the wealth of information and stories that Beth has picked up on her many visits to Mellerstain mean that she has a rich and in-depth understanding of this great House and Gardens.


When asked what Beth’s favourite part of the house is, without hesitation Beth chose the Great Gallery in the top floor of the house. Originally designed by Adam as a magnificent long room for promenading in inclement weather, indoor games and sewing, the Great Gallery now houses a collection of clothing, including Coronation robes and coronets as well as a fascinating collection of toys and puppets, embroidery and paintings. Beth never tires of visiting this part of the house as there is always something new to discover in this Mellerstain treasure trove.


From history and stories to wildlife and nature; Beth is a passionate visitor to Mellerstain because of the sheer variety that it offers and the fact that this is a special place which is different each and every day.








Mellerstain House, Gordon, Scottish Borders TD3 6LG
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