APRIL 2018



Gill’s Border Country



Our team of wonderful Tour Guides at Mellerstain are an absolute mine of information and in this article, we are delighted to introduce you to Tour Guide of seven years, Gill Harrop.


Originally born in Dumfries, it wasn’t until many years later that Gill was to return to Scotland and set up home in the country of her birth. Following an incredibly busy career which has included working as a policewoman, a sub-post mistress, a Trainer with RBS and laterally as an event organiser at Doncaster College, Gill and her husband decided to move to the Scottish Borders. They specifically chose the Borders because it has everything you could want including beautiful unspoilt countryside, a fascinating history, a lovely coastline and no motorways!


With her passion for history and a genuine love of the Borders, perhaps it was fate that Gill was to become a Tour Guide here at Mellerstain. In fact, from Gill’s home just outside Kelso and with a good set of binoculars, there is a view of the house in the distance, along with other famous Border icons including Smailholm Tower, the Eildon’s and Peniel Heugh. Fellow Tour Guide Lesley Abernethy recognised that her friend had the knowledge and skills to become a Guide and recommended that Gill should join the team.



From furniture to china and embroidery to paintings, Gill clearly thrives on the fact that there is so much to see and do here and that there is something for everyone to enjoy, whatever you are interested in. Gill’s previous career and skills as a qualified trainer means that she has also taken on the role of induction trainer at Mellerstain as well as finding imaginative ways of keeping our younger visitors occupied with creative quizzes which encourage them to engage with what they are seeing.


When not guiding visitors around the house, Gill enjoys arts and crafts and in her spare time loves making cards, knitting and sewing. Gill particularly loves the decorative arts at Mellerstain and when asked to name her favourite pieces in the house, this interest came shining through in her choices.


Gill photographed at Hundy Mundy with the view towards Mellerstain in the background.



Butler’s tray table, found in The Small Library
This is the low table next to the chair in the photograph. The table has a magazine on it.
A tray on top of a separate stand. It is thought that the stand is Oak and the tray is a bit more exotic being Elm wood. Can’t be too specific about the years but it’s thought the tray is older than the stand. Date thought to be about mid - late 18th century.


Portrait of Katherine Salting,
found in The Small Drawing Room.
Above the fireplace is a painting of Katherine Salting, (1871-1952), Katherine Salting, (later Lady Binning, great grandmother of the 14th Earl of Haddington), painted by Fritz Grebe, c late-19th century. Her husband was Lord Binning (1856-1917) who died before his father the 11th earl. She lived in Fenton House, Hampstead and left it to the National Trust. She was the niece of George Salting. *


* George Salting was born in Sydney, Australia, on 15 August 1835. He owned sheep stations in Australia. Having inherited a considerable fortune when his father died in 1865 he began collecting lacquer and Oriental porcelain. Such was the extent of the accumulations in 1874 Salting started to deposit items on loan to the V & A Museum. His collecting included: Italian majolica, bronzes and reliefs, Persian, Damascus and Turkish ware, Limoges enamels, illuminated manuscripts, carved woodwork and tapestries, and Japanese lacquer and European steel and iron. When he died on 12 December 1909, Salting left his vast collections to the National Gallery, the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum.



An early 16th century hunting tapestry. Circa 1525-30
The tapestry of a hunting scene is Flemish and was made in the early sixteenth century.


Probably from Oudenaarde, a Belgian municipality in the Flemish province of East Flanders. A world known centre of tapestry production; from the fifteenth century but especially in the sixteenth century. Outnal derived from the town’s name is an obsolete English word for a brown linen thread.


Fine choices indeed and seven years later with her infectious enthusiasm for Mellerstain stronger than ever, this has certainly proved to be the ideal job for Gill, giving her the opportunity to share her passion for the House and Gardens with visitors from all over the world.




We have a wonderful team and hope that this introduction to Gill has given you an insight into the hard work and dedication that goes on behind the scenes.

Our team of guides look forward to welcoming you to Mellerstain in person, do have a look at our Visitors page to help you to plan your visit to the house and gardens https://www.mellerstain.com/visitors


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