The Castles of Scotland by Martin Coventry | Goblinshead | A comprehensive guide to 4,100 castles, towers, historic houses, stately homes and family lands
The Castles of Scotland by Martin Coventry | Goblinshead | A comprehensive guide to 4,100 castles, towers, historic houses, stately homes and family lands
The Castles of Scotland
The Castles of Scotland 

Mertoun House

Mertoun House is a fine mansion with lovely gardens by the River Tweed, with a fantastic walled garden, the scenic Old Mertoun House, and a wellpreserved doocot, long held by the Scotts and then by the Dukes of Sutherland, near Kelso in the Borders in southeast Scotland.

Old Mertoun House, Mertoun House is a fine mansion with lovely gardens, held by the Scotts and then the Dukes of Sutherland, near Kelso in the Borders in southeast Scotland. Mertoun House: Old Mertoun House in walled garden (© Martin Coventry)

Borders: About 7 miles west of Kelso, 2 miles north-east of St Boswells, on minor road south of B6404, just north of the River Tweed, at or near Mertoun House.

 

Ruin or site   NT 618318   OS: 74   TD6 0EA

 

OPEN: House not open; gardens open Apr-Sep, Fri-Mon 14.00-18.00 (last entry 17.30).
Web: www.mertoungardens.co.uk

Mertoun House is a fine mansion with lovely gardens, held by the Scotts and then the Dukes of Sutherland, near Kelso in the Borders in southeast Scotland. Mertoun House: gardens (© Martin Coventry)
Mertoun House is a fine mansion with lovely gardens, held by the Scotts and then the Dukes of Sutherland, near Kelso in the Borders in southeast Scotland. Mertoun House (Crockett, 1905)

Site of castle, marked on Blaeu’s map of Berwickshire as ‘Mertoun Tour’. This was replaced by what is now known as Old Mertoun House, a two-storey harled building of 1677, which may stand on the site of the tower and is in the 3-acre walled garden.

Doocot, Mertoun House is a fine mansion with lovely gardens, held by the Scotts and then the Dukes of Sutherland, near Kelso in the Borders in southeast Scotland. Mertoun House: doocot (© Martin Coventry)
Doocot (dovecote), Mertoun House is a fine mansion with lovely gardens, held by the Scotts and then the Dukes of Sutherland, near Kelso in the Borders in southeast Scotland. Mertoun House: doocot (RCAHMC, 1915)

There is a well-preserved round doocot, dated 1576.

Mertoun House is a fine mansion with lovely gardens, held by the Scotts and then the Dukes of Sutherland, near Kelso in the Borders in southeast Scotland. Mertoun House: shrouded for renovation in June 2021 (© Martin Coventry)

Mertoun House, built in 1702 and designed by Sir William Bruce, was altered and extended in 1843 by William Burn and again in 1912. The foundation stone was exposed at this time, with the legend ‘Founded 10 Day of June 1703 Years by Sr. William Scott and Dam Jean Nisbet His Lady’. These extensions were demolished in the 1950s.

Old Mertoun House, Mertoun House is a fine mansion with lovely gardens, held by the Scotts and then the Dukes of Sutherland, near Kelso in the Borders in southeast Scotland. Mertoun House: Old Mertoun House (© Martin Coventry)
Old Mertoun House and doocot, Mertoun House is a fine mansion with lovely gardens, held by the Scotts and then the Dukes of Sutherland, near Kelso in the Borders in southeast Scotland. Mertoun House: Old Mertoun House and doocot (© Martin Coventry)

The castle was built by the Halyburtons, who held the property in the 15th century. The property passed to the Scotts of Harden, Lords Polwarth from 1835, who held the property from 1672, or earlier, until 1912. Mertoun is now held by the Duke of Sutherland, while Old Mertoun House is used as the head gardener’s house.

Gardens, Mertoun House is a fine mansion with lovely gardens, held by the Scotts and then the Dukes of Sutherland, near Kelso in the Borders in southeast Scotland. Mertoun House: gardens (© Martin Coventry)
Gardens, Mertoun House is a fine mansion with lovely gardens, held by the Scotts and then the Dukes of Sutherland, near Kelso in the Borders in southeast Scotland. Mertoun House: gardens (© Martin Coventry)

Mertoun Gardens consist of 26 acres of beautiful grounds with fine walks, river views, impressive trees, herbaceous borders, and flowering shrubs.

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© Martin Coventry