The Hirsel
Country House (18th Century)
Site Name The Hirsel
Classification Country House (18th Century)
Alternative Name(s) The Hirsel Policies
Canmore ID 59619
Site Number NT84SW 15
NGR NT 82944 40745
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/59619
![Scanned image of IGL W274/17/1 [negative number to be supplied].](http://i.rcahms.gov.uk/canmore/l/SC00832913.jpg)
![Scanned image of IGL W274/19/8 [negative number to be supplied].](http://i.rcahms.gov.uk/canmore/l/SC00832938.jpg)
![Scanned image of IGL W274/17/1 [negative number to be supplied].](http://i.rcahms.gov.uk/canmore/s/SC00832913.jpg)
![Scanned image of IGL W274/19/8 [negative number to be supplied].](http://i.rcahms.gov.uk/canmore/s/SC00832938.jpg)
First 100 images shown. See the Collections panel (below) for a link to all digital images.
- Council Scottish Borders, The
- Parish Coldstream
- Former Region Borders
- Former District Berwickshire
- Former County Berwickshire
NT84SW 15.00 82944 40745
NT84SW 15.01 NT 82494 40689 Laundry and Offices
NT84SW 15.02 NT 82703 40811 Stables
NT84SW 15.03 NT 82787 40184 Homestead with Dovecot
NT84SW 15.04 NT 82021 41354 Obelisk to Lord Dunglass
NT84SW 15.05 NT 82880 40504 Walled Garden with Glasshouses
NT84SW 15.06 NT 82508 40276 Hirsel Lake
NT84SW 15.07 NT 82065 40616 Crooks Steading
NT84SW 15.08 NT 81650 40409 Crook's Lodge (Crooks Avenue)
NT84SW 15.09 NT 81547 40667 Cockburn Lodge
NT84SW 15.10 NT 81307 41120 Montague Lodge (Montague Avenue)
NT84SW 15.11 NT 81665 41217 Estate Footbridge (Leet Water)
NT84SW 15.12 NT 82552 41147 Dunglass Bridge (Leet Water)
NT84SW 15.13 NT 82959 40876 Estate Footbridge (Leet Water)
NT84SW 15.14 NT 83064 40659 Estate Footbridge (Leet Water)
NT84SW 15.15 NT 83102 40717 Caul (Leet Water)
NT84SW 15.16 NT 83061 40058 Estate Footbridge (Leet Water)
NT84SW 15.17 NT 83212 41491 Kincham Lodge (Kincham Avenue)
For excavated church and burial-ground at Dial Knowe or Low Field, see NT84SW 3.
For discovery of cists at The Hirsel, see NT84SW 4.
For Hirsel Law fort (NT 8250 4162), see NT84SW 7.
For possible plantation bank at NT 821 407, see NT84SW 26.
The Hirsel, the seat of the Earl of Home is a long, narrow mansion-house facing the SW, the larger (NW) part of which has been built at various times in the 19th century. The SE end dates from about the beginning of the 17th century and consists of a centre, with a wing at each end, and a square tower projecting beyond the SW wing, the whole length of this part of the house being about 110ft. It is quite probable that the SW wing, which is a square of about 25ft, with the SW tower, which is joined to it anglewise, may be older than the other part, but as the windows have been enlarged and other alterations made, this is uncertain, though the many masons' marks that are visible favour the idea of an earlier date for this portion. The original entrance, which appears to have been in the S side of the NW wing, is now built up and partly occupied by one of the enlarged windows. The house is three storeys high.
RCAHMS 1915, visited 1909.
Photographed by the RCAHM in 1980 and 1999.
RCAHMS 1980 AP catalogue 1980.
NMRS REFERENCE:
Owner: Sir Alex Douglas Home. (deceased)
Achitects: William Adam 1739-41 Stables (demolished)
William Burn 1851
David Bryce 1858
James Campbell Walker - additions and chapel 1898-1905
George Henderson - additions.
EXTERNAL REFERENCE:
S.N.P.G. - S.M.T Magazine, January, 1951
Field Visit (23 January 1909)
102. The Hirsel.
The mansion-house of the Hirsel, the Berwickshire seat of the Earl of Home, is situated within an extensive domain, about 1 ½ miles north-west from Coldstream. It is a long, narrow house facing the south-west, the larger or north-western part of which has been built at various times in the 19th century. The south-east end dates from about the beginning of the 17th century, and consists of a centre, with a wing at each end, and a square tower projecting beyond the south-west wing, the whole length of this part of the house being about 110 feet. It is quite probable that the south-west wing, which is a square of about 25 feet, with the southwest tower, which is joined to it angle wise, may be older than the other part; but as the windows have been enlarged and other alterations made, this is uncertain, though the many masons' marks that are visible favour the idea of an earlier date for this portion. The original entrance, which appears to have been in the south side of the north-west wing, is now built up and partly occupied by one of the enlarged windows and has the appearance of having had its mouldings chipped away. The house is three storeys high, and in the centre, below the upper-floor window, there is a round relieving arch about25 feet wide, which would seem to indicate some unfulfilled intention on the part of the builders. As is usual in houses of the period, there is only one room in the breadth between the side walls. There is a fine stone staircase in the centre portion, having a stone balustrade with raking mouldings at the steps and horizontal mouldings at the landings, and also finely designed dies and half-dies at the corners, with large ball finials and a massive stone moulded cope.
RCAHMS 1915, visited 23rd January 1909.
OS Map: Ber., xxix. NW.
Photographic Survey (1955)
Photographic survey of the exterior of the Hirsel, Berwickshire, by the Scottish National Buildings Record in 1955.
Photographic Survey (1956)
Photographic survey by the Scottish National Buildings Record in 1956.
Sbc Note
Visibility: This is an upstanding building.
Information from Scottish Borders Council.
