Rathburne House, Duns, Berwickshire, TD11

A magnificent country house nestled in the Lammermuir Hills

Description

Rathburne House is an imposing late Victorian country house. It was built around 1900 as a shooting lodge for a well travelled Indophile, Charles Holme. In 1928 it was purchased by the 8th Duke of Roxburghe. The house was purchased in 1949 by Gore Graham, a journalist, who turned it into a country house hotel specialising in catering for clients with allergies. During its time, Rathburne has included a small golf course, a mini railway, an artist's studio, a library, music rooms and an exhibition space that housed an annual show of contemporary Scottish paintings. It enjoys a fabulous private position at the centre of its own grounds with views over its policies and the surrounding countryside, bordered by the Dye Water and its tributary, the Watch Water.

The house has extensive accommodation arranged over ground, first and second floors and lends itself to a number of uses. Rathburne has been a shooting lodge, country house hotel, bed & breakfast and a superb private home. There are some wonderful reception rooms which are well proportioned and enjoy all the features associated with late Victorian architecture. The hall is the centrepiece of the ground floor with a magnificent plastered ceiling and an elegant broad staircase leading to the mezzanine and first floors. Other period features include cornicing and open fireplaces in the drawing room, sitting room and dining room and a wood burning stove with a carved timber surround in the hall. Its sporting estate heritage is still visible with a pair of glass fronted gun cabinets in the study and the original stone work surfaces and game hooks in the larder.

There is an excellent balance of reception rooms and bedrooms with the six principal bedrooms benefiting from en-suite facilities. The second floor provides extensive secondary accommodation and could be converted into a self-contained flat subject to the required consents. At the back of the house, accessed off the courtyard, is Lea cottage, a two bedroom single story property.

GARDENS AND GROUNDS
Rathburne House is approached via a private road through wrought iron gates and a gravelled drive that leads to parking and a turning circle in front and to the side of the house. The grounds, which extend to approximately 12.8 acres, provide a magnificent peaceful setting for the property and are a haven for wildlife. The formal lawns around the house sweep away to natural woodland walks down to the Dye water. This is a charming upland river on which the owners of Rathburne House enjoy trout fishing rights. The Dye Water provides a wonderful backdrop for picnics and there are private pools for wild swimming. The grounds contain a number of mature trees including larch, beech, conifers, birch and Scots pine.

To the west of the house is a modern three bay portal frame agricultural building with concrete floor, power and light. It has a secure sliding door and provides extensive storage space. A large metal framed greenhouse provides views between the trees to fields north of the estate.

Location

Nestled in the Lammermuir Hills in the Scottish Borders, Rathburne House enjoys a fabulous rural setting in the village of Longformacus. This is some of the most spectacular countryside in Scotland, with rolling heather hills providing a wonderful backdrop. The roads from Rathburne House to Gifford and Duns are stunning, particularly the Gifford Road with magnificent views of the Lothians and the Firth of Forth beyond.

There is an active local community within the village. The village hall is used to host a play group for young children, a pop up coffee shop and occasional theatrical performances.

The market town of Duns, six miles to the south, provides all essential local facilities including primary schools, a secondary school, professional services, shops and a supermarket. A further 25 minutes by car is the mainline railway station at Berwick-upon-Tweed. This provides a fast link to Edinburgh and London Kings Cross. The International airports of Edinburgh and Newcastle are just over an hour away.

The location of Rathburne House provides excellent opportunities for the country sports enthusiast. There is salmon and trout fishing and pheasant and grouse shooting on local estates. There are ten golf courses within easy reach, including an 18 hole course at Duns and the Roxburghe. There are extensive cycling and hill walking routes around the area. To the south of the property, the Southern Upland way, Scotland’s only coast to coast walking route passes by. Sailing and watersports enthusiast can enjoy the Whiteadder watersports centre that is 20mins away.

Square Footage: 10,675 sq ft


Acreage: 12.8 Acres

Additional Info

Services: Mains water and electricity. Private drainage. Oil fired central heating.

Local Authority & tax band: Rathburne House is Scottish Borders Council Tax Band H.

Fixtures & Fittings: All carpets, curtains, light fittings and integrated white goods are to be included within the sale.

Solicitors: Cullen Kilshaw, Waverley Chambers, Ladhope Vale, Galashiels, TD1 1BW

Photos Taken: Photos taken in April 2025

Date Produced: April 2025.