Paxton, near Berwick-upon-Tweed
Scottish Borders
Scotland
Historic County: BerwickshireCirca Date: 1758-61 w/18th, 19th & 20th century alterations and additions
Status: Fully Extant
House Open to Public: Yes
Country House: Yes
The entrance facade
The entrance facade
The rear facade
The rear facade from the garden
The entrance hall
The dining room
The dining room
The dining room
The dining room
The library
Hallway
Neoclassical decoration in hallway
Neoclassical decoration in hallway
The drawing room
The drawing room
The drawing room
Pier glass in the drawing room
Wall decoration in the drawing room
Wall decoration in the drawing room
Neoclassical pier tabletop
The picture gallery
Staircase hall
Bedroom
Bedroom
The children's room
Built / Designed For: Patrick Home
House & Family History: Paxton House, sited overlooking the River Tweed, is one of Scotland's finest homes and one of the few on which all three Adam brothers were probably involved. Built in the mid-18th century for Patrick Home, Paxton is attributed to James Adam, who very likely worked with his brother, John, in its design. The house was built between circa 1758 and 1761 under the supervision of James Nisbet, with extensive interiors, circa 1773, by Robert, the most famous of the Adam brothers. The east wing was added 1812-13 to the designs of Robert Reid to house the library and picture gallery (the largest in a Scottish country house). The interiors today contain original plasterwork and wallpapers, all set in Neoclassical splendor. In 1988 Paxton House and its 80-acre estate were bequeathed to the nation, through the Paxton Trust, by John Home-Robertson, the last laird and a socialist MP. A grant of £22.8 million from the National Heritage Memorial Fund enabled the trust to obtain the contents, restore the house, and to create an endowment (Paxton opened to the public for the first time in 1992). The Home-Robertson family continue to live on the Paxton Estate.
Collections: Paxton contains an important Scottish collection of Chippendale furniture (approximately 200 pieces) and a magnificent collection of Regency furniture by William Trotter of Edinburgh, all in their original room settings. The picture gallery serves as an outstation of the National Galleries of Scotland and has over seventy 18th and 19th century paintings on display, including works by Raeburn, Reynolds, and Naysmith, among others, on loan from the National Galleries. There is also a unique collection of costumes, books, and antiques from the Grand Tour of Patrick Home.
Comments: Paxton is considered one of the finest examples of an 18th century Palladian country house in Britain.
Architect: James Adam
Date: Circa 1758-61Architect: Robert Reid
Date: 1812-13Architect: John Adam
Date: Circa 1758-61
Title: Biographical Dictionary of British Architects, 1600-1840, A - SOFTBACK
Author: Colvin, Howard
Year Published: 1995
Reference: pgs. 51, 797
Publisher: New Haven: Yale University Press
ISBN: 0300072074
Book Type: Softback
Title: Disintegration of a Heritage: Country Houses and their Collections, 1979-1992, The
Author: Sayer, Michael
Year Published: 1993
Publisher: Norfolk: Michael Russell (Publishing)
ISBN: 0859551970
Book Type: Hardback
House Listed: Category A
Park Listed: Outstanding
Current Seat / Home of: Home-Robertson family
Past Seat / Home of: Patrick Home, 18th century.
Current Ownership Type: Preservation Organization
Primary Current Ownership Use: Other
Ownership Details: Owned and operated by The Paxton Trust.
House Open to Public: Yes
Phone: 01289-386-291
Fax: 01289-386-660
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://paxtonhouse.co.uk
Historic Houses Member: Yes