The Haining
Encyclopedia
The Haining is a country house and estate in Selkirk in the Scottish Borders
. The present house dates from the 1790s, and was a property of the Pringle family
. In 2009, the house and grounds were bequeathed to the people of Selkirkshire
, and a charitable trust is now planning to restore the building.
The house is protected as a category A listed building, and the grounds are included in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland
, the national listing of significant gardens.
to the north-east of the present house is the site of Selkirk Castle, first recorded in 1119. It was rebuilt by Edward I of England
in 1301, during the Wars of Scottish Independence
, with Sir Alexander de Balliol
of Cavers
in command. It was taken by the Scots the following year, but recaptured by the English before 1311. By 1334 it had been demolished.
The Haining is recorded in the 15th century as a property of the Scott family, and later of the Riddells, who built up the estate in the 17th century. In 1701 the estate was bought by Andrew Pringle of Clifton for his second son John Pringle. The "old" house may have been commissioned by John Pringle, or it may have already been in place when he arrived. The designed landscape
was begun by John, and extended during the 18th and 19th centuries, with extensive tree planting carried out.
In 1794, Mark Pringle began construction of a new classical-style house, adjacent to the older house on the north shore of the loch. This new building has been attributed to Kelso-based architect and builder William Elliot. Around 1820, Mark's son John Pringle remodelled the new house with an Ionic
portico and loggia
, to designs by architect Archibald Elliot
. Further extensions were planned to replace the old house, but these were never carried out. Marble statues were installed on the garden terrace at this time, and several estate buildings including the stables were erected. John Pringle kept a menagerie
on the estate, including a bear, wolf and monkey, whose cages still stand.
On John's death in 1831, the estate passed to his brother Robert, then their sister Margaret. Her daughter Anne Pringle-Pattison left The Haining to a relative, Andrew Seth
(1856–1931), a philospoher at the University of Edinburgh
, who subsequently took the name Pringle-Pattison. During these years the house was leased, until 1939, when the estate was split up and sold. The house was requisitioned by the military during the Second World War, and was occupied by Free Polish
soldiers, including their mascot, Wojtek the bear. The old house burnt down in 1944, and was demolished in the late 1950s.
In 1959 The Haining was bought by Elina Pringle-Pattison, daughter of Andrew Seth Pringle-Pattison, and her husband Francis Nimmo-Smith. Their son Andrew Nimmo-Smith lived in the house until his death in 2009, when he left The Haining, including 160 acres (64.7 ha) of grounds, "for the benefit of the community of Selkirkshire and the wider public." Ownership of the house passed to the Haining Charitable Trust, who outlined their vision for the site in 2010, including an art gallery in the main house, artisan studios in the old coach house, a restaurant, and garden structures. New public walking paths in the grounds were laid out in 2011.
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...
. The present house dates from the 1790s, and was a property of the Pringle family
Clan Pringle
Clan Pringle is an Armigerous clan from the Scottish Borders.-Origin of the Name:According to the detailed book 'The Records of the Pringles', published by Alexander Pringle in 1933, the surname Hoppringill, or Pringle, dates from the reign of Alexander III of Scotland and is one of the oldest...
. In 2009, the house and grounds were bequeathed to the people of Selkirkshire
Selkirkshire
Selkirkshire or the County of Selkirk is a registration county of Scotland. It borders Peeblesshire to the west, Midlothian to the north, Berwickshire to the north-east, Roxburghshire to the east, and Dumfriesshire to the south...
, and a charitable trust is now planning to restore the building.
The house is protected as a category A listed building, and the grounds are included in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland
Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland
The Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland is a listing of gardens and designed landscapes of national artistic and/or historical significance, in Scotland. The Inventory was originally compiled in 1987, although it is a continually evolving list...
, the national listing of significant gardens.
History
A motteMotte
Motte may be:*Motte-and-bailey, a type of construction used in castles*Isaac Motte, an 18th century American statesman*La Motte , various places with this name-See also:* Mote * Mott...
to the north-east of the present house is the site of Selkirk Castle, first recorded in 1119. It was rebuilt by Edward I of England
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
in 1301, during the Wars of Scottish Independence
Wars of Scottish Independence
The Wars of Scottish Independence were a series of military campaigns fought between the independent Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England in the late 13th and early 14th centuries....
, with Sir Alexander de Balliol
Alexander de Baliol
Alexander de Baliol , was lord of Cavers and Chamberlain of Scotland.-Life:Alexander was a member of the Baliol family, about whose pedigree confusion exists. Alexander de Baliol the Scottish chamberlain appears as Dominus de Cavers in the Scottish records in 1270. Seven years later he was...
of Cavers
Cavers (parish)
Cavers is a parish in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, in the former South Roxburghshire, south-west of HawickThe name means "enclosure".Currently, the Church of Scotland Parish comprises Cavers and Kirkton linked with Hawick....
in command. It was taken by the Scots the following year, but recaptured by the English before 1311. By 1334 it had been demolished.
The Haining is recorded in the 15th century as a property of the Scott family, and later of the Riddells, who built up the estate in the 17th century. In 1701 the estate was bought by Andrew Pringle of Clifton for his second son John Pringle. The "old" house may have been commissioned by John Pringle, or it may have already been in place when he arrived. The designed landscape
Designed landscape
A designed landscape is an area of land which has been modified by people for primarily aesthetic effect. The term is used by historians to denote various types of site, such as gardens, parks, cemeteries, and estates. Such sites are often protected for their historic or artistic value...
was begun by John, and extended during the 18th and 19th centuries, with extensive tree planting carried out.
In 1794, Mark Pringle began construction of a new classical-style house, adjacent to the older house on the north shore of the loch. This new building has been attributed to Kelso-based architect and builder William Elliot. Around 1820, Mark's son John Pringle remodelled the new house with an Ionic
Ionic order
The Ionic order forms one of the three orders or organizational systems of classical architecture, the other two canonic orders being the Doric and the Corinthian...
portico and loggia
Loggia
Loggia is the name given to an architectural feature, originally of Minoan design. They are often a gallery or corridor at ground level, sometimes higher, on the facade of a building and open to the air on one side, where it is supported by columns or pierced openings in the wall...
, to designs by architect Archibald Elliot
Archibald Elliot
Archibald Elliot was a Scottish architect.Archibald Elliot ran an architecture practice in London and Edinburgh with his brother James Elliot. Following James' death in 1810, Archibald ran the company on his own...
. Further extensions were planned to replace the old house, but these were never carried out. Marble statues were installed on the garden terrace at this time, and several estate buildings including the stables were erected. John Pringle kept a menagerie
Menagerie
A menagerie is/was a form of keeping common and exotic animals in captivity that preceded the modern zoological garden. The term was first used in seventeenth century France in reference to the management of household or domestic stock. Later, it came to be used primarily in reference to...
on the estate, including a bear, wolf and monkey, whose cages still stand.
On John's death in 1831, the estate passed to his brother Robert, then their sister Margaret. Her daughter Anne Pringle-Pattison left The Haining to a relative, Andrew Seth
Andrew Seth Pringle-Pattison
Andrew Seth , who changed his name to Andrew Seth Pringle-Pattison to fulfill the terms of a bequest, was a Scottish philosopher....
(1856–1931), a philospoher at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
, who subsequently took the name Pringle-Pattison. During these years the house was leased, until 1939, when the estate was split up and sold. The house was requisitioned by the military during the Second World War, and was occupied by Free Polish
Polish Armed Forces in the West
Polish Armed Forces in the West refers to the Polish military formations formed to fight alongside the Western Allies against Nazi Germany and its allies...
soldiers, including their mascot, Wojtek the bear. The old house burnt down in 1944, and was demolished in the late 1950s.
In 1959 The Haining was bought by Elina Pringle-Pattison, daughter of Andrew Seth Pringle-Pattison, and her husband Francis Nimmo-Smith. Their son Andrew Nimmo-Smith lived in the house until his death in 2009, when he left The Haining, including 160 acres (64.7 ha) of grounds, "for the benefit of the community of Selkirkshire and the wider public." Ownership of the house passed to the Haining Charitable Trust, who outlined their vision for the site in 2010, including an art gallery in the main house, artisan studios in the old coach house, a restaurant, and garden structures. New public walking paths in the grounds were laid out in 2011.
External links
- The Haining, Selkirkshire, website of the Haining Charitable Trust
- The Haining, Clan Pringle Association