Broughton House

http://portal.historic-scotland.gov.uk/hes/web/f?p=PORTAL:DESIGNATIONS:0

Type of Site

An early 20th century town garden established by the acclaimed contemporary impressionist artist from the Glasgow School, Hornel, with influences from his travels to places such as Japan, Burma and Ceylon in a series of compartments that together create an artist's garden of inspiration and contemplation.

Location and Setting

Broughton House is situated in the High Street of the town of Kirkcudbright which lies on the east bank of the River Dee. The garden or 'lang rig' extends north of the house to the banks of the River Dee which flows into the Solway Firth some 7km downstream. Kirkcudbright is the confluence of seven main roads and it is a popular tourist centre. Views out of the garden can be obtained from the northern boundary where an area has been created for the view afforded of the river, its traffic, and the rolling agricultural land on the opposite bank. The garden is secluded and has no impact on the surrounding landscape.

Broughton House stands on High Street. The house forms the southern boundary of its associated garden which extends over an area of about 2 acres (0.8ha) between High Street and the River Dee.

Landscape Components

Architectural Features

Broughton House is a classical 18th century building, with a raised, railed forecourt and it is listed category A. The Gallery was an addition to the back of the house commissioned by Hornel to the designs of John Keppie c.1910. It extends into the garden forming a feature in its south-east corner.

Garden ornamentation is collectively listed A and includes two late 17th century gatepiers with pineapple finials and cast iron gates which separate the terrace adjacent to the house from the garden, three sundials of 17th & 18th century origin, and hollow stone troughs which are distributed around the garden.

The Gardens

The garden is divided into a series of compartments. Nearest the house is the 'Japanese' garden, laid out with the concept of irregularity. A path runs through this area from the 17th century gates and leads to a raised rockery before dividing; one branch extends across stepping stones and past the pond within which stands the statue of the Crane. A large cherry tree overhangs the pond surrounded by Phormium and water plants, and beyond this is an espaliered Wisteria, probably planted by Hornel. Stone troughs are planted with dwarf pines. From here, an irregular flagstone path runs to the bottom of the garden and a series of rectangular beds enclosed by box are laid out on either side. The west-facing wall and border has a range of climbing and flowering shrubs and a collection of tree paeonies planted in the 1920s. There is a fine Edwardian greenhouse and a summerhouse.

It would appear that Hornel and his sister had a keen interest in plants and, besides acquiring material during his trips to the Far East, plants were acquired from friends, evident from a series of uncatalogued letters of Miss Hornel. In its heyday, the garden was indeed fine, as photographs of c.1925 in the house show. An essay describing the garden was written by Dorothy M. McBirnie in the same year.