Broxmouth Park

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

Type of Site

A late 17th/ early 18th century, extensive formal landscape associated with the Battle of Dunbar. The designed landscape is laid out around a series of long-distance vistas and includes a wilderness, walled deer park, and remains of a formal water garden. Letters from the 1st Duke of Roxburghe (d. 1740-1) show that he was inspired by the French baroque gardens he had seen such as Fountainbleau, Marly, St. Cloud, Sceaux and Chantilly.

Location and Setting

Broxmouth lies on the coast, some 3km south-east of Dunbar. Dunbar and its eastern shore form the northern boundary of the site. A limestone quarry and farmland lie to the east while the A1087, the Dunbar-Berwick road, forms the southern and western boundaries. Broxmouth House lies midway between the sea and A1087. The Broxmouth policies are prominent from Dunbar and from the A1087 to the south. The designed landscape is built around a series of axial views, shown on a 1734 estate map radiating out from The Wilderness: north-west to the Bass Rock and Dunbar Church, westwards to North Berwick Law and south-west to Traprain Law (Dunpinder Law). Along the Brox Burn there are views out northwards to the Isle of May and views from Sloe Bigging Tower over to the Bass Rock . From the South Lodge there are wide views over Doon Hill, the site of the Battle of Dunbar .

A deer park known as 'Brook Smyth' to the south of the Brox Burn existed by 1654 and was the precursor of what was later to become Broxmouth Park (Blaeu, 1654). The earliest known surviving estate plan shows the extent of the designed landscape much as it is today (Oakley, 1734). Roy's Survey (1747-55) shows the same layout, confirmed by subsequent plans of 1772 (Stobie), 1799 (Forrest) and 1822 (Thomson). The latter distinctly shows the formality of the wilderness. The 1st edn. OS 6" (1854) shows the early 18th century designed landscape continuing to form the landscape structure of the Broxmouth policies, together with greater detail within the core, garden area.

Landscape Components

Architectural Features

Broxmouth House was originally built as a dower house for Margaret, widow of the 3rd Earl of Roxburghe (d.1683). The present house, a two-storey, nine-bay, U-plan classical house was built in the last quarter of the 18th century, incorporating an earlier house. The architect was probably James Nesbit (d.1781). Behind the house lies a courtyard, open to the north and incorporating clairvoies in the east side, and the foundations of an extensive wing demolished in 1955. The Stable Court is late 18th century, remodelled in 1841, and comprises two ranges with coach houses surrounding a cobbled court. An oval drinking trough is situated in the centre of the court. The Walled Garden , with its internal ogee doorway, dates from the 18th century and includes a range of extensive 19th century frame yards and slip gardens. The walled garden incorporates two decorative wrought iron gates dated 1906 and 1908, with floral motifs incorporating thistles, honeysuckle and the monogram AR for Anne, Duchess of Roxburghe, née Lady Anne Emily Spencer Churchill. She was Lady of the Bedchamber and Mistress of the Robes to Queen Victoria. The cascades and bridges on the canalised Brox Burn were designed by William Adam pre-1743. The ice-house is stone, set into the side of an earth bank near the lake. An outflow at the side of the lake is bounded by stone balustrading, and probably dates from the late 18th century improvements. Sir William Douglas's Grave is located to the south-east of the house.

The South Lodge and Entrance are attributed to William Adam. Built as a view house or banqueting house, it is a square-plan building with a pyramidal roof and deep eaves and dates from the 1740's or earlier. It has quadrant walls with pulvinated gate piers.

The Sea Lodge is a ruinous 19th century single storey building. The Observatory, also known as Sloe Bigging Tower, a grey stone, lookout tower built 1850, stands in parkland, north-east of the house with views to Dunbar and the Bass Rock. The Vaults, a rubble building standing directly on the sea shore, is thought to be 18th century. It has a vaulted stone ceiling and remains of a forestair. A cast-iron drinking fountain, by Glenfield and Kennedy Ltd of Kilmarnock, is set by the east wall.

The rubble estate walls are extensive and follow the coastline to the east far beyond the cement works. Directly to the north of the house there is open-fronted ruined structure built into the park wall. The walls are considerably higher around the enclosed deer park. Northwest of the house a pair of 18th century gate piers are set into the deer park wall, marking a previous entrance. A small cemetery, including a lodge that dates from the 1950's, is situated in the south-eastern corner of the deer park. A pair of 18th century gate piers stand to the north of this cemetery, probably relocated from another site within the policies. The Gardener's Cottage, a two-storey, three-bay stone cottage lies to the north of the walled garden.

Drives and Approaches

The house is now approached from the West Lodge, a single-storey 19th century building, as shown on the 1799 county map (Forrest, 1799). The entrance at the South Lodge is in use, and leads along the Green Avenue (1876, OS 25") with a curving driveway flanking it to the east which was probably inserted in the 19th century.

To the east of the house a drive led to the Sea Lodge by way of Sloebigging, but this north-eastern area of the estate has been disturbed by quarrying. The drive led along the coast to the Mid Links, developed as golf course in the 19th century, alongside an extensive coastal rabbit warren (Forrest, 1799; 1st edition OS 6", 1854).

Parkland

South of the house, the park is enclosed on its south-west perimeter by a raised terrace and stone faced dyke, planted with Wych elm (Ulmus glabra). The Brox Burn forms the north-west of the boundary of the park and is separated from the park by a row of sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus), planted on small mounds. The Green Avenue forming the east boundary of the park is the southern extent of the 18th century axial vista that extends northwards along the ornamental stretch of the Brox Burn. Two roundels of mixed deciduous and coniferous trees planted on mounds, are features of the 18th century design (1734 plan). The remains of a small house and garden, occupied until the late 20th century, is set within the western roundel. A scatter of oaks (Quercus petraea) is evident across the park and the layout seems to have changed little since 1854 (1st edition OS 6").

Woodland Garden

The Wilderness, now predominantly beech (Fagus sylvatica) and elm (Ulmus glabra) with Sitka spruce (Picea sitchenensis) plantations inserted into the layout, lies to the north and west of Broxmouth House. A very large elm coppice (Ulmus glabra) survives from the 18th century designed landscape, as do some yews (Taxus baccata) on a bank lying between the Wilderness and garden. In the north of the Wilderness is a mature planting of Wych elm (Ulmus glabra). Although the complete formal layout of the Wilderness has been lost, many of the diagonal footpaths relate to the original formal layout and some of the designed views can be discerned, although they are obscured through lack of woodland management (20th century).

Water Features

The Brox Burn was diverted in the 18th century to form the major landscape axis running north-south, directly on the east side of Broxmouth House. Canalised with stone revetments, the scheme incorporates nine waterfalls and bridges, before issuing out into the sea. Although this work is attributed to William Adam and shown on the 1734 estate plan, the waterfalls are not detailed.

A loch with three small islands lying on the north boundary of the park is enclosed by a seaward boundary wall, and was so constructed sometime in the late 18th century (Stobie, 1772).

The Gardens

The gardens around the house are now mainly put to lawn. Cromwell's Mount, a feature of the earlier formal landscape (Oakley, 1734) lies directly across lawns to the west of the house, and is planted with a Cedar of Lebanon (Cedris libani). Close by is another Cedar of Lebanon, planted by Queen Victoria who visited Broxmouth Park in 1878. nearby a plaque commemorates the planting of four oak trees in 1908: 'These four oaks were planted by the descendants of Queen Victoria'. The trees are labelled: 'Princess Alice Countess of Athlone', 'Lady Mary Abel-Smith', 'Anne Liddell-Grainger' and 'Alice Liddell-Grainger.'

Walled Garden

The walled garden, sited to the east of the Green Avenue, had been built by 1734 (Oakley). Considerable 19th century developments include the laying out of extensive slip gardens around the walled garden, which to the north-west incorporated frame yards, pit houses and fruit houses, and to the south-east and south-west further slip gardens specifically for growing fruit. Those to the south-west retain their espalier fruit trees, although the slip garden to the south-east is overgrown. The latter comprises a raised area about 6m (20ft) wide bounced by a small ha-ha type rubble dyke and beech hedge.

The Ordnance Gazetteer notes that there were five vineries, probably sited within the walled garden on the north wall, which have not survived (Groome, 1882). A row of derelict 19th century, red sandstone, potting sheds, bothies and boiler houses stand on the north side of the walled garden. A blocked 18th century ogee-shaped doorway is located within the potting shed.