Brough Lodge

Last updated

Brough Lodge
Brough Lodge, Fetlar - geograph.org.uk - 1028553.jpg
Brough Lodge, left, and Tower
Coordinates 60°36′45″N0°56′32″W / 60.6125°N 0.9421°W / 60.6125; -0.9421 Coordinates: 60°36′45″N0°56′32″W / 60.6125°N 0.9421°W / 60.6125; -0.9421
Listed Building – Category A
Designated30 March 1998
Reference no. LB45269
Designated31 March 2003
Reference no. GDL00074
Shetland UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location in the Shetland Islands

Brough Lodge is a 19th-century Gothic mansion on Fetlar, one of the Shetland Islands, in northern Scotland. Built by the Nicolson family, who were responsible for clearing Fetlar of many of its inhabitants, it has been disused since the 1980s. The Brough Lodge Trust has recently started work to restore the building. The house is protected as a category A listed building, [1] and the grounds are included in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland, the national listing of significant gardens. [2]

Fetlar One of the North Isles of Shetland, Scotland

Fetlar is one of the North Isles of Shetland, Scotland, with a usually resident population of 61 at the time of the 2011 census. Its main settlement is Houbie on the south coast, home to the Fetlar Interpretive Centre. Fetlar is the fourth-largest island of Shetland and has an area of just over 4,000 hectares (15 sq mi).

Scotland Country in Northwest Europe, part of the United Kingdom

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It covers the northern third of the island of Great Britain, with a border with England to the southeast, and is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, the North Sea to the northeast, the Irish Sea to the south, and more than 790 islands, including the Northern Isles and the Hebrides.

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. From 1991 it was maintained by Historic Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage, and is now updated by a dedicated team within Historic Environment Scotland. As of 2016 the Inventory includes over 300 sites across Scotland.

Contents

History

In 1805, parts of the island of Fetlar were acquired by the Nicolson family, a well-established Shetland family who also owned Papa Stour among other lands. The land was given to the Nicolsons by Andrew Bruce of Urie, in payment of a debt. Arthur Nicolson (1794–1863) evicted many of the island's tenants on his estate, enclosing the land for sheep farming. He lived at Urie in the north of the island, until Brough Lodge was completed around 1820. In 1826 he was recognised as a baronet, the heir of Sir James Nicolson, 7th Baronet, who had died in 1743. [2]

Papa Stour one of the Shetland Islands in Scotland

Papa Stour is one of the Shetland Islands in Scotland, with a population of under twenty people, some of whom immigrated after an appeal for residents in the 1970s. Located to the west of mainland Shetland and with an area of 828 hectares, Papa Stour is the eighth largest island in Shetland. Erosion of the soft volcanic rocks by the sea has created an extraordinary variety of caves, stacks, arches, blowholes, and cliffs. The island and its surrounding seas harbour diverse populations of wildlife. The west side of the island is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and the seas around the island are a Special Area of Conservation.

Highland Clearances the mass eviction of tenants from the Scottish Highlands in the 18th and 19th centuries

The Highland Clearances were the evictions of a significant number of tenants in the Scottish Highlands and Islands, mostly in the period 1750 to 1860.

Enclosure was the legal process in England of consolidating (enclosing) small landholdings into larger farms since the 13th century. Once enclosed, use of the land became restricted and available only to the owner, and it ceased to be common land for communal use. In England and Wales the term is also used for the process that ended the ancient system of arable farming in open fields. Under enclosure, such land is fenced (enclosed) and deeded or entitled to one or more owners. The process of enclosure began to be a widespread feature of the English agricultural landscape during the 16th century. By the 19th century, unenclosed commons had become largely restricted to rough pasture in mountainous areas and to relatively small parts of the lowlands.

Brough Lodge was built in the Gothic Revival style, with crenellated walls and bartizans at the corners. Details in Classical and Moorish styles were added to the facades and screen walls, as well as a brick-built chapel. [1] Around 1840, Sir Arthur Nicolson constructed a folly, known as The Tower, on a small hill to the north-east of the lodge. The Tower is built over the remains of an Iron Age broch, and was later used as an observatory. A second folly, the Round House, was built at Gruting in the eastern part of the island, and was later used as an estate office. [2] The lodge and its outbuildings are described as "Shetland's most unusual group of 19th century buildings." [1]

Bartizan Small turret projecting from the top of towers or parapets

A bartizan, also called a guerite or échauguette, or spelled bartisan, is an overhanging, wall-mounted turret projecting from the walls of late medieval and early-modern fortifications from the early 14th century up to the 18th century. Most frequently found at corners, they protected a warder and enabled him to see his surroundings. Bartizans generally are furnished with oillets or arrow slits. The turret was usually supported by stepped masonry corbels and could be round, polygonal or square.

Folly architectural structure characterized by a certain excess in terms of eccentricity, cost, or conspicuous inutility; often found in gardens or parks

In architecture, a folly is a building constructed primarily for decoration, but suggesting through its appearance some other purpose, or of such extravagant appearance that it transcends the range of garden ornaments usually associated with the class of buildings to which it belongs.

Broch type of Iron Age drystone hollow-walled structure

A broch is an Iron Age drystone hollow-walled structure found in Scotland. Brochs belong to the classification "complex atlantic roundhouse" devised by Scottish archaeologists in the 1980s. Their origin is a matter of some controversy.

Brough Lodge, with the Tower on the right Brough Lodge and Tower - geograph.org.uk - 534300.jpg
Brough Lodge, with the Tower on the right

After Sir Arthur died in 1863, the Fetlar estate was left to his widow, Eliza Jane Nicolson (d.1891), who lived in England. On her death it was inherited by Sir Arthur Nicolson, 10th Baronet (1842–1917). The son of the 9th Baronet, Sir Arthur was born in Australia, but spent time living on Fetlar. From the 1890s, finding Brough Lodge in poor condition due to neglect, he undertook renovations. His wife Lady Annie kept a detailed diary of life at Brough Lodge during these years. [2] The lodge continued to be occupied occasionally by the Nicolsons until the death of Lady Jean, widow of Sir Stanley Nicolson, 12th Baronet, in 1987, since when it has been empty. A large number of artefacts and documents were removed from the house, and are now held in the Fetlar Museum. [3]

In 1997 a local initiative to restore the building was begun, and the Brough Lodge Trust was established. Lady Jean's heir transferred ownership of Brough Lodge to the trust in 2007, which plans to use the building as a multi-purpose commercial venue. [3] Proposals to make the building weatherproof, costed at £380,000, were supported by Shetland Islands Council, and fundraising efforts included a concert by Scots musicians Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham. [4] In August 2011 it was announced that Historic Scotland would fund the rest of the project, and that work was about to commence. [5]

Aly Bain fiddler

Aly Bain MBE is a Scottish fiddler who learned his instrument from the old-time master Tom Anderson. The former First Minister of Scotland Jack McConnell called Bain a "Scottish icon."

Phil Cunningham (folk musician) Scottish musician

Philip Martin Cunningham, MBE is a Scottish folk musician and composer. He is best known for playing the accordion with Silly Wizard, as well as in other bands and in duets with his brother, Johnny. When they played together, Johnny and Phil would often horse around, as only brothers can, egging each other on to play faster and faster, and trying, light-heartedly, to trip each other up. Phil has played with other great Celtic musicians, such as Aly Bain.

Historic Scotland executive agency responsible for historic monuments in Scotland

Historic Scotland was an executive agency of the Scottish Office and later the Scottish Government from 1991 to 2015, responsible for safeguarding Scotland's built heritage, and promoting its understanding and enjoyment. Under the terms of a Bill of the Scottish Parliament published on 3 March 2014, Historic Scotland was dissolved and its functions were transferred to Historic Environment Scotland (HES) on 1 October 2015. HES also took over the functions of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland.

Related Research Articles

Stourhead Estate, grade I listed English garden in the United Kingdom

Stourhead is a 1,072-hectare (2,650-acre) estate at the source of the River Stour in the southwest of the English county of Wiltshire, extending into Somerset. The estate is about 2 1⁄2 miles (4 km) northwest of the town of Mere and includes a Palladian mansion, the village of Stourton, gardens, farmland, and woodland. Stourhead has been part-owned by the National Trust since 1946.

Yell, Shetland island of the Shetlands, Scotland

Yell is one of the North Isles of Shetland, Scotland. In the 2011 census it had a usually resident population of 966. It is the second largest island in Shetland after the Mainland with an area of 82 square miles (212 km2), and is the third most populous in the archipelago, after the Mainland and Whalsay.

Petworth House historic estate museum in UK

Petworth House in the parish of Petworth, West Sussex, England, is a late 17th-century Grade I listed country house, rebuilt in 1688 by Charles Seymour, 6th Duke of Somerset, and altered in the 1870s to the design of the architect Anthony Salvin. It contains intricate wood-carvings by Grinling Gibbons (d.1721). It is the manor house of the manor of Petworth. For centuries it was the southern home for the Percy family, Earls of Northumberland. Petworth is famous for its extensive art collection made by George Wyndham, 3rd Earl of Egremont (1751-1837), containing many works by his friend J. M. W. Turner. It also has an expansive deer park, landscaped by Capability Brown, which contains the largest herd of fallow deer in England.

Fawsley village in United Kingdom

Fawsley is a hamlet and civil parish in the Daventry district of the county of Northamptonshire, England. The population at the 2001 census was 32. At the 2011 census the population remained less than 100 and is included in the civil parish of Charwelton.

Hawkstone Park

Hawkstone Park with its follies is an historic landscape park with pleasure grounds and gardens formerly belonging to Hawkstone Hall, near to Market Drayton, in Shropshire, England, one mile (1.6 km) east of the A49 road.

Clevedon Court Grade I listed historic house museum in North Somerset, United Kingdom

Clevedon Court is a manor house on Court Hill in Clevedon, North Somerset, England, dating from the early 14th century. It is now owned by the National Trust. It is designated as a Grade I listed building.

Arthur Nicolson may refer to:

There have been six baronetcies created for persons with the surname of Lawson, two in the Baronetage of England and four in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. Two creations are extant as of 2010.

Richard Farrer Herschell, 2nd Baron Herschell, was a British Liberal politician.

The Nicolson baronets refer to one of four baronetcies created for persons with the surname Nicolson, all in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia. Two of the creations remain extant as of 2008.

Funzie Girt Ancient dividing wall that was erected from north to south across the island of Fetlar in Shetland, Scotland

Funzie Girt is an ancient dividing wall that was erected from north to south across the island of Fetlar in Shetland, Scotland. Some sources describe it as having been built in the Neolithic, but the date of construction is not certainly known. The line of the wall, which ran for over 4 kilometres (2.5 mi), once divided the island in two almost equal sections. Also known as the Finnigirt Dyke, it has vanished in places at the southern end, although the ruins are clearly visible along much of the uninhabited north of the island, where it is a conspicuous feature of the landscape. The dyke's original purpose is not known, nor is its relationship to other archaeological sites of a similar age nearby. There are various folk tales about its construction, and it is the subject of various pieces of Shetland folk music.

Gardie House

Gardie House is an 18th-century estate house on Bressay in Shetland, Scotland. Located opposite Lerwick, across the Bressay Sound, Gardie is described by Historic Scotland as an "example of the smaller Scottish country house, unique in Shetland."

Ardgowan House

Ardgowan House is a late 18th-century mansion and estate on the Firth of Clyde near Inverkip, Scotland. Ardgowan is located in Inverclyde, in the former county of Renfrewshire. The Ardgowan estate has been held by the Stewart family since the early 15th century: towards the end of that century, their tower house Ardgowan Castle was built within the site of the previous Inverkip Castle fortress. The present house was erected in 1797 and completed in 1801 from designs by Cairncross. It is the seat of the Shaw Stewart baronets, currently Sir Ludovic Houston Shaw Stewart, 12th Baronet of Greenock and Blackhall.

Blackadder House

Blackadder House was an estate and stately house near the village of Allanton, in Berwickshire, Scotland. It was built on the site of the earlier Blackadder Castle. The house was vandalised by troops in World War I. Since there was no money to repair it, the house was demolished around 1925.

The Society of Our Lady of the Isles (SOLI) is a small Anglican religious order for women, founded in the late 20th century. It is located in Shetland, and is part of the Scottish Episcopal Church. It is arguably the most remote community within the Anglican Communion. The Rule of the community is a mixture of Franciscan and Cistercian, but with heavy Celtic influences.

Penicuik House Grand estate house in Penicuik, Midlothian, Scotland

Penicuik House survives as the shell of a formerly grand estate house in Penicuik, Midlothian, Scotland. The 18th-century palladian mansion was built on the site of an earlier house by Sir James Clerk, 3rd Baronet. It was destroyed by fire in 1899 and a major restoration was completed in 2014 by G Brown Stonemasons.

Forglen House mansion house in the parish of Forglen in Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Forglen House is a mansion house that forms the centrepiece of the Forglen estate in the parish of Forglen, northwest of Turriff, Aberdeenshire, in the northeast of Scotland. The lands were given to the abbots of the Abbey of Arbroath by King William the Lion before 1211 and the Monymusk Reliquary was held there. The original castle, built around 1346, was replaced by a vernacular harled house that was later extended. Significant development of the estate began when it was acquired by the family of Lord Banff and they started the work of landscaping and planting trees. It became their main family seat during the 18th century. After the death of William Ogilvy, the eighth and final Lord Banff, the estate passed by marriage to the Abercromby baronets who continued to enhance the property and maintained it as their main residence. Sir Robert Abercromby, 5th Baronet commissioned the Aberdeen City Architect, John Smith to design the present house in 1839.

Sir Jacob Downing, 4th Baronet British politician

Sir Jacob Gorman Downing, 4th Baronet was an English baronet and politician. He was the grandson of Sir George Downing, 1st Baronet, namesake of Downing Street; and cousin and heir of Sir George Downing, 3rd Baronet, whose Gamlingay estate would eventually establish Downing College, Cambridge despite illegal attempts by Jacob and his widow to prevent the university from receiving the estate.

Newhailes House

Newhailes House is a Palladian style country house which stands in 80 acres of parkland on the edge of the small town of Musselburgh in East Lothian, Scotland. Originally named Whitehills, it is a Category A listed building which is now occupied and maintained by the National Trust for Scotland.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Historic Environment Scotland. "BROUGH LODGE, INCLUDING COURTYARD...  (Category A) (LB45269)" . Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Historic Environment Scotland. "BROUGH LODGE (GDL00074)" . Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  3. 1 2 "A brief history of Brough Lodge and the Nicolson family". Brough Lodge Trust. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
  4. ↑ "Phil and Aly in support of Brough Lodge". Alliance Francaise de Glasgow. 15 January 2010. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012.
  5. ↑ "Brough Lodge work to start after final part of funding jigsaw is put in place". Shetland Times . 10 August 2011.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.