Open
Grounds open all year:
1000-sunset
1 April-31 October
Tour of the House:
Every 45 mins from 1100
Last tour 1600
Shop and Tearoom:
1000 to 1700
Admission charges
House Tour, Gardens & Grounds:
Adults - £6.50
Children (aged 5-15) - £3.30 (under 5's free)
Family (2 adults & 2 or 3 children) - £17.50
Group - £5.50 per person
Gardens & Grounds only:
Adults - £3.00
Children (ages 5- 15)- £1.50
Family - £8.00
Description
Built to the design of John Adam in 1758 for a dashing young Scottish laird, Patrick Home of Billie, Paxton House is perhaps the finest 18th century Palladian country house in Britain with 12 period rooms, interiors by Robert Adam and the pre-eminent collection of Chippendale furniture in Scotland. The magnificent picture Gallery, the largest in a Scottish Country House, exhibits over 70 paintings from the National Galleries of Scotland and the fully restored working Georgian kitchen is complete with active charcoal stoves and baking oven. Recent additions to Paxton House include the superbly restored Children's Nursery, a visual insight into a child’s room of previous years with an early Victorian cradle and Victorian doll, and the prestigious Rod Fishing Museum which tells the story of the oldest Fishing Club in the world, Ellem Ford and features equipment, interactive displays and full scale models showing traditional and contemporary costume.
Standing on on a ridge overlooking the majestic River Tweed, Paxton House also lies at the heart of 80 acres of woodland, parkland and gardens. Enjoy herbaciouse borders and breathtaking riverside walks, try out our brilliant 9 hole putting green and croquet lawn or catch sight of red squirrels and woodland and riverside birds in the excellent wildlife viewing hides.
With a liscensed tearoom and gift shop as well as a riverside net fishing museum, childrens nature trails, adventure playgrounds, picnic areas, exhibitions in the Hayloft Gallery and superb events throughout the year, Paxton House is a hidden gem not to be missed!
Collections description
Built in 1758 to the design of John Adam and his younger brother James, Paxton is a beautifully proportioned piece of Georgian architecture and is the most perfect example in Scotland of the style known as neo-Palladianism, which combines the rational use of proportion with a clear inter-relationship of all parts of the design to the whole. By 1773, the Adam brothers were recognised as the leading designers of country houses in the kingdom and had caused something of a revolution in interior design. Accordingly, this neoclassical taste, borrowed by the Adams from Antiquity is reflected in the decorative style of a number of rooms in Paxton House.
Paxton House possesses the finest public collection of eighteenth and early nineteenth century Chippendale furniture in Scotland and displays this collection as well as that by William Trotter, in the rooms for which they were intended and in a setting which aims to recreate the appearance of the historical decorative schemes.
A magnificent room and the most spectacular space designed by Robert Reid, the Picture Gallery houses over 70 paintings from the National Galleries of Scotland with furniture supplied by Edinburgh cabinet makers, William Trotter and Son. All of this furniture is made of African rosewood, a smart new material whose dense, fine texture and long black markings appealed to Regency taste and largely replaced the flat red of mahogany in fashionable rooms.
In the former servery and butler's room, one of the most remarkable survivals in the history of costume is shown. This clothing, preserved at Paxton for 250 years, was worn by Patrick when he appeared as a Carthaginian knight at the Berlin Court Carousel in 1750 which was held to celebrate Fredrick the Great's achievements and is the only known garment to survive this spectacular tournament.
Key artists and exhibits
The Adam Brothers of Edinburgh
;
(John Adam and James Adam)
;
Furniture by Chippendale, Haig & Co
;
Furniture by Thomas Chippendale jnr
;
Furniture by William Trotter of Edinburgh
;
Robert Reid
;
Sir Henry Raeburn
;
Hugh Douglas Hamilton
;
Wilkie
;
Lawrence
;
John Hoppner
;
Rococo plasterwork by George Morrison, stuccioist
;
Richard Gale
General Information
Brochure or leaflet available with directions to museum
Pre-booking service for groups
Foreign language leaflet or brochure available
Parking for coaches
Guided tours
Collections
General guide to collections available
Specialist publications on collections available
Object study facilities available (enquire in advance)
Public access available to collections information
Disability Access
Large print information and/or interpretation
Parking for disabled available
Toilets for disabled
Touch exhibits and/or handling sessions
Wheelchair access to some public areas
Wheelchairs available for loan
Children and Families
Activities for pre-school children
Baby changing facilities
Children's play area
Events and resources for children and families
Gardens open to public
Picnic area
General Education
Adult lectures and courses held
Education facilities available
Member of staff available with responsibility for education
Reception and lunch facilities for educational groups
Teaching/resources available for HE/FE students
Schools Education
Direct teaching services for schools
Primary school education service available
Facilities
Cafeteria
Facilities for private functions and events
Gardens open to public
Library
Licensed for weddings
Meeting room available
Object study facilities available (enquire in advance)
Picnic area
Refreshments
Restaurant
Shop
Study facilities
