Monteviot House & Gardens

Monteviot House & Gardens

Welcome to Monteviot, my family home, and the official home of the Marquis of Lothian and the Kerr family. As its name suggests it sits above a windng stretch of the River Teviot, a major tributary of the great Border river Tweed which it joins at Kelso some eight miles to the East, and astride the legendary Dere Street the main Roman road into Scotland from the city of York.Unlike many other historic homes Monteviot is not a sort of museum or art gallery but a living breathing family residence surrounded by much loved gardens. My family are very fortunate to live amongst wonderful works of art and furniture collected over the generations including my own. They help to tell the story of the house since the first part of it was built about 1700, but also the story of my family over these last four centuries and of the part that we have played in the life of our nation, firstly Scotland and then after the Act of Union the United Kingdom.In Victorian times the gardens were extensive and formal. They have been substantially recreated in my time into a rather more personal expression of what a Borders garden in the twenty first century can add to a family home.

I hope that you will be able to share through this website some of the enjoyment and pleasure that Monteviot brings to my family and me.“

Lord Lothian

Review

Having visited a huge number of stately homes and castles in the many years that I’ve been writing my books, they all have one common link and that is they’re all homes that are still very much a family home and here at Monteviot, that statement couldn’t be more true! This is the home of Lord Lothian and when he’s not down in Westminster, he’s very much here and part of the day to day running of this fabulous house and it's a series of wonderful and thought provoking gardens. I think it is also worth mentioning that because this is Lord Lothians main residence, the house isn’t always open to the public, so it’s always more prudent to check their website to get a more accurate picture. One thing I’ll say though, a trip to this house is a huge experience and not one not to be missed and their vast and extensive gardens will leave you speechless.