Old Photograph Brough Lodge Scotland

Old photograph of Brough Lodge on Fetlar Island one of the Northern Isles of the Shetland Islands, Scotland. The Gothic Brough Lodge was built by Arthur Nicolson born 1796, in about 1820. 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 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. After Sir Arthur died in 1863, the Fetlar estate was left to his widow, Eliza Jane Nicolson died 1891, who lived in England. On her death it was inherited by Sir Arthur Nicolson, 10th Baronet, born 1842, died 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. 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


All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

View the most recent Tour Scotland photographs.