Old Photograph The Haining House Scotland

Old photograph of The Haining House near Selkirk, Scottish Borders, Scotland. The Haining is recorded in the 15th century as a property of the Scott family. In 1625 Lawrence Scott sold it to Andrew Riddell, of Riddell, who built up the estate in the 17th century. In 1701 the estate was bought by Andrew Pringle of Clifton for his second son John Pringle, a lawyer. That first house may have been commissioned by John Pringle, or it may have already been in place when he arrived. The designed landscape was begun by John, and extended during the 18th and 19th centuries, with extensive tree planting carried out. In 1754 it was passed by Andrew Pringle's older son to John Pringle, merchant in Madeira, a younger brother of Andrew. It was passed in 1792 to the merchant's great nephew Mark Pringle. In 1794, Mark began construction of a new classical-style house, adjacent to the older house on the north shore of the loch. This new building has been attributed to Kelso-based architect and builder William Elliot. Mark died in 1812 and around 1820, his son John Pringle, who had inherited, rebuilt the new house with an Ionic portico and loggia, to designs by architect Archibald Elliot. Further extensions were planned to replace the old house, but these were never carried out. Marble statues were installed on the garden terrace at this time, and several estate buildings including the stables were erected. Captain John Pringle kept a menagerie on the estate, including a bear, wolf and monkey, whose cages still stand. On John's death in 1831, the estate passed to his brother Robert, also a soldier, then their sister Margaret. Her daughter Anne Pringle-Pattison left The Haining to a relative, Andrew Seth, born 1856, died 1931, a philospoher at the University of Edinburgh, who subsequently took the name Pringle-Pattison. During these years the house was leased, until 1939, when the estate was split up and sold. The house was requisitioned by the military during the Second World War, and was occupied by Free Polish soldiers, including their mascot, Wojtek the bear. The old house burnt down in 1944, and was demolished in the late 1950s.



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

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