Cornhill-on-Tweed, Northumberland,TD12 4UU

Houses & Gardens

Abbotsford

Situated on the banks of the river Tweed west of Melrose, Abbotsford is the house built by Sir Walter Scott, the 19th century author of Rob Roy, Waverly and Ivanhoe.  Containing a collection of historic relics such as Rob Roy’s gun there is also an extensive library and pretty garden with a woodland walk.

 

Alnwick Garden

A contemporary garden showcasing the Grand Cascade, the largest water feature of its kind in the country. There’s a Poison Garden, a Bamboo Labyrinth and one of the largest tree houses in the world.

 

Cragside

A wonder of its age, Cragside was the home of Lord Armstrong, a Victorian inventor and landscape genius. The house is crammed with ingenious gadgets and was the first house in the world to be lit by hydro-electricity.  This is the home of one of the largest ‘hand-made’ rock gardens in Europe, as well as a stunning array of formal gardens and woodland walks.

 

The Hirsel Country Park

This 3,000 acre estate holds fantastic walks with drifts of snowdrops and daffodils in spring and stunning displays of rhododendrons in early summer. Hundreds of birds, resident and migrant can be found on the lake and within the estate making this a bird watching paradise.

 

Howick Hall Gardens & Arboretum

Rated as one of the top 5 coastal gardens in England, this is a true gardener’s garden. Offering snowdrop walks in February and stunning autumnal colour you can also enjoy the young arboretum covering about 65 acres, and the woodland walks and formal gardens.  You can also enjoy an excellent cup of tea as this is the former home of Charles, 2nd Earl Gray!

 

Lindisfarne Gospels Garden

This garden started life as a silver medal winner at Chelsea Flower Show. The design is based on the 7th century Lindisfarne Gospels and features a proclamation pillar headed by the cross of the 6th Bishop of Lindisfarne, St Cuthbert.

 

Manderston

Manderston is an Edwardian country house which was built with no expense spared and with every modern convenience of that era. Here you can see stunning staterooms and the only silver staircase in the world.  The elaborate domestic quarters give an insight into lives gone by and the 56 acres of garden are joy.

 

Mellerstain

Building of this imposing mansion was begun in 1725 by William Adam and was competed by 1778 by his son, Robert Adam. The interiors are outstanding with ceilings and plasterwork preserved in their original colours with stunning paintings including work by Gainsborough, Ramsay and Van Dyke.  The delightful gardens are home to red squirrels and roe deer and have peaceful riverside walks.

 

Paxton House

Built to the design of John Adam in 1758 and situated on the bank of the river Tweed, Paxton is one of the finest 18th century Palladian country houses in Britain.  Along with beautiful Chippendale furniture, the house displays a collection of artwork from the National Galleries of Scotland.  The 80 acre estate offers the opportunity to view red squirrels and you can see net fishing on the Tweed in summer.