Bowhill House

About the museum

Bowhill lies in the Ettrick Forest in the Scottish Borders, land that King Robert the Bruce gave to the Scott clan, ancestors of the Buccleuch family, in 1322. A first house was built here in 1708 and in 1747 the 2nd Duke of Buccleuch bought the estate for his son. The present house dates mainly from 1812 and was greatly enlarged during the nineteenth century by architects including William Atkinson, William Burn and David Bryce. Sir Walter Scott, a relative and frequent visitor, admired it so much that he called it Sweet Bowhill in a poem.

The house holds part of the Buccleuch Collection, with paintings by Canaletto, Gainsborough and Reynolds, miniatures, furniture and books, and eighteenth-century hand-painted Chinese wallpaper. It served as a military hospital in the First World War and was occupied by the army in the Second World War; afterwards dry rot and wear took their toll, and years of work by craftsmen and volunteers saved the structure and the collection.

Bowhill is still the family home of the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch. The main public rooms have been closed for essential maintenance since 2024, with guided tours of them due to return in 2027. In the meantime a limited Victorian Home tour shows rooms linked to the 5th Duke and Duchess, and visitors can enjoy the courtyard, the Victorian Kitchen, a Victorian-era exhibition, the grounds and an adventure playground on selected dates.

Highlights

• Buccleuch Collection with works by Canaletto, Gainsborough and Reynolds
• Victorian Home tour through nine rooms, including the Saloon with Mortlake tapestries
• Victorian Kitchen restored in the 1970s
• Exhibition 'Love and Respect in the Victorian Age'
• Adventure playground and soft play
• Walks on the Borders Estate

Permanent exhibitions

• Love and Respect in the Victorian Age – Around 70 items from the Buccleuch Collection, such as silver, porcelain, jewellery, books and the Mayflower Tiara, tell the story of the 5th Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch. Open on selected dates from spring to the end of August.
• The Victorian Kitchen – A kitchen built around 1832 and restored in the 1970s, open to the public and to school groups whenever the grounds are open.

Operated by

Bowhill House and Country Estate (Buccleuch)

Admission & discounts

Grounds and adventure playground day tickets cost £8 for adults and £6 for children; under-3s are free. Soft play (1 June to 31 August) is an additional charge. Event days are bookable separately and annual pass holders receive discounted entry. Parking at the Borders Estate walks car park costs £3.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

One wheelchair can be borrowed; request it when booking a tour or by phone. On the guided house tour all public rooms can be reached by wheelchair except the Old Chapel, which is up four narrow steps. The courtyard attractions (soft play, Victorian Kitchen, exhibition and café) are accessible, and Bowhill Theatre has full wheelchair access and a hearing loop. The playground has a spider swing designed for children with special access needs and a wood-chip surface. The estate roads and courtyard are tarmac, the garden in front of the house has a gravel surface, and the Lochs Walk is the most accessible estate walk. A large-print booklet is available. Assistance dogs are welcome everywhere and water bowls are in the main courtyard.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Playground / play area
• Kids’ birthday parties

The estate has a large wooden adventure playground and, from 1 June to 31 August, a soft play area. Seasonal events include a Halloween trail and Christmas events with Santa, and children's birthday parties can be booked. School groups can use the Victorian Kitchen.

Getting there & parking

Bowhill is three miles west of Selkirk on the A708 Moffat and St Mary's Loch road, signposted with brown tourist signs. Selkirk is five miles south of Galashiels on the A7, about 15 minutes from Edinburgh by car.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

The Old Kitchen Café in the courtyard serves light lunches and takeaway refreshments and sells local gifts (10:00 to 16:00; weekends in May, June and September, daily in July and August). The Horsebox snack stand in the adventure playground opens 11:00 to 15:00 on the same days.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Weddings / ceremonies

The estate offers weddings, private events and private catering; enquiries go to the estate by email.

Plan your visit