Historic Bothy on Scottish Estate Requires Urgent Repairs After Storm Damage
A historic bothy in Berwickshire needs urgent repairs after storm damage. Planning has begun to stabilize the structure and address safety concerns.
Bothy, Swinton, Duns, Berwickshire, Scotland
Swinton: The Bothy is a historic building on the Swinton estate. It sits in the walled gardens of Swinton House, near Duns in Berwickshire.
Storm winds hit on January 21, causing significant damage. The Bothy was already in disrepair before the storm.
Now, a planning application has been submitted to the Scottish Borders Council. This application aims to stabilize the structure after emergency repairs were approved.
In December 2022, the council allowed changes to The Bothy for holiday accommodation. However, those plans are now on hold due to the storm damage.
The new application focuses on insurance-related repairs. A report states the storm twisted the roof and caused the stone gable to collapse.
It also pushed a section of the west wall outwards, creating visible cracks. Repairs are necessary to fix the roof and walls affected by the storm.
Some materials may need to be removed and replaced for safety. Historic materials will be cleaned and reused when possible.
If any historic materials are too damaged, they will be replaced to match the original style and color.
The repairs will only focus on The Bothy. No work is planned for Swinton House or other buildings on the estate.
Swinton House has been part of the estate for about nine centuries. The current house was built in 1800 after a previous structure burned down in 1797.
It features a two-storey Neo-Classical design made of ashlar masonry, with an adjoining wing that may be part of the earlier building.