Borders Deserta

It is quite a challenge to find much about Duns in Guide Books about Scotland-usually dismissed with a one liner about Duns Scotus and off to Coldstream famous for the birthplace of the Guards Regiment, and er, that's it. Kelso, Jedburgh, Melrose get good write ups but poor old Berwickshire is just a place you pass through on the way to Embra from Durham and Geordieland. At least the Scottish Tourist Board website has a few words to say:


Duns and surrounding area
Formerly the county town, Duns still retains the air of an old Scottish burgh with its spacious Market Square. Make the most of the commanding views afforded by Duns Law, rising 714 feet above sea level. Walkers can also enjoy the trails of the 190-acre Duns Castle Nature Reserve.

Duns is recognised by the Catholic Church as the birthplace, around 1266, of John Duns Scotus, the medieval scholar who taught at the University of Paris. A bronze statue of Duns Scotus stands in the public park.

The Jim Clark Museum in Duns is devoted to the late world champion racing driver of the 1960's from Chirnside.

Nearby is Manderston House, the setting for channel 4's 'Edwardian Country House', with its sumptuous silver staircase and insight into life above and below the stairs. Local villages offer countryside walks to work up an appetite and award winning restaurants and pubs for a spot of lunch or dinner.

Damning with a bit of faint praise. Dun's famous son-Mark Two-is actually from Chirnside and it is apparently just the Catholic Church which recognises Famous Son Mark One as being a Dinger. (Islamic jurisprudence is silent on this point) That leaves a market place and Manderston which is infrequently open to the public and closed all Winter. And some people might not be attracted by the 'air of an old Scottish Burgh' which are too often grey, gloomy and somewhat forbidding. ' Its a Grand day' said the enthusiastic old lady to the Wee Free Minister.' Aye. It is. And we will pay for it' That sort of thing.

Hutton Think Tank-media and spin section-has been commissioned to produce something more appealing than the VisitScotland' spiel. Which will actually attract people and make it rank with other favourite locations in 'Scotland's Favourite Short Break Destination':

'Forty Minutes in Duns'

Perhaps

Labels: Duns

  ¶ 10:09 AM (2) comments

 
Last Orders Please

Just when you think you have tidied up the house for the last time you have another set of viewers-as we did on Sunday. After a bit you get to recognise the time wasters-roar around, don't ask any questions, either about the house or the locals, but admire your rugs, sniff when you mention that some of the furniture Will be left behind and usually have hyperactive children running riot too near the flimsy Broadband connection. And this category go around the garden with the greatest reluctance as their Gucci loafers soak up the heavy dew from the meadow (aka back lawn). The Sunday bunch were of 'it's 1130 it must be Hutton' variety' They had, like the others, run the gamut of Old and Auld Manses and were on their way to admire a Mc Mansion not too far from Fishwick (I warned them to allow time becuase of the traffic) They were also from the south -being relocated to Scotland by ssome huge multi national-money to burn, it seems, and I suspect it will be the McMansion, with its stables, its pillars and room for 3 Range Rovers which will see the colour of their money. For the horsey fraternity we can offer a carriage house and adjoining stalls, complete with original features including hay troughs and a genuine cobbled floor. I am not sure how many Polo ponies in a String but we can accommodate three horses and up to 6 Shetlands if they don't mind standing on each other*. And we also have an outside loo amongst the nettles-a feature absent from most Mc Mansions.

Closing date-7th November.

Hurry.

The image is not (r) not of our pond but of the Tweed, just down the road.

* Only the Shetlands need to stand on one another-the Polo ponies can have a stall each

Labels: Hutton, Low Flying Merse, McMansions, Selling the Manse

  ¶ 9:50 AM (0) comments

 
Planning: Power to the People?

Rarely there are cases of concerted community action frustrating inappropriate development in the Borders. One was the successful campaign a few years back to stop, in its tracks, a somewhat devious scheme to concrete over a large field adjoining Paxton village. Not only to prevent the development in question but to keep it out of the newly drafted and approved Local Plan. Full marks to the Community Council, especially its ad hoc planning sub committee and a number of public spirited Paxtonians.

More recently, like the other day, an unpopular planning proposal near Hutton Castle was suddenly withdrawn. Much smaller in scale than the Paxton one-four houses only-it did cause a lot of local resentment. Much of it due to its arrival on the scene with no prior warning to (or consultation with)the people most effected. And it was one of those 'in your face' developments on good farming land just across the road from an ancient row of farmer workers cottages whose outlook would have been ruined. Had it gone through (it was for outline permission only)goodness knows what monstrous Mc Mansions might have sprung up. Once outline planning permission is in the bag it is very difficult to influence the type of building that goes up. The disastrous Orchard complex in Paxton is a case in point-and it is also almost impossible to limit the growth of a site, and the number of houses on it, once the first buildings have gone up-the Orchard tells that tale all too well.

Fortunately in this case it was not just a question of ignoring pesky Nimbys. The planning arguments were stacked against the proposal. And in the end common sense broke out and the proposals have been withdrawn. Perhaps it was belatedly realised that in the countryside community relations matter-and should they resurface in a more palatable form one can only hope that the neighbours are brought along as willing accomplices. There are parts of that area where building would be beneficial and acceptable. It would need active neighbourly cooperation. And that is a good thing

In itself.

Have a look at the documents at http://eplanning.scotborders.gov.uk/publicaccess/tdc/DcApplication/application_searchresults.aspx

Four plots involved-work it out for yourself

PS No we have not yet got McMansions quite like those ( Outer Banks, North Carolina)in the Borders. But Cardrona near Peebles and Farmer C (near Traffic Blackspot Fishwick) are trying to put this right.

Not in My Back Yard? Not in anyone's, we say

Labels: Hutton, local plan, Planning

  ¶ 11:34 AM (2) comments

 



Cocky olligarchs

Since we arrived ten years ago the bird area has been increasingly dominated by a pair of visiting Pheasants: Cocky and Ollie known by the cognescenti as the Cocky Ollie Birds.
The original Cocky handed in his bird feeder three years ago-was found toes up, cold and stiff amongst the Hollyhocks. His bride of some years vanished and then may have returned with Ollie Mark Two-a shinier and more self confident exotic beast. Mind you it is difficult to tell one hen pheasant from another as they wear better than the males. Now after a period of fairly amiable confrontation Ollie Two has been seen off by the latest young Turk seen here strutting his stuff and eating his fill-when done simultaneously it must surely lead to severe indigestion. But now we suddenly have not one new Ollie as the latest consort but a veritable clutch of female attendants: an Olliegarch, in the jargon. Three in one of the images are hurrying away from the bird food to let their Lord and Master finish his Hors D'Oeuvres and Number Four lurking behind the 'autumn house'.

Perhaps Cocky has gone over to Islam?

Labels: Cocky, Hutton, Old Manse, Olly, Pheasants

  ¶ 9:21 AM (0) comments

 
Huttonian moves to Duns with a feeling of increased relaxation after reading the result of a recent 'knife amnesty' in the Borders with no less than 16 weapons handed over in the town: Story in the Berwickshire as follows:


Public hand knives over to police


16 weapons handed over in Duns


Mike WynneBy Simon Duke
POLICE have announced that a total of 25 knifes were handed in to Berwickshire stations during a three week campaign in the Borders.
The Safer Scotland initiative saw police use metal detectors in pubs and sheriff courts throughout the area, while red bins were situated at six police stations for members of the public to hand in any weapons.
A total of 64 knifes were handed in, as well an axe, a scythe, a cleaver and three screwdrivers.
Duns saw 16 knifes handed over, the second highest in the Borders behind Galashiels, while Eyemouth Police Station had nine weapons given up.
Out of a total of 1275 searches made on people in the Borders, none were found with dangerous weapons in their possession.
Mike Wynne, Operations Officer at Hawick Police Station, said: "This three week long campaign under the Safer Scotland banner is part of a number of initiatives we have been involved in.
"The campaign saw hand held metal detectors used outside license premises and courts in various locations. No one was found with a weapon on them, which is very pleasing and shows that the Borders does not experience the problems associated with other areas of the country.
"Red bins were also situated at police stations across the Borders and 64 knifes were disposed of, the majority of which were kitchen knifes."
Galashiels saw the highest number of weapons handed in with 21 knifes, an axe and one cleaver.
Selkirk and Hawick both had eight knifes given up, along with three screwdrivers in Selkirk and one scythe in Hawick.
Lauder Police Station saw two knifes handed in over the three weeks.
Despite no one being caught in possession of a knife during the campaign, those who are found in possession of a weapon are dealt with severely in the courts.
Last week, an Eyemouth man currently in custody was sent to jail for a further five months at Duns Sheriff Court after he was caught last December in the town with an eight inch kitchen knife.


No word of this came to Hutton-certainly never mentioned by the pollis when attending the local community council meetings. I have an axe, a hatchet, a couple of scythes, a panga, at least 12 screwdrivers (Philliphs mostly so not too lethal) and a very large bicycle pump. Must avoid going to the Cross when tooled up, I suppose.

I can't help feeling sorry for a recent immigrant from Cork who mistook the purpose of the amnesty.

She handed in all her kitchen knives.

And can't get them back.


The image is apparently of a weapon not covered by the campaign and is now stuck firmly into pre-Autumnal foliage in the Whiteadder valley. It was nicked from the Fishwick Special Branch armoury some weeks ago together with a pair of Flintlock Muskets from the strategic weapon reserve. Usual rewards apply.

Labels: Amnesty, Berwickshire, Duns, Low Flying Merse

  ¶ 2:55 PM (0) comments

 
Crooked or stoopid

From the latest Berwickshire News comes this offering from a resident of Reston who,exceptionally, makes no reference to the proposed station.

SIR, - I can only suppose that the planning committee of the Scottish Borders Council is either deeply corrupt or else incapable of distinguishing its nether orifice from the joint between its upper and fore arm.
Why else are its members so keen to cover good farmland with gimcrack but expensive housing estates?
The hideously rapid suburbanisation of the eastern Borders is not providing rentable or affordable housing for young families in villages with access to a local shop, post office and school.
Since employment in the region is noticeable by its absence, the mushroom growth of tacky dwellings must be predicated on the owners commuting to Edinburgh to work - by car - while the household’s second car drives the school run, and the weekly trip to newly established supermarkets (where parking is easier) rather than patronise local shops which, however excellent, will in due course be forced to close.
So who benefits from this? One can only assume that some of the planning committee are discretely bribed by the big property companies to facilitate large-scale developments (which carry the bonus that Scottish Borders Council doesn’t have to fund the installation of the roads and services), while their more clueless fellows are persuaded as there is a shortage of housing these greedy schemes will bring universal prosperity.
Now I thought we urgently need to reduce carbon emissions by sourcing food locally and cutting back on car use - the latter not easy in these parts where scattered small settlements make public transport unprofitable.
People forget that though agriculture collapsed in the 1930s, when war came and importation of food stopped, we were adequately fed because the land could be brought back into use.
Once it has been built over that option vanishes.
Meanwhile increasing demand will cause problems with the water supply, and increased run-off (as there is less ground to absorb surface water) will place an even greater burden on the drainage and sewerage systems - Eyemouth’s woes spring to mind. It is small comfort that no doubt many of the new houses will remain empty, being over-priced, so that the property developers won’t make their expected killing.
But then what? Squatters move in? (Signed sealed and delivered)


Huttonian is not going to accuse our hard pressed planning staff of corruption. Incompetence? Known it happen. My target remains (a few) greedy land owners more interested in concrete than cereals and their willing accomplices the developers. Without the former you would get less of the latter. But if you are asking is there is an element of something approaching corruption within the ranks of our locally elected tribunes of the people, aka SB Councillors and, one means those with less than tenous links to the farming community?

Well, that's another question

A bloggee has asked for an image of a typical prime site for development in the Borders? We modestly offer the above: it has everything going for it; good road links, excellent drainage, easy reach of bustling Hutton and booming Paxton; commutable to Embra and Geordieland. And above all it is very very good agrcultural land. But surely the Building in the Countryside Legislation?......?

Yeah, right.

Labels: farmers, landowners, Merse, Planning

  ¶ 6:05 PM (6) comments

 
The Master of Ceremonies at the dinner for Medical Aid for Palestinians at the Scottish Parliament last night was unusually entertaining for a medical academic (Professor of General Practice for goodness sake) and at times bordered on the wilder shores of political correctness-even for a Glaswegian.
Huttonian particularily enjoyed his tip on what to do on a wet day in Dundee-pay for something with a £20 note and watch it go through the local economy.

He also mentioned the sad case of a hieland herd who was up in front of the local sheriff for shooting a Golden Eagle. He explained in court that he was on the point of shooting a rabbit when the eagle swept down and plucked up the rabbit and got in the way of the bullet. He got off. Outside the court the Procurator Fiscal ( who had brought the case) asked the defendant-off the record-what he had done with the body of the Eagle. 'I was brought up to eat anything I killed so I did just that' 'Oh. What did it taste like?'

' A sort of cross between a

Perigrine Falcon

and an Osprey'

Labels: Highlanders, Tall stories

  ¶ 11:06 AM (0) comments

 
We may have had the last of our viewers through the Old Manse and we are now at the stage of setting a closing date. It will be an enormous relief not to have to show strangers around-and however much you feel that they are likely to be rubbernecking time wasters there is still the compulsion to have yet another frantic tidy up-knitting behind sofas, ironing board out of the posh dining room, crumbs swept off the kitchen table, wood burning stove de-ashed and laid for lighting, central heating turned on, socks kicked under bed and loo seats in the closed position.We have no bidets so there is no need to clean out the mouse droppings-a favourite place for mices apparently.But we do need to conceal the humane mouse traps in case would be purchasers get the impression that we are swarming with rodents.Which we may be.

This last lot-viewers not mice-were of the professional well organised sort. 5 houses in one day on the East Coast and Merse (including, yes, two Old Manses and one Ould) She rather fancied the east. He, was a Westerner, so it would be over to the West Coast tomorrow; but she felt that neither of the two properties their would suit her.But anything would be better than their 9 am call: a very bijou des res-listed, lovely garden, in good nick but with extensive views of the Torness Nuclear Power Station. Apparently the owner was quite enthusiastic about living so near to such a source of clean energy and also reassuring-heavily masked men in space suits checked her garden with Geiger counters every year and had (so far) given her the all clear. Mrs Viewer was highly indignant that Frank Knight (or as she put it Not-so-Frank-Knight) had omitted the Power station from the glossy brochure so I had hastily to confess to the adjoining Rutherford Marshalling Yard to the west-and of course our very quiet neighbours in the church grave yard to the south. Neither mentioned in the brochure but as far as the stiffs are concerned but one assumes most people know that Manses and Kirks go together and where there is Kirk there is human dust never mind the odd urn of interred ashes. However neither source of possible pollution seemed to bother Mr and Mrs Viewer and the two tiny viewers who were entranced by the pond, the frogs and the swing.

Were they interested? Who knows but if they are they will need to extract digits as the closing date is about ten days away.

They went off happy enough. Mrs V still muttering about nuclear power stations, dangers thereof,radio activity, brains sizzling etc.

It would be wrong to suggest that she was incandescent. But certainly

gently humming

(Image is of Torness. We looked at a house near there ten years agp and the departing owner said 'I am getting quite fond of it!

Sweet, really.)

PS I wonder if it is the same house.

Labels: Merse, Nuclear power, Selling the Manse

  ¶ 10:02 AM (3) comments

  Bull and a Cock as well.


If the season is right, like now, with the odd large field lying fallow and cropped by animals, there is no need to flog out to Duns for a spot of golfing practice. Farmer C's big field, beyond the old Glebe field (which is ploughed and therefore too challenging even for a recovery club) is ideal for an intensive practice session. A small drawback -see the image- are the black cows, unusually late in the year, enjoying the pasture. But cows are no real impediment. Tough hides are good protection should one slightly miscue and although there is a small danger of having your favourite Titleist 3 swallowed you will always get it back; eventually. It goes through four stomachs and emerges no worse for wear- certainly nothing that a quick lick and a polish can't take care of.

Setting off with a song in my heart and 20 balls in my pockets I was admiring the black ruminants as I wondered whether to play a 4 or 5 iron. Just before I hit I glanced up to reassess my line when in my peripheral vision I detected a steady if stealthy movement. Out of the ruck of All Blacks a dun brown animal detached itself and was heading in my direction; strange; unusual to mix the species. Well built for a heifer or even a Bullock and behold-swing low sweet chariots-large ones as well.

Satiated it may have been; lethargic possibly but I was not risking any post coital tristesse. Up with the ball and out of the gate.

Closing it very carefully behind me.

Its the 10 miles to Puton Mill Driving Range after all.

(* if you click to enlarge the image and look right you will just see the Brown Job lurking behind one of cows-sadly thecow in question is obscuring his credentials)

Labels: Bull, Golf, Hutton, Merse

  ¶ 10:15 AM (0) comments

  The Mail must get through

Huttonian has posted before about the valiant efforts of Royal Mail, when not on strike, to deliver letters to the Old Manse, back of the sticks, despite the many variations in house names that our correspondents (mostly from south of the Border where Manses are not too common) use: Old Manic, Old Monie, All Monse, Old Moon,Owl's Mummy, Auld Manky, Awl Mace, but invariably the addition of Hutton (that is usually correctly written) makes it easy for Steve the Postie, (or Les on Thursdays), to track us down. The former Minister was uneasy about us using the Old Manse as she was in The Manse-or sometimes known as the new Manse, but in the event, this did not prove to be much of a problem except when we had a rookie Pat on the beat. Now the Manse, New Manse, formerly New Manse etc is empty, the identity crisis, if ever there was one is behind us.

But full marks to Mr Royal Mail. Today, with no fanfare, arrived a smart white A5 envelope addressed to Huttonian at:

2 Upon-Tweed

Fair Doos. Good wine needs no bush.

Where or who one should ask is 1 Upon-Tweed?

Pretentious prat

I hate him already

Labels: Hutton, Old Manse, Royal Mail

  ¶ 2:55 PM (0) comments

 
Apparently not everybody in the Black Bull in Duns was cheering on South Africa last night. Even some Dingers were dinging their 'a for the white shirts.

Didn't work tho'

And at the Chinese Takeaway : Dish du Jour:

No 15/6


Sweet and Sour Chariot


Oh yes, L'Image. We English take our Rugby very very seriously. But not, quite,as seriously as the French

Labels: Duns, Frogs, Rugby World Cup

  ¶ 7:57 AM (4) comments

  GNE-ahhh

This image from disgruntled commuter (not so appropriate a title on this occasion, possibly) sums up what Huttonian likes about GNER especially on those rare occasions when I upgrade to First Class after a stressful teaching session in Embra Uni. Coffee or tea, unlimited, come free as do the shortbread biscuits and if you are really determined you can make up the ticket price differential with these freebees-mind you at GNER on board buffet car prices that only means three cups of coffee and two packets of biscuits. . And if you are entitled to the Geriatic Railcard-one cup of tea will almost do it.

Then there is mobile phone. I have overheard some of the most fascinating if one sided conversations on the Embr/Ber Wick leg. Most memorablly a voluble young lady describing to a female friend a zip by zip seduction (by/of) her boy friend. One or two fellow passengers omitted to get off at Dunbar and stayed on to Berwick to make sure of not missing the climax (as it were)of this steamy saga. Sadly for us voyeurs it was still in the foreplay stages by our stop and carrying on to Newcastle would have been a few bridges too far.

I am sure it all ended happily.
It was of course the Quiet Coach and so it wasn't even First Class.

But in these circumstances



Stuff the free coffee.
  ¶ 11:53 AM (0) comments

  MORE RUBBISH

Over a week ago Huttonian posted about a letter in the Berwickshire wondering whether the recycling system in the Borders was actually working. Here is SBC's response

SIR,- In your letters pages last week, Tim Culham from Greenlaw speculated that separating materials for collection by the council is a waste of time.
I can assure your readers that the bag system adopted by the council works very well. The bags are designed to survive the trip in our collection vehicles and bar one or two all do. The plastic bag is stronger than most (try it!) and is itself recyclable. The material is brought to our transfer stations and sent on to a specialist processing company in north east England for recycling.
Mr Culham may have seen loose cardboard and paper in collection vehicles - this has probably come from trade waste collections on the same route not burst bags. The point of recycling is threefold: it encourages the re-use of precious resources, it prevents the environmental damage of landfill and it saves money. My staff would be pleased to meet with a reporter (and Mr Culham) to show exactly how we manage the process.
CALLUM HAY,
Director of Technical Services,
Scottish Borders Council.

We are trying to get collateral from Fishwick Special Branch about an undercover operation they launched to check on the recycling methodology following reports that TRIAD gangs and their Gangmasters were corruptly involved in the recycling trade selling Berwickshire cardboard to Chinese Land Fill sites which have a quota to be met by the opening of the Beijing Olympics . One of the operatives cunningly concealed himself disguised as waste paper (purple bag) to track one of the suspect lorries.


He has not reported back.

That was last Friday

Labels: Fishwick Special Branch, Recycling

  ¶ 11:40 AM (2) comments

  On Your Bike Mate

A British minister, Michael Wills has suggested that we should have a national motto to encapsulate our 'Britishness' something which could be incorporated into national documentation like Passports or Death certificates. On our passports we already have a coat of arms and a motto: Dieu et mon Droit (My God You are right?) but it is French and it is the royal motto rather than a people's national one-as Tristam Hunt points out in the Gerdian today.

Perhaps we should run a national competition to select one but it might start better at local level with each community having, if not its own coat of arms, which is just too 14th century, but its own motto on the town sign at the entrance to the area: Some have already : 'Thankyou for Driving Carefully' or in the case of Duns : '20MPH when lights flash' Can't get more uplifting than that. Hutton proclaims 'You are being watched' on a rather aggressive Neighbourhood Watch sign as you come into 'town'.

Hutton Think Tank has been commissioned by Scottish Borders Council (Vision and Local Plan section) to come up with a series of signs appropriate to villages and wee villages indicating the individual charecter of the place and the warmth of the welcome for the first time visitor: ' Paxton. Keep moving' for example. ' ' Fishwick: The Car Free Zone'or the ethnically influenced 'Will Ye NO come back again' Suggestions welcome as always.

The bigger towns already have welcoming signs: 'Coldstream: the First Toon in Scotland'-or the last, thankfully, if you are heading south.Greenlaw 'The Ancient Capital of Berwickshire' 'Ancient' equals ancien: former. Duns now has that honour and should surely greet visitors with 'Duns; twinned with Armageddon: Duns Dings 'A'
Peebles, that poncy pompous pretentious place has an unoffical motto; Paris for business. Peebles for Pleasure. I have never really liked the dump since 10 years ago staying for a week in a self catering flat using it as a base for house hunting, I rang the golf club and asked if I could play a round. I was told

'No'

Thank the Lord we did not find a house there.



But my favourite town motto is for Llantrisant Pontyclun in Welsh Wales which is simply known as

The Hole with the Mint in it

Labels: Duns, Hutton Think Tank, Low Flying Merse, Wee Villages

  ¶ 6:46 PM (4) comments

  Interesting viewer around the Old Manse yesterday. She was striking (Not in the Rpyal Mail sense) and somehow familiar: Big Brother? Fantasy Island? Top of the Pops? Crime Watch UK? Antique Road Show? Localish. Based in Eccles or thereabouts. Accompanied by her secretary cum driver? Expensive four wheel drive. Strong southern accent. Spent much of the tour talking on her mobile. (To her agent?) Seemed to like the house but issued no statement on her departure. But did say that 'It was lovely and warm 'An unusual comment-mind you she was wearing a very expensive looking sheep skin designer labelled jacket.

Sincerely meant I am sure but she might not have repeated it to day as it was -0.5C when I left for golf at Duns (MPBUI) It was a balmy 0C when I arrived to find the course closed. We asked someone who just arrived after we did (0845) how long it was likely to be off limits. 'Can't tell. Well after nine. Perhaps Ten. Not worth hanging around. If I was you I'd try later ' My partner and I didn't (hang around, that is) but as I drove off I saw the guy heading purposefully towards the First Tee with his self propelled trolley preceding him. Perish the thought, but was he trying to shorten the queue which would inevitably build up pending the opening of the course? Or was he going to head off regardless;

And didn't want any witnesses?

Labels: Duns Golf, Selling the Manse

  ¶ 11:43 AM (0) comments

  Buy one Video, get a Manse free


'Come in' said Huttonian to the young couple at the door. 'What a nice day for it'. I then went into my familiar routine starting as usual with the kitchen -the view from which, as I explain, persuaded the wife (and therefore me) that this was the house for us.


It was in the master bedroom (stunning views of Mr Rutherford's yard, moulded ceiling, working shutters,traditional Scottish press, en suite down the passage) that the young lady said' Very nice but we came to collect the video. (I had clean forgotten the ancient but working VCR which I had put up for grabs on Berwickshire Freecycle) Oh dear Elderly Moment #67 but in my defence I was expecting a viewer at about the time they came! They were very understanding and asked if they could finish the tour.

The potential purchaser then phoned to say that she was viewing the wrong house (ie got her viewings out of order) but would be along later.

If she does not want the Old Manse there is always the other video

Labels: Selling the Manse

  ¶ 10:10 AM (0) comments

 


Despite the alleged down turn in the property market; despite the run on Northern Rock, potential buyers of 'up-market' pied a terres aka Old Manses seem to be around in some numbers. As I two finger a family 'passing through' Hutton have expressed a wish to look around having 'downloaded the details from the Internet'-or perhaps they are bloggees?

And there also seems no shortage of money looking for a home. One young man from Embra, no family, seems keen to have a week end place 'in the country'-and this is about as much in the country as you can get without turfing the cows out from under a tree on Farmer C's pastures. He seemed impressed and can pay out of ready cash. Admittedly he looked a bit askance at Mr Rutherford's yard over the Western (but not Wailing) wall-it was a Saturday and very quiet. I assured him as that a Mr R lived there with his family it was peaceful at the best of times but he plans to return on working day 'for a listen'. During the week? And he wants a week end retreat!?

The regulars at the Post Office are anxious that the OM should go to a family-to live in-not a second home for well heeled folk who will have no interest in the local community.

Amen to that.

Want an old Manse? Three for sale in this area. One (Georgian) in Chirnside; Posh, nice and Upmarket. And the Auld Manse in Gavinton. Nice but bang on the road. And could you live with the 'Auld'. Might as well call it Dun Preachin. Really there is only one sensible choice

And how many other old Manse's have fairies at the bottom of the garden?

Labels: Hutton, Merse, Selling the Manse

  ¶ 11:03 AM (2) comments

  I like this image from BorderScot. Duns must be one of the few towns in which clouds are a point of interest. From this point the only way down, is down.

Labels: Duns

  ¶ 3:20 PM (0) comments

  OR SOMEWHERE ELSE IN LOO?


Huttonian is intrigued by the 'Looking Back' feature in last Thursday's Berwickshire recalling reports from the paper 50 years ago. Here is one


CRITICISM of the condition of public conveniences in Duns which appeared in a letter to the Press was deplored at a meeting of the Town Council. The position was greatly exaggerated said Bailie W. Robertson in a meeting presided over by Provost M McCallum. Bailie W. Robertson said the convener of the Public Health Committee visited these places regularly and they were washed and cleaned out every morning. He had no reason to find fault with any of them, the one in the park was a model of cleanliness while the one in Willis Wynd showed that persons of a low mentality visited it.
I am sure we would all love to know what exactly persons of low mentality had been up to:-activities, it seems, that the convener of the Public Health Committee had been unable to fault; even if Willis Wynd facilities were not exactly a model of cleanliness in contrast with the spotless eat-off-the-floor-premises in the park.

One suspects misspelled graffiti :

'The Konveener of the Pubic Helth Komitee woz here';

perhaps?

Labels: Duns, Loos, Small House in Duns

  ¶ 8:56 AM (0) comments