Funding secured to put the spotlight on house in Eyemouth that has a colourful past
Built in a prominent spot overlooking the major fishing port of Eyemouth, Gunsgreen House spent many years hiding secrets in plain sight.
But now funding has been secured to reveal all and give it a new role at the heart of community life.
The A-listed 18th Century building was designed by renowned architect John Adam and sited to be central to the landscape and fabric of Eyemouth.
Constructed as a merchant’s home, Gunsgreen’s unique past saw a secret history being written alongside the respectable front from its earliest days.
Adaptations to the plans saw cellars with direct access to the sea for smuggling and a ‘Tea Chute’ to hide goods from the prying eyes of the exciseman.
Today, Gunsgreen House Trust sees a future for it as an attraction for visitors and a focus for the local community to be involved in its development.
It has secured major support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to start putting those ambitious plans into action.
Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, the trust has been awarded development funding of £249,750 by the fund.
‘A Gunsgreen for Everyone’ will build on the rich stories of this Scottish coastal and fishing community and its visitors from days gone by – the hiding places of a notorious smuggler, fishermen’s rebellions to protect their livelihoods and the early days of British seaside holidays.
Riddell Graham, chairman of Gunsgreen House Trust, said: “We are delighted to have received this support from the Heritage Fund for A Gunsgreen for Everyone.
“As a community organisation, getting a project on this scale really moving is a challenging task. This support means we can now recruit the resources needed to fully develop our plans to create a new heritage centre and community outreach programme ensuring a bright future for Gunsgreen and indeed the people and wider economy of Eyemouth.”
The project will make Gunsgreen’s three visitor floors (cellars, basement and ground floor) fully accessible for the first time and reduce its carbon footprint.
Learning and engagement programmes will build on a successful events programme to explore Eyemouth’s history as a major fishing harbour.
This will give people of all ages the chance to be involved in Gunsgreen’s heritage as participants and volunteers.
For more information, go to https://gunsgreenhouse.org or the Gunsgreen House Facebook page.