EVERYONE, it seems, has a story to tell about Dumfries House - and for Jacqueline Farrell, who grew up within two miles of the Ayrshire estate, it's a story of artistic inspiration and change.
Growing up, the estate was a mysterious place.
"I was luckier than most in that my grandfather had a connection to the house, he looked after the TV sets," she says. "He managed the local shop, so he was allowed to maintain Lady Eileen's TV, and we got to stand on the front steps - that was quite exciting!
"It was always a place of mystery and glamour to most of the locals - but a place for others, not the community."
This was back in the day when the slowly decaying property of the Crichton-Stuart family, and home - until her death in 1993 - of the Dowager Marchioness of Bute, Lady Eileen, was not particularly welcoming to visitors.
That's all changed. Now owned by educational charity The Prince's Foundation, the restored house and estate are arguably something unique.
"It's not a stately home, it's not a garden, it's not a college or a school - it's all of those things," says Jacqueline, who is now education director for The Prince's Foundation.
"Local people - including myself - are proud of that, and proud to see the success it's brought to the area the proof of the concept is that it's regenerating the local community," she says.
"When you give people pride in their assets and their area, it just begins to change the culture."
From being one of Scotland's most overlooked hidden treasures - an 18th-century Palladian country house, with so much of its original furniture that the contents were once thought to be worth as much as the building itself - the estate has become a self-supporting operation that's been making real changes to people's lives since it was bought from its former owners in 2007.
Denne historien er fra May 2023-utgaven av The Scots Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra May 2023-utgaven av The Scots Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
The Bliss Of A Bothy
After a strenuous walk, a mountain shelter can offer all you need
The Long Way Round
When you can only just see the stepping stones under a river in spate, it's time to re-think the route, as two Highland adventurers found out
The New Oyster Cult
A community is helping to restore the once rich biodiversity of Loch Craignish, one species at a time
A Poet's Sanctuary
Hidden on a hilltop, writer Dominic Cooper is inspired by the wild, stormy winters of the Ardnamurchan peninsula
A Rural Housing Crisis
Across Scotland, locals are being priced out and crowded out - but communities are now working hard to address the issue
A Historic Centre
Glasgow's Mercat Cross may not be as old as it appears but it's still seen many changes, along with an ebb and flow in prosperity
A Bird With A Brain
Jim's encounters with the raven in several northern countries have only increased his respect for its intellect and ingenuity
The Warrior King
On the 750th anniversary of his birth, Robert The Bruce's legacy as cultural keystone and historical enigma continues to fascinate
All Going Swimmingly
From Tutti Frutti to Shetland, Monarch Of The Glen to Granite Harbour, Dawn Steele's heart will always be in Scotland - and the sea
Following The Coos
The latest charity art trail aims to a-moos-e and delight visitors to Perth and Kinross this summer
