House of the Binns
The House of the Binns has been the family home of the Dalyells for the last 400 years. Set in magnificent Scottish countryside outside Linlithgow, it provides a great view of the River Forth from the grounds. You can see Blackness castle from there and across the water Limekilns and Culross are visible.
It was built in 1612 by Thomas Dalyell, an Edinburgh merchant who made his fortune at the court of King James VI and I in London. The name Binns comes from the Celtic word for hill, so house of the binns, means house of the hill.
When I booked a slot to visit, I imagined I would turn up and be able to do my own thing. That’s not how it works here. There were six of us and on entering the property I was invited to sit at a large table in the middle of a grand entrance hall, surrounded by the most magnificent collection of artefacts from around the world. Photography isn’t allowed inside the property which is a pity as there was a grandfather clock and I love such clocks. This time, however, I wasn’t allowed to take a photograph for my collection. The National Trust for Scotland website has some shots of the interior if you want an idea of what to expect along with some fascinating detail about the place. On sitting at the table I was offered a cup of tea and a piece of shortbread, while the guide gave the welcome and introduction to the property. From there, the guide took us through the house, recounting the history and taking questions. The place is stacked full of furniture, ornaments and paintings amassed over many years and makes for a fascinating and enjoyable visit.
There is a woodland walk, which takes you up to the Binns Tower, which was due for restoration work in a couple of weeks time so I was lucky to visit before the scaffolding goes up. You can only walk around outside the base of the tower, no one is allowed inside. It’s simply a single column, built mid nineteenth century. Two of the party were Americans, who were busy touring for six weeks and I got chatting. They were blown away by the view. I pointed out Blackness castle and explained how easy it would be to take that in given they had come this far. They were delighted and immediately set out to drive down and visit. It was a funny thing, but I visited Culross the following week and noted I could see the Binns Tower and Blackness Castle from there. I recalled I had noticed it previously, but didn’t know what it was. If you visit you have to really look for it given the distance.
When I returned from the walk, there was a group of folk dressed in nineteen forties clothes. I had the sensation of stepping back in time, so authentic was their re-enactment. Seems it was for the eightieth anniversary of the National Trust taking the property on in 1944 and this was a publicity photoshoot for that.
There are a number of peacocks which roam around the house and grounds and I managed to get up real close and take pictures. They are magnificent birds and well worth taking the opportunity to see them. I like to buy the official guidebook for all the sites I visit, but these are being reprinted for the House of the Binns, so I will be making a return visit in the summer to grab a copy when the new print run becomes available.
This was my first visit to the place and it’s exciting to realise there are many more sites I still have to discover and experience for myself. Scotland has so many attractions and I’m making an effort to visit as many as I can.
The Fiction Factory 