Berwick-upon-Tweed - Paxton House

Must-see attractions nearby: Paxton House Norham Castle King's Own Scottish Borderers Regimental Museum Spittal Berwick-upon-Tweed Main Guard Barracks, Museum and Art Gallery

After some initial hesitation, Frederick the Great gave his approval to the liaison but requested that Patrick transfer his assets to Prussia and live in Berlin, whereupon Patrick's mother threatened to disinherit her son. He returned to Scotland and sought the help of the king, who presented Home with Paxton House as a fitting residence for his future wife, but in the end they did not marry.

The mansion was built by John and James, two brothers of the celebrated Adam family. The Palladian-style country house is noted not only for its elegant Chippendale furniture but also its painting gallery in delicate pastel shades and topped with a glass dome. This and the library were designed by Robert Reid in 1811. The Regency-style rosewood furniture came from the workshops of the Edinburgh craftsman William Trotter. Paxton House once possessed the biggest private collection of any Scottish country house but the works of art have had to be sold to pay for the upkeep of the property. The current exhibits have been loaned by the National Gallery of Scotland.