Our Story

Our story begins a little before 1758 when young Patrick Home of Billie commissioned John and James Adam to design a fine Palladian mansion. Patrick hoped the house would entice his true love, Sophie de Brandt, to move from Prussia.
Paxton is home to the third largest collection of Chippendale furniture in the world, Robert Adam interior designs, a stunning costume collection and 80 acres of woodland and riverside gardens.

A Tragic Love Story

Patrick Home of Billie commissioned John and James Adam to design Paxton House on a new site high above the river Tweed.
He had not long returned from Europe and wanted a house that was prestigious, hoping to woo his Prussian sweetheart, Sophie de Brandt to Scotland.

When Patrick had left to return home, Sophie gave him a pair of her gloves and a ring as tokens of her devotion.
Tragically, they were kept apart because her family did not approve and they never wed.
The house remains as testament of true love.

Thwarted in love, and upon inheriting Wedderburn Castle, Patrick sold Paxton to his nephew Ninian Home.

Ninian had established himself as a prominent sugar planter in the West Indies.

Book your guided tour here

Ninian and George Home

Ninian and George Home were nephews of Patrick Home. Both Ninian and George lived at Paxton and shaped how it looks and what you are able to see today.
Ninian decorated and furnished most of the main house and George had a regency wing commissioned.

Find out more about the family

The Chippendale Commission

Ninian purchased Paxton House from his uncle Patrick and set about furnishing and decorating the house. Ninian commissioned Chippendale, Haig and Co. to decorate and furnish his home ‘in a neat but not expensive manner’ between 1774- 1791. Paxton has the third largest collection of Chippendale in the world.

Read more about Ninian, plantations and slavery

Through the Generations

Paxton was a much loved family home for 230 years until, on 17th November 1988, the last laird of Paxton House, John Home Robertson, gave the country house and its 80 acre estate to the nation for the benefit and enjoyment of everyone. An endowment was provided by the National Heritage Memorial Fund and The Paxton Trust was born. Today, the Paxton Trust exists to guide this vision and preserve the Paxton House legacy.

Our Mission

The mission of the Paxton Trust is simple: to preserve, protect and enhance, for public benefit, Paxton House, its collection and the estate in which it stands. The trust’s chief goals are to facilitate and encourage access to and appreciation and study of the collection, to advance the cause of education and social welfare and actively to develop and promote such activities as will best serve these ends.

The preservation of the mansion house for the public benefit.

The protection and preservation of the amenities of the estate for the benefit of the public.

The preservation of furniture, books, works of art etc as an adjunct for public enjoyment

The encouragement of access to and appreciation of Paxton House and its grounds.

The encouragement of the advancement of education and the interests of social welfare.

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Support Us

Thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Paxton House. On this occasion, we took the guided tour and went on the boat trip to the Union Chain Bridge. The tour is excellent – the guide knows her stuff but wasn’t long-winded about it, and told us some entertaining stories. We went at a sensible pace, so we were able to examine items that interested us. We’d been on the boat trip before, but it’s always different and interesting: this time, we saw cormorants, egrets, little grebe and a merganser. Food and drink in the cafe is always good; and they have a dog-friendly room if you don’t want to sit out in the courtyard. We’ve been before to look at the gardens and attend events, but still have to see the exhibitions in the galleries – we’ll be going back soon! NB -the house visit includes a spiral staircase and other steps. There’s a lift at one point, but it would be advisable to ask about access before booking the tour.

Judith O
University trip to Paxton five star experience

My colleagues and I thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Paxton House, with a truly fascinating and engaging tour from Dr Fiona Salvesen Murrell who was very impressive and passionate when sharing the history of the House and the family, particularly for our research trip Fiona managed to deliver an engaging tour that was relevant to our various research topics and covered the broad history of the building. Fiona and her team should be really proud of the great lengths they have gone to in terms of research, creative methods and funding. I highly recommend visiting the House, the exhibition and the surrounding gardens with a stroll to the nearby Union Bridge.

Sophie Mae K
“The Paxton commission is especially interesting because it was intended for a new kind of interior – a semi public art gallery, designed to create one of the great Scottish Enlightenment interiors. The adjacent library has by contrast, furniture in Trotter’s more domestic New Town manner.”

Ian Gow, National Trust for Scotland

Our Story

A Tragic Love Story

Patrick Home of Billie commissioned John and James Adam to design Paxton House on a new site high above the river Tweed.
He had not long returned from Europe and wanted a house that was prestigious, hoping to woo his Prussian sweetheart, Sophie de Brandt to Scotland.

Read more ▼

Book your guided tour here

Ninian and George Home

Ninian and George Home were nephews of Patrick Home. Both Ninian and George lived at Paxton and shaped how it looks and what you are able to see today.
Ninian decorated and furnished most of the main house and George had a regency wing commissioned.

Find out more about the family

The Chippendale Commission

Read more about Ninian, plantations and slavery

Through the Generations

Our Mission

Read more ▼

Support Us

Judith O

Sophie Mae K

Ian Gow, National Trust for Scotland

Plan Your Day

Download Map

Stables Tearoom

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Where to find us

Our Story

A Tragic Love Story

Patrick Home of Billie commissioned John and James Adam to design Paxton House on a new site high above the river Tweed. He had not long returned from Europe and wanted a house that was prestigious, hoping to woo his Prussian sweetheart, Sophie de Brandt to Scotland.

Read more ▼

Book your guided tour here

Ninian and George Home

Ninian and George Home were nephews of Patrick Home. Both Ninian and George lived at Paxton and shaped how it looks and what you are able to see today. Ninian decorated and furnished most of the main house and George had a regency wing commissioned.

Find out more about the family

The Chippendale Commission

Read more about Ninian, plantations and slavery

Through the Generations

Our Mission

Read more ▼

Support Us

Judith O

Sophie Mae K

Ian Gow, National Trust for Scotland

Plan Your Day

Download Map

Stables Tearoom

Patrick Home of Billie commissioned John and James Adam to design Paxton House on a new site high above the river Tweed.
He had not long returned from Europe and wanted a house that was prestigious, hoping to woo his Prussian sweetheart, Sophie de Brandt to Scotland.

Ninian and George Home were nephews of Patrick Home. Both Ninian and George lived at Paxton and shaped how it looks and what you are able to see today.
Ninian decorated and furnished most of the main house and George had a regency wing commissioned.