The House

Come and explore Paxton House, with our superb expert guides. Where grand architecture, remarkable craftsmanship and extraordinary stories unfold in every room.

Step Inside Another World

Built in 1758 for the ambitious and well-travelled Patrick Home of Billie, Paxton remains one of Scotland’s most complete 18th-century houses. Designed by the celebrated architects James Adam and John Adam and furnished by master cabinetmaker Thomas Chippendale, the interiors are a breathtaking showcase of neo-classical elegance.

Patrick chose a new site high above the river Tweed for his Palladian home, this beautiful spot and design of the house, were certainly chosen to hopefully persuade Sophie, his Prussian sweetheart to marry him. Alas, their love was doomed and Patrick never fully recovered but the house remains as a testament to hope and first love. Patrick then inherited Wedderburn Castle and now thwarted romantically he turned his attention to this property. He eventually sold Paxton to his cousin Ninian Home, who had established himself as a prominent sugar planter in Grenada.

After Ninian’s death in 1795, the house passed to his younger brother George. George commissioned Edinburgh architect, Robert Reid and in 1812 -18-14 a new Library and magnificent Picture Gallery were added to the East Pavillion. This new wing was furnished by renowned Scottish cabinetmaker William Trotter, bringing a rich Regency character to the house.

Over the centuries, remarkably little has changed, meaning what you see today is astonishingly close to what guests experienced more than 250 years ago.

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Brings history alive

What an amazing visit to an extraordinary house. The house, furnishings, paintings and gardens are exquisite. You can only visit the house on a guided tour which you can pre-book and is included in the entry price. You will be so close to the treasures inside and able to enjoy them in great detail. Our guide, Carol, was very engaging and knowledgeable. You can walk through the gardens to the Union Chain Bridge too. Highly recommended

Anna W
Gorgeous place to visit with beautiful grounds. They often have a marquee with stall and unique handmade items. This was a bonus. The coffee shop is very charming and lovely coffee and scones.

Make It Scotland
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

Grandeur, Craftsmanship and Colour

Your journey begins in the perfectly symmetrical Entrance Hall both light-filled and playful, with lively Rococo plasterwork by George Morrison setting the tone for what lies beyond.

Moving on through the house you will discover:

The Dining Room

The grand entertaining space, with its ceiling designed by Robert Adam and elegant furnishings by Chippendale. Flooded with light and enjoying sweeping views across the River Tweed to England, you can almost hear the echo of Georgian dinner parties.

The Drawing Room

Soft pinks and greens, delicate classical motifs and some of the finest Chippendale furniture in the house. Paxton proudly holds the third largest collection of Chippendale furniture in the world. In here you will discover a stunning Robert Adam ceiling and Frech hand painted wallpaper from 1791.

The Library

Home to over 4,000 books, many gathered during Patrick Home’s European adventures. With its distinctly Edinburgh architectural styl and furnishings by William Trotter, the atmosphere here feels richer, darker and more intimate.

Upstairs

The bedrooms reveal differently themed and styled spaces, with elegant Chippendale furnishings and intriguing details such as early ensuite bathrooms -a rare luxury in their day.

The main staircase

With its intricate wrought-iron balustrade and flowing Rococo plasterwork, this feature was designed to impress family and guests alike. (The servants, of course, used a much simpler spiral stair tucked discreetly away.)

A spectacular Picture Gallery

At the end of your tour, you’ll discover the most unexpected space of all — the purpose-built Regency Picture Gallery. Created circa 1812 to display Patrick Home’s art collection, this dramatic, top-lit gallery is breathtaking in scale and atmosphere. With both family portraits and some of the paintings Patrick collected from his travels across Europe and exceptional Regency furniture by William Trotter. Designed to impress, this remarkable space continues to dazzle today — now serving as Paxton’s very own ballroom.

Patrick never fully recovered but the house remains as a testament to hope and first love. Patrick then inherited Wedderburn Castle and now thwarted romantically he turned his attention to this property. He eventually sold Paxton to his cousin Ninian Home, who had established himself as a prominent sugar planter in Grenada.

After Ninian’s death in 1795, the house passed to his younger brother George. George commissioned Edinburgh architect, Robert Reid and in 1812 -18-14 a new Library and magnificent Picture Gallery were added to the East Pavillion. This new wing was furnished by renowned Scottish cabinetmaker William Trotter, bringing a rich Regency character to the house. Over the centuries, remarkably little has changed, meaning what you see today is astonishingly close to what guests experienced more than 250 years ago.