Gunsgreen House
| Gunsgreen House | |
| Berwickshire | |
|---|---|
 Gunsgreen House | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | NT947643 |
| Location: | 55°52’21"N, 2°5’8"W |
| Town: | Eyemouth |
| History | |
| Built 1753 | |
| For: | John Nisbit by John Adam |
| Town house | |
| Information | |
| Website: | gunsgreenhouse.org |
Gunsgreen House is a grand, Georgian house standing above the harbour of Eyemouth, a fishing port in Berwickshire. It stands on 'Gunsgreen', on the opposite side of the harbour from the town itself.
The house was built in 1753 by a prosperous local smuggler, John Nisbet, and notwithstanding the precarious nature of his trade, prospered enough to build his house to a design of John Adam (elder brother of the more famous Robert Adam). He called it his 'Splendid Palace'.[1]
The house includes however features one would not find in a normal gentry house of the period but specific to Nisbet's needs; it has secret hiding places where smuggled goods were kept, and a tea chute for rapidly concealing that overly-taxed commodity.
Today the house is opened as a tourist attraction with a series of interactive displays, but also contains self-catering accommodation.
