Back to Newhailes

You may remember that back in April we discovered Newhailes near Musselburgh when friends took us for a walk around the grounds. You can see the pictures of that visit here. We wanted to return and today was the day. This time we focused our attention on the house itself because it was too wet to wander around outside. There are guided tours during the summer and it proved a treat. The National Trust is preserving the house rather than restoring it and as a result the house looks very much like it did when the Trust took it on.

As a result of death duties the books that used to be in the library are gone and it was quite unsettling (specially to a librarian!)  to be in a room with shelves all around up to the ceiling that were entirely empty! That might be why the windows there were boarded up! We were very lucky with our guide who proved to be very knowledgeable and entertaining. My mother also hugely appreciated the fact that in every room we visited there were chairs for people to sit down while the guide talked. I've not come across this in other historical properties and never missed it as John and I are quite happy to stand, but it's a great idea for elderly people.

There is a strict No Photography rule within the house so here are some that I took outside today, taken a bit closer to the house than we were able to get during our previous visit.