Amisfield Walled Garden

We could not believe the Doors Open brochure entry for this venue so just had to visit - a walled garden of eight acres. What size of mansion and estate could boast such a thing?

The information leaflet tells us that Amisfield Park once formed the policies of Amisfield House, a Palladian Mansion dating form the 1750's. The house was demolished in 1928 but the parkland, doocot, ruined stables, restored rococo summer house and a large walled garden remain. Amisfield Park Estate became an army camp  during the Second World War and was later used as a prisoner-of-war camp. The Walled Garden is owned by East Lothian Council who lease it to the Amisfield Preservation Trust. 


So, there is now no great house; although large it had been built by Colonel Francis Charteris, a man who gained much of his fortune at the expense of others and was of such low character that William Hogarth included him in the first of his series of etchings of A Harlot's Progress. The estate passed to his second grandson on condition that the name Charteris was retained. 

Neverheless, the garden, with its columned pavilions at each corner, is most impressive and, after many years of abuse and neglect, is now in the capable hands of The Amisfield Preservation Trust.