The Mavisbank Trust

10/05/2024

Absolutely fantastic news , Mavisbank House to be saved!

LANDMARK DECISION FOR MAVISBANK!

The Mavisbank Trust is delighted by the news that the National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF) has approved a £5.3M grant to support the first phase of The Landmark Trust's plans to restore Mavisbank House. The grant, along with support from Historic Environment Scotland (HES) and Midlothian Council, will kick start a first phase of restoration work to stabilise the ruined shell of the house and provide solutions to the longstanding issues of ownership and access.

Sarah Barron, Chair the Mavisbank Trust said, ’We have fought to save Mavisbank for over 20 years and faced many setbacks but at last there is the real possibility that this exceptional and internationally-recognised historic house will be saved from dereliction and brought back into sustainable use. The NHMF’s grant represents a resounding vote of confidence in the vision to restore Mavisbank, ensuring that it will continue to inspire and enrich the lives of future generations.’

Whilst the Landmark Trust’s initiative is primarily concerned with the restoration of the house, the Mavisbank Trust is now focussing on bringing together the local community, volunteers and other supporters to protect and enhance the designed landscape of Mavisbank in order to create a wonderful community greenspace for generations to come.

A Mavisbank supporters group is being set up to work with HES, Midlothian Council, other local organisations and community volunteers, to develop and support projects within the grounds. Initial projects could include improvements to public access, interpretation and biodiversity, repairs to boundary walls and fences, the removal of invasive plant species and the organisation of programmes of events and guided walks to highlight the important history of this amazing estate.

However, in the longer term, there is also the potential to explore how the grounds of Mavisbank could be brought into community ownership by, for example, the community buy out process which has been used successfully elsewhere in Scotland e.g. Bannockburn House, Stirling.

Read more here - https://www.mavisbank.org.uk/news/31/21/LANDMARK-DECISION-FOR-MAVISBANK

For further information on the Landmark Trust’s Mavisbank House project please visit their website - https://www.landmarktrust.org.uk/support-us/projects-and-appeals/saving-mavisbank-house/

Thanks to a major grant of £5.3m from the National Heritage Memorial Fund we are now able to begin rescuing Mavisbank: one of the most important buildings at risk in Britain.

24/12/2023

A very Merry Christmas to all from the Mavisbank Trust! Looking forward to next year, exciting developments for the Trust🎄

16/04/2023

Landmark Trust’s Latest Mavisbank Funding Bid - A New Era for Mavisbank?

A new beginning could be in store for Mavisbank House and its grounds following the recent successful ‘Expression of Interest’ application to the National Heritage Memorial Fund by the Landmark Trust.

The NHMF exists as a funder of last resort in order to help save some of the UK’s greatest treasures but even though it is one of the most important historic houses in Scotland and has an international reputation Mavisbank is also one of its most endangered.

Read more here - https://www.mavisbank.org.uk/news/30/21/Landmark-Trust-s-Latest-Mavisbank-Funding-Bid---A-New-Era-for-Mavisbank

For further information on the Landmark Trust’s current Mavisbank project please visit their website at https://www.landmarktrust.org.uk/support-us/projects-and-appeals/saving-mavisbank/

If you think you may have some spare time and would like to get involved in helping the Mavisbank Trust set up the ‘Friends of Mavisbank’ group please complete this form https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScq7W6sdgPXqDo7yhHjv4CBggdJMMgOQnZ1DSgDZZHEqZmS1A/viewform or email us at [email protected]

04/11/2022

Sadly Mavisbank's Ancient Rowan tree didn't win the Woodland Trust's UK , but came in a very respectible 2nd place, recieving 11% of all votes!

Congratulations to Waverley Abbey Yew!

🥇The winner of 2022!🥇

🏆 After thousands of votes, we’re pleased to announce the Waverley Abbey Yew is your choice for the UK’s Tree of the Year!

🌳 The centuries-old yew, growing on the ruins of English Heritage's Waverley Abbey in Surrey, won our public vote, beating 11 other veteran or from around the UK.

🥈 2nd place went to The 'Portal Tree' rowan, an arched, ancient rowan tree found in the grounds of Mavisbank House, Scotland.

🥉 The layering horse chestnut, a self-reviving tree growing in the grounds of National Trust's Kedleston Hall came 3rd in the public vote.

👏 Thanks to everyone who voted in the competition! Read more about our Tree of the Year 2022 here: https://bit.ly/3WtzujR

26/10/2022

Did you know that an Ancient Rowan tree on the grounds of Mavisbank house is currently in the running for the Woodland Trust's ?

Please vote for your local tree here - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeL7HMmU9uUc1K6MO3WjhObaDuMJYXsWwNk8gPUPJv6MZYgOA/viewform?usp=sf_link - hurry though, votong closes on October the 31st 🎃

Mavisbank is the home to many Ancient trees; you can read more about them here - https://ati.woodlandtrust.org.uk/tree-search/?v=2174917&ml=map&z=16&nwLat=55.8794907098948&nwLng=-3.149453877535402&seLat=55.87392950998878&seLng=-3.121988057222902

29/09/2022

- Accountant Needed -

The Mavisbank Trust is a charitable company limited by guarantee, with small company’s exemption, and as per all Scottish charities, requires an Independent Examiner’s Report of our accounts.

The Trust has been in a ‘ticking over’ mode for several years and de-registered for VAT in 2020. The 2021-22 turnover is approximately £1k, with about 20 bank account transactions over the year, so our accounts are very small.

If you, or anyone you know, are passionate about Mavisbank, and would consider conducting our independent examination in-kind or at a reduced fee, please email [email protected]

Many thanks, The Mavisbank Trust

01/09/2022

Mavisbank is a TV star! - In case you missed it earlier in the year, there is still time to watch BBC Scotland’s ‘Scotland from the Sky’ episode which showcased Mavisbank House.

The programme features panoramic aerial shots of the house and grounds, as well as recounting fascinating aspects of Mavisbank’s history.

It is Series 3, Episode 3 on BBC iPlayer, and the section on Mavisbank begins just after the 33 minute mark into the hour-long programme:

Presenter James Crawford takes to the air to uncover six remarkable forgotten histories.

19/08/2022

--------------------NOW FULLY BOOKED-----------------------

If you wish to be added to a waiting list in case of any cancellations and/or be notified of any additional walks, please [email protected]

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Doors Open Day 2022 - Saturday 10th September

Guided Walks at 1.30pm and 3.00pm

‘Exploring Mavisbank’ with Architectural Historian, Tom Addyman.

Hosted by the Mavisbank Trust and Historic Environment Scotland.

Join Tom Addyman, a well-known local architectural historian, and HES’s Pauline Megson for a fascinating walk around Mavisbank’s enchanting grounds and its ruined historic house. Find out more about the changing fortunes of Sir John Clerk of Penicuik’s summer villa, its history spanning almost 300 years and the progress of recent plans to restore Mavisbank for public benefit.

Pre-booking is essential as numbers on the walks will be limited.

Please email [email protected] stating your preferred walk time, name and contact details (phone and email) and the number of places you would like to reserve.

Each walk will last approximately one hour.

Sturdy footwear is recommended and there are no facilities on site.

The meeting point for the walks is the entrance to Mavisbank located at a wooden gate just off the riverside path at a point midway between Polton and Lasswade by Mavisbank's old walled garden.

Access from Loanhead is via Polton Road and from Bonnyrigg via Polton Bank. Walking from the war memorial at Polton it is a five-minute stroll to the meeting point, making sure to keep to the river bank path all the way. Access can also be gained from Lasswade via Kevock Road by following the stepped footpath and the riverside path from the opposite direction.

Parking - As there is very limited parking available at Polton and none on the narrow Kevock Road please use a car share or public transport if possible.

Information about Lothian Buses can be found at: https://www.lothianbuses.com/live-travel-info/journey-planner and on this Facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/mavisbanktrust/posts/pfbid02Kr5mhg7rkJF4djZHRKURWDBFHsmWChNRkUCxSuBoUAE8iJREN4LR1XapTwzbHzbol

A question often asked is how to get to Mavisbank House, so here's a just a couple of handy ways to reach the site!

Mavisbank can be reached by car from Loanhead via Polton Road (this route are not suitable for pedestrian access) and from Polton via Polton Bank (The closest postcode for parking is EH18 1JZ.

Pedestrian access is available from Kevock Road, which can be reached by public bus routes such as 31 (Wadingburn Road) and 140 (to and from Loanhead).

Pedestrian access also is available from Polton Road West bus stop via Polton Bank, which can be reached by public bus routes such as 31 (Polton Mill) and 49 (Rosewell).

28/03/2022

As we approach the end of Women’s History Month, discover the story of Mary Elizabeth Burton, a fascinating figure in Mavisbank’s history. Head Gardener at Mavisbank for an astonishing 38 years, Burton was also the first female gardener appointed in Scotland. Explore Burton’s story in our new blog post:

Mary Elizabeth Burton was the head gardener at Mavisbank for 38 years from 1896 to 1934, not an unusual story today perhaps, but Mary is believed to be the first female head gardener appointed in Scotland. She was a pioneer in Scottish horticulture, who, with her quiet determination and perseverance...

10/02/2022

*Tonight* at 19.30, the Esk Valley Trust hosts a talk on "Mavisbank House; Then and Now", from Pauline Megson and Tom Parnell of Historic Environment Scotland.

This talk will trace the history of Mavisbank house to the present and open opportunity to discuss its possible future.

To register for this talk please click on the link below:

https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEkdeyqqT8rGta87kGWL2kU3JVW5kPoXRpi?fbclid=IwAR2VaVU1tjSBWumL4A4LzxYIleno5gWBBVGTAWeBSUP0TPTHzafjIiv3BFo

You will then be sent an email with details of how to join the Zoom session for the talk.