The man who helped shape architecture across Georgian and Victorian Dumfries & Galloway will be celebrated in a fascinating talk by Margaret Elliot on the life and times of Walter Newall at Moat Brae, Dumfries on Thursday 25th August at 6.30pm.
Walter Newall, born in New Abbey, began his career as a cabinet maker and later became the architect who designed Moat Brae in 1823 – the house and garden were later to inspire one of the most iconic stories of all time, Peter Pan.
Margaret Elliot is a local photographer who, following a visit to a Moat Brae Open Day in 2015, has set out on a major project to document the region’s existing buildings designed by Walter Newall. In the process Margaret has gained a unique insight into Newall’s work and will share her journey of discovery at this special evening event at Moat Brae.
Her starting point was to help visitors to the current ‘shell’ of Moat Brae to imagine how the Georgian house would have looked in its heyday, but, inevitably this extraordinary architect captured her imagination in a way that she had never expected.
The exhibition of photographs of local houses and churches includes many buildings that will be familiar to residents of the region, such as Georgian properties on Castle Street, Dumfries, Kerrfield Cottage, Netherwood House, Woodlands House, Southerness Lighthouse, Dalawoodie House, Kirkowan and Kirkpatrick Durham Churches.
Margaret Elliot said:
“I have lived in Dumfries all my life and now realise that very few people look up and take note of the beauty in these buildings when entering and leaving them, even me until now. This project has opened my eyes and I now recognise a Walter Newall style. The history that comes with the buildings makes them even more intriguing, as are the people I have met who share their love of the buildings and allow access to them. In my talk I wish to take you back to the first half of the 19th century, it was not so long ago but so different.”
Margaret has been able to gain access to the rooms, staircases and special features of the interiors of many of Newall’s great homes, farms, public buildings and churches. This insight is made all the more interesting and unique as most previous explorations of the architect’s work have focussed mainly on the exteriors of his buildings.
Entry to this event is free of charge, but donations to The Peter Pan Moat Brae Trust are welcome and more information can be found at www.peterpanmoatbrae.org
