Broomhall House

05/06/2026

Among the most influential Scottish writers represented in the library at Broomhall House is Adam Smith. Born in Kirkcaldy on 5th June 1723, Smith developed his understanding of political economy as a student at Glasgow University where he attended the lectures of Francis Hutcheson, Scotland’s foremost philosophical writer of the mid-eighteenth century.

First editions of Smith’s Theory of Moral Sentiments (1759) and Hutcheson’s System of Moral Philosophy (1755) are pictured here. Our copy of the Theory of Moral Sentiments is particularly significant. It has been at Broomhall since the early nineteenth century. It once belonged to James Oswald of Dunnikier, a close friend of Smith since childhood; his daughter Elizabeth married the 7th Earl of Elgin in 1810 and came to live at Broomhall bringing her treasured books with her.

Discover more about Broomhall House and visit its wonderful library on our exclusive private tours.

https://broomhallhouse.com/enquire/

29/05/2026

On this day, on the 29th May 1687 King James VII of established the Most Ancient and Noble Order of the Thistle. Lord Elgin (11th Earl of Elgin and 15th Earl of Kincardine) is currently the oldest and longest-serving non-Royal Thistle knight in the history of the Order. He has served for 45 years having been made a Knight of the Thistle in 1981.

The family of Bruce are immensely proud of his service over the years, and this wonderful portrait painted by George Bruce in 1986 shows him wearing the robes of the Most Ancient and Noble Order of the Thistle.

01/05/2026

On the 2nd May 1316 the brother of King Robert the Bruce, Edward Bruce was crowned High King of Ireland. The Bruce family were invited to take part in the memorial event for Edward which involved the unveiling of a commemorative Bruce Boulder in Louth by Lord and Lady Bruce in 2023.

You can read more about this and the Bruce Trail initiative in this Irish Independent article.

https://www.independent.ie/regionals/louth/dundalk-news/irelands-last-high-king-commemorated-as-bruce-boulder-unveiled-in-louth/a1150687437.html

On our bespoke, private tours at Broomhall House you can discover more about the Family of Bruce and their many historical connections.

With breath-taking views across South Armagh and the Cooley mountains, Dundalk Bay and the plains of Muirhevna, the old graveyard on the hill of Faughart is a fitting resting place for a king.

14/04/2026

From tomorrow till Thursday, will be ready to meet you at . Organised by VisitScotland the event runs 9am - 5pm on Wednesday 15th and 9am - 4pm on Thursday 16 April.

It’s a fantastic opportunity to find out more about the historical connections and how you can book our bespoke tours. No two tours are ever the same.

Find out more about Broomhall House in our brochure:https://broomhallhouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/BroomhallHouse_Brochure.pdf

06/04/2026

will be at

Scotland’s flagship travel trade event organised by . Come and find our stand at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) in Glasgow to find out how you can book our exclusive, private tours and discover more about the

We always love to meet new people at this fantastic event and will be there on both the 15th and 16th of April. We look forward to meeting you.

You can find out more at: https://visitscotland.eventsair.com/visitscotlandconnect/

25/03/2026

720 years ago today Robert Bruce was enthroned as King of Scots at Scone Abbey. is the home of the Family of Bruce with stories and connections to the family that stretch back hundreds of years. Visitors to Broomhall House can now enjoy our recently curated, new exhibition which tells the remarkable story of King Robert the Bruce. Centred around our unique collection the exhibition includes King Robert’s, ceremonial two-handed sword. Read more about King Robert, the Bruce Family and coronations through the ages here.
https://broomhallhouse.com/2023/05/the-bruce-family-and-coronations-through-the-ages-part-one-an-enthronement-at-scone/

Find out about our bespoke tours which provide guests with an unforgettable experience.

19/03/2026

On this day in 1721 the renowned author Tobias Smollett was born at Dalquhurn (Dunbartonshire). We are proud to have an early edition of his Expedition of Humphry Clinker as one of the many treasured books in the Broomhall House library. Presented in the form of letters written by six characters this book is widely recognised as one of the finest epistolary travel novels of the period. Read more about Smollet and other important Scottish writers here: https://broomhallhouse.com/2018/08/english-lessons-from-scottish-writers/

You can discover the wonderful collection of books in the Broomhall House library on our exclusive private tours.

17/02/2026

Today marks the 102nd birthday of Sir Andrew Bruce,11th Earl of Elgin & 15th Earl of Kincardine, 37th Chief of the Name of Bruce; we wish him a truly happy day.

23/01/2026

Ahead of Burns Night we’d like to celebrate the wonderful story of Scotland’s bard who was ‘knighted’ by Mrs Katherine Bruce, the elderly widow of Henry, 14th Bruce of Clackmannan.

In 1787 visited Clackmannan Tower and met Mrs Katherine Bruce, the elderly widow of Henry, 14th Bruce of Clackmannan. Wielding the 14th century sword of state, once in the possession of King Robert the Bruce, she conferred a knighthood on Burns, saying she ‘had a better right to confer that title than some people’.

Guests who visit can now enjoy our new exhibition of King Robert, with a permanent space now created for his two-handed sword which was used to knight Robert Burns when he visited Katherine Bruce.

You can read the full story here: https://broomhallhouse.com/2018/01/robert-bruce-robert-burns-two-kisses-noble-encounter/

Find out more about the fascinating Family of Bruce and their many Scottish historical connections on our bespoke, private tours.

22/12/2025

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Bruce Family.