Refurbishing Kirkhope
When the Tower was bought by the current owner, it had not been occupied for several years and an extensive programme of refurbishment is being put into effect.
Work in progress
The Tower is in the share of an oblong and the West and South face have now been repointed and made waterproof. The repointing of the North Wall should be complete by the early summer of 2021.
A new kitchen has been installed and a wood-burning stove has been put into the sitting room. The forestair has been repaired and the area between the basement door and the steps from the parking are have been renovated.
Work has been held up by and unexpected difficulties including the Covid pandemic.
Nearing completion
In 2021, other works will be completed including replastering, redecorating and purchasing of suitable furniture and furnishings. A combined woodshed and cosmetic enclosure of the boiler shed is also planned.
The drive to the Tower from the public road will be repaired.
Books for the Tower
As they say ‘Books do Furnish a Room’, so they also furnish a house. Since the Tower will be for holiday makers, it needs a selection of books to entertain without much effort on the part of the reader. The first obvious choice is John Buchan, Viscount Tweedsmuir, who was Governor General of Canada and the author of The Thirty-nine Steps and Greenmantle.
Buchan was a man of the Scots Borders and his hero, Richard Hannay, was well described as a ‘Clubland Hero’. His books will be in the Tower together with a selection of those Sapper and Dornford Yates whose heroes also inhabited clubland. But also the Tower book collection will include the novels of Sir Walter Scott whose home at Abbotsford is near Melrose.
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