An Island of Calm

This model chap is one of the inhabitants of Shambellie House in New Abbey, where the Museums of Scotland display their costume collection. I came across him in this outfit, with this reading material, when I was visiting Shambellie during the days around Theatre Broad’s performance of M’Connachie &JMB in Dumfries.

Shambellie is one of my favourite places in the world: a great David Bryce house, lovely garden and peaceful setting on the edge of  Borders village of New Abbey, with its ruins – Sweetheart Abbey. What more could you want?

I was overwhelmed to discover the house was delivering more, when I leant as far over the barrier as I could to take this photograph.

Discerning Barrie fans will see that the book our man is reading is MARGARET OGILVY, Barrie’s memoir of his mother.

A shared moment for those in the know.

With its truly toe-curling adulation of a person who did an enormous amount of the shaping of Barrie’s life, it can’t be called his most admirable work. It does, however, demonstrate the searing honesty he brought to a lot of his output. With The Twelve Pound Look, it gives unparallelled insight to his psyche.

When Barrie is your subject, the material is everywhere. This did give me a tiny shiver, I must confess. I’ll be back to Shambellie of course. Apart from anything, the museum cafe is a great place to round off your visit.