Whim House is a Grade B listed building in the Scottish Borders local planning authority area, Scotland. First listed on 23 February 1971. Hotel. 2 related planning applications.

Whim House

WRENN ID
grey-iron-nettle
Grade
B
Local Planning Authority
Scottish Borders
Constituency
Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale MP: David Mundell (Con)
Country
Scotland
Date first listed
23 February 1971
Type
Hotel
Address
Whim House, EH46 7BD
OS grid reference
NT 213 536
Coordinates
55.77011, -3.25515
Source
Historic Environment Scotland listing

Also on this page: related consents · flood risk · radon risk · weather exposure · detailed attributes ↓

Description

Whim House, originally known as Blair-Bog, was purchased around 1730 by Archibald, Earl of Islay, who later became the third Duke of Argyle. He initiated an impressive agricultural project to reclaim and enhance the estate, which he named Whim. The main house was built between 1731 and 1734 and forms the central part of the current mansion, with some oversight of the construction likely provided by William Adam. In 1759, a library was added by the architect John Adam. In 1763, the estate was sold to James Montgomery, who later became Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer and the 1st Baron of Stanhope. Montgomery completely remodeled the house, extending its length and adding an additional storey, while also refashioning the interior. These changes left the exterior largely unchanged from how it appears today.

Local climate

Whim House sits in a wetter-than-average part of the UK, with an average of 1,030 mm of rain a year. This makes it wetter than 83% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is greater than that of 56% of listed buildings.

It experiences an average of 58 freeze-thaw cycles a year, more than 97% of listed buildings. Of these, 36 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.

Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.

More on this building

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  • No EPC on record for this property
  • No sale records on file
  • Related listed building consents — 2 applications
  • Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
  • Flood risk assessment
  • Radon risk assessment
  • Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
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  1. Stables, Whim House Grade A 120 m
  2. Ice House, Whim House Grade B 178 m
  3. Cistern, Whim House Grade C 285 m
  4. Dovecot, Whim House Grade C 289 m
  5. Gate Lodge, Whim House Grade B 380 m
  6. Smithy Cottages Grade C 596 m
  7. Steading (North East Range), Madrisa Grade C 1.5 km
  8. Steading (South East Range), Madrisa Grade C 1.5 km
  9. Steading (South Range), Madrisa Grade C 1.5 km
  10. Madrisa Grade C 1.5 km