Ladykirk House Lion Gates

This is a spectacularly grand specimen of the Percy Lion, just over the border near the best named village ever for moody Trudy's - Upsettlington!

Guarding the gate at Ladykirk Lodge is this mighty beast, an impressive specimen keeping watch above the Corinthian archway and columned screen walls. Designed and built in 1799 by Kelso born architect, builder and developer William Elliot, the feline statue and gateway is based on Robert Adam's entrance screen for Syon House, the London home of The Duke of Northumberland.

The Percy lion is a distinctive creature, bold and brave in its appearance with a majestic stature and poker straight tail, symbolic of the power and bravery used by the Earl of Northumberland and his family.

We pulled over to check the map and were reminded that we'd stayed close to Ladykirk House a few years back on the Milne Graden Estate, literally on the banks of the Tweed and the lioney gate was a familiar way marker of nearly being holiday home then!

The archway and gates are clearly keeping the people in The Porter's Lodge safe from all the rhinos and hyenas of Upsettlington!

The plain five bay colonnades are backed with original wrought iron railings which must have slipped through the net of the second world war meltdown! The classy pilasters steal the show though with their repeated acanthus design. It's a gateway to marvel at. You could hear the people in the lodge shouting “Keep the gates shut, the lion's will get ooooot”.

Down the fancy pants drive there used to be a big old house, Ladykirk, also built by Elliot in 1797. It was said to resemble Dundas House which still stands in St Andrews Square in Edinburgh. However it was demolished between the 1930s and 1966 as it had been damaged by flooding. The North lodge had had work done by John Dobson in 1850.

Elliot, a true architectural son of the Borders, also designed churches in Wilton, Ednam and the Old Parish Church in Kelso where he had his workshop, later known as Elliot Street. He designed and built Chesters near Jedburgh, the Teviot Bridge and Crailing House.

There's plenty of exciting adventures to be had in the Borders.

You could drive to Foulden and visit The Foulden Tithe Barn or beyond to Berwick upon Tweed for a whole lot of heritage