Woodlands House
Galashiels, Scottish Borders
The Story of Woodlands House
Magnificent Grade A Elizabethan Italianate manor house set in a mature private garden
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Set on 2 acres of private picturesque grounds, Woodlands House is a beautiful gothic mansion of great character with a fascinating history. It dates from the mid 19th Century when it was built in Italianate style for a local textile mill owner. The property was remodeled in 1884-85 by George Henderson who added multi-gabled, neo-Elizabethan-style bays. It has distinctive facades with large bay windows with battlements above and stone arches. The castle theme is continued inside with a magnificent reception hall with stone archways.
The opulent manor is believed to be the first house in Galashiels to be equipped with electric lighting, indicating the importance and significance of the house in the area. The property was the most successful hotel in the area until it closed in 2004. It was substantially upgraded by the present owners to turn it back into a single residence. After the conversion, Woodlands House was chosen as one of the 10 best houses in Scotland by Country Life magazine in 2007. It is being converted back into hospitality use by a triple international awards winner in property renovation to offer weddings, functions, driving tours, and guest accommodations. Woodlands House reopens in late 2023 and our booking is now open.
We are ideally located within driving distance of Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Newcastle. The Scottish borders' capital town of Galashiels is easily accessible by walk, yet we are very private and sheltered from the public. It is a real hidden gem. There are many local places of interest to visit during your stay.
The guests will find a warm welcome from our staff, with a wealth of experience in weddings and organisations of functions such as wakes, parties, and conferences.
Our range of facilities ensures we can offer private or corporate meetings and banqueting from 10 to 60. With many sporting and other attractions on our doorsteps, it makes a perfect escape for meetings and brainstorming sessions.
The lounge with a magnificent garden view is equipped with a number of sofas that are available for the guests to relax and enjoy coffee. We can offer a private meeting of up to 12 people in the boardroom during the day. There are four en-suite guest rooms, sleeping up to 12 guests. Traditional Scottish breakfast is served in the conservatory between 8 and 10:30 am.
Cars and driving are the passion of the owners and we have selected a number of memorable routes passing places of interest that can be driven in a day from Galashiels. Our fleet of cars is available for you to explore the beautiful and scenic roads of the Scottish borders.