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Winton House is still very much a family home.

Winton House is grateful to the Scottish Field, Richard Bath, their photographer Angus Blackburn, and writer Nichola Hunter, who published this feature in June 2013. You can read the article below or see the published article Scottish Field feature on Francis & Dorothy June 2013 at Winton House here.

Winton House in East Lothian has a rich and varied heritage – but its present owner is also keen to bring the property into the modern world.

At Winton House by Pencaitland all is not what it seems. At first glance the property is a beautiful example of a house of Anglo-Scots Renaissance, but behind the scenes this is a house with a split personality and a very clear public and personal persona.

This is due in no small part to the current trustee Sir Francis Ogilvy, who took over the reins at Winton in 1992 when his father, Sir David Ogilvy died. He lives in the house with his wife Dorothy, a music teacher at George Watson’s College and their four children, whose ages range from seven to 13.

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Former Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling MP, is Chairman of the Better Together Campaign.

Winton House has just hosted a ‘Better Together’ meeting between Alistair Darling and a group of East Lothian business people and members of the local community.  With its intricate plasterwork ceilings depicting the union of the crowns in the seventeenth century, Winton House, now a hospitality venue, conference venue and wedding venue, was a fitting place for the introductory discussion.

The former Chancellor of the Exchequer began by emphasizing that the ‘Better Together’ campaign is not a political party and wants to encourage business people and non-political voices to participate actively in the referendum campaign, particularly given the importance of the outcome on Scotland’s long term place in the world.

The discussion was wide ranging, but Mr Darling introduced the arguments in three strands: the Economy, level of Influence, and both Culture and Emotion. Beginning with the last, he suggested that “As Danny Boyle’s Olympic opening ceremony demonstrated, the majority of the population like being British.”

“I was delighted to be in east Lothian this week and to meet with business leaders, academics and representatives from the farming community. It was quite clear to me that people are growing ever more concerned about the implications of separation and the lack of detail coming from the SNP about what it would mean for jobs and the economy.

“Over the course of the next 18 months I aim to be back in east Lothian as much as I can to meet with more people and to continue to talk about why we are stronger and better together with the rest of the UK. I want to celebrate what unites us. I don’t believe that people here think that looking for ways to drive wedges between us and our friends, families and workmates is in the best interests of Scotland.”

Owner of Winton House, Francis Ogilvy, adds; “I was very pleased to act as host for the event; Winton House has a colourful history linked both to the Scottish Crown as well as the Union, which is celebrated in the plasterwork coats of arms in our King Charles room ceiling.  At Winton, we are proud of our Scottish identity whilst being pleased also to be part of an even greater heritage for the United Kingdom. Our Scottish government is not perfect, but we believe we are Better Together, particularly if it leads to a more ambitious vision for Scotland!”

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