Former home of British artist Arthur Croft Mitchell on sale for first time in more than a century
'When my uncle [Terence] died, the portrait of my grandmother in the moth costume she wore to the Chelsea Arts Ball the night she met my grandfather was still hanging on the wall, along with the many portraits that followed as she became his muse. Letters and photographs of artists' trips to France and accounts of living through the blitz still filled drawers and cupboards. The toys my uncle and father left behind them when evacuated to America during the Second World War were still in the drawers where my grandmother had packed them away.
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Scotsman
14 hours ago
- Scotsman
‘Once-in-a-generation' opportunity to own one of the Highlands' most distinguished country homes
One of the Scottish Highlands' most distinguished homes nestled in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park has been listed for sale. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Broomhill House is an outstanding B-Listed Arts and Crafts country residence situated near the town of Aviemore and has enjoyed an interesting history since it was built at the end of the First World War. The property was originally commissioned by architects Balfour, Paul & Partners and constructed for shipping magnate Sir Alfred Booth, of Liverpool, who is best known for his role as Chairman of the Cunard Line. The house was completed in 1918. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The home was bought in 1924 by the Aspin family exclusively for their six-year-old daughter Rosemary who was suffering from pneumonia, while the rest of the family continued to live in their lavish townhouse in Glasgow. Broomhill House is nestled in the picturesque Cairngorms National Park. With the outbreak of the Second World War looking imminent in 1935, Rosemary's parents moved into Broomhill House, and it was extended by renowned architect Sir Basil Spence with the renovations including an awe-inspiring barrel-vaulted music room. The property served Rosemary well and she spent 85 years calling Broomhill her loving home. Over the years, the country estate has been painstakingly renovated and is rich with architectural and historical pedigree, offering a blend of heritage, scale and Highland serenity. Approximately 20 acres of ancient native woodland is also available by separate negotiation. Harriet Reid, of Fine & Country Scotland which is selling the property on behalf of its current owners, said: 'Broomhill House is certainly one of the Scottish Highlands' most exceptional private residences. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It combines historical distinction with refined modern living and is perfectly positioned within the largest National Park in the UK. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to secure a landmark home with an extremely intriguing history.' The Cairngorms mountains can be viewed from Broomhill House. Built in solid granite with ashlar dressings, Broomhill House extends to over 7,500 sq ft and comprises eight elegant double bedrooms and five reception rooms including Spence's spectacular vaulted music room. Beyond the main house lies a self-contained, high-specification three-bedroom annexe, currently managed as a luxury holiday let, along with a series of traditional stone outbuildings, a Siberian larch clad multi-purpose building, and a thatched tennis pavilion — all set within approximately six acres of mature, landscaped gardens overlooking the River Spey and the dramatic Cairngorm mountains. An optional 20 acres of ancient Caledonian pine woodland is also available by separate negotiation. A haven for flora and fauna, the woodland is known for its wildflower diversity, including the rare Twinflower, and offers tranquillity and privacy. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Internally, the residence retains an abundance of period detail including original wood panelling, ornate fireplaces, a carved stone mantel, restored servant bells, and William Morris wallpapers. Broomhill House. Carefully renovated by the current owners, the home pairs this period elegance with modern convenience, including a DeVol kitchen with granite worktops, a 4-oven AGA, and thoughtfully upgraded bathrooms. With breathtaking views from nearly every room, a covered verandah and an annexe with its own private access, the layout allows owners a great deal of privacy as well as ample opportunities to entertain guests. Broomhill House is available at offers over £1.9m. More details can be found here, or by contacting 01738 354110 or scotland@
Metro
a day ago
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BBC rejects claim Call the Midwife star was 'disrespected' before shock exit
The BBC has responded to Call the Midwife's Olly Rix's comments on his sudden departure from the role of Matthew Aylward after three years on the BBC One drama. Fans were left devastated last year when Matthew announced that he would be moving to New York to try and make his fortune after losing his inheritance. He gave Trixie (Helen George) a relationship ultimatum and as the season wrapped up, it was unclear whether Rix would stay or go, leaving many Call the Midwife viewers saying he 'deserved better'. Yet the 40-year-old was subsequently cast on Casualty, confirming he would not be returning to the East End set. There were reports at the time that the cast were 'stunned and upset' Rix's character Matthew had been written out. Rix has since spoken about how he felt he wasn't 'treated with much integrity or respect' at the end of his time on the show, telling Hello! he now struggles to talk about Call the Midwife. A Call the Midwife spokesperson told Metro: 'We don't accept this. Call the Midwife is a drama that prides itself on providing a supportive, inclusive and nurturing filming environment, and we are known for the family atmosphere on our set. 'Series 15 is currently filming and we look forward to sharing this exciting new series with our beloved audience.' Rix told Hello!: 'It's hard for me to talk about that show. I don't love talking about it. 'I'm very fortunate. Most jobs, I think of very fondly but you do, of course, leave them in the past and move on and develop new work. 'With that project in particular, I didn't like the way it ended and I didn't think they treated me with much integrity or respect, and I didn't like that. 'I think it's just best left in the past and not discussed much more.' RadioTimes at the time reported that Rix's departure didn't necessarily mean it was the end of the road for the character of Matthew. According to the publication, the door was being left open for him to come back at some point in the future – whether that remains the case is unclear. More Trending Rix has now traded in his 50s period costume for scrubs to play former Special Forces medic Flynn Byron on Casualty. Meanwhile, the BBC has announced plans to make a Call the Midwife film as well as a prequel TV series set during the Second World War. The show's 15th series will begin with a two-part Christmas special which will see the cast of characters journey to Hong Kong on a mercy mission. View More » Call the Midwife returns this Christmas. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Race Across The World fans have limited time to apply for BBC series MORE: Popular BBC series to return to TV as huge cast changes are confirmed MORE: Casualty fans confused by BBC soap change as end of an era is confirmed
Leader Live
4 days ago
- Leader Live
Protests over ‘please walk on me' flag artwork prompt its removal from gallery
The Suter Art Gallery in the city of Nelson said it had taken down the work by Maori artist Diane Prince due to escalating tensions and safety fears. The episode mirrored an Auckland gallery's removal of the work amid a public backlash in 1995. This time, the flag was meant to remain on display for five months. Instead, it lasted just 19 days, reigniting long-running debates in New Zealand over artistic expression, national symbols and the country's colonial history. Police told the Associated Press that officers were investigating 'several' complaints about the exhibition. The piece, titled Flagging The Future, is a cloth New Zealand flag displayed on the floor with the words 'please walk on me' stencilled across it. The work was part of an exhibition, Diane Prince: Activist Artist, and was meant to provoke reflection on the Maori experience since New Zealand's colonisation by Britain in the 19th century. Ms Prince created the piece in 1995 in response to a government policy that limited compensation to Maori tribes for historical land theft. 'I have no attachment to the New Zealand flag,' she told Radio New Zealand in 2024. 'I don't call myself a New Zealander. I call myself a Maori.' New Zealand's reckoning with its colonial past has gathered pace in recent decades. But there has been little appetite among successive governments to sever the country's remaining constitutional ties to Britain or change the flag's design. New Zealand is among countries where desecrating the national flag is considered taboo and prohibited by law. Damaging a flag in public with intent to dishonour it is punishable by a fine of up to 5,000 New Zealand dollars, but prosecutions are fleetingly rare. As in the United States and elsewhere, the country's flag is synonymous for some with military service. But for others, particularly some Maori, it is a reminder of land dispossession, and loss of culture and identity. Protests against the artwork in the city of Nelson, which has a population 55,000, included videos posted to social media by a local woman, Ruth Tipu, whose grandfather served in the army's Maori Battalion during the Second World War. In one clip, she is seen lifting the flag from the floor and draping it over another artwork, an action Ms Tipu said she would repeat daily. A veterans' group also denounced the piece as 'shameful' and 'offensive'. City council member Tim Skinner said he was 'horrified' by the work's inclusion. But others welcomed it. Nelson's deputy mayor, Rohan O'Neill-Stevens, posted on social media 'in strong defence of artistic expression and the right for us all to be challenged and confronted by art'. The work was perhaps expected to provoke controversy and in the exhibition's opening days, the Suter Gallery defended its inclusion. But a statement on its Facebook page late Thursday said a 'sharp escalation in the tone and nature of the discourse, moving well beyond the bounds of respectful debate' had prompted the flag's removal. 'This should not be interpreted as a judgment on the artwork or the artist's intent,' the statement said.
