SCOTLAND NEWS Scottish Borders.

Monteath Mausoleum , near Ancrum, Jedburgh in the Scottish Borders. Scotland,

The building is the tomb of General Sir Thomas Monteath Douglas (1788-1868), whose daughter was married to Sir William Monteath Scott of Ancrum. General Monteath Douglas had spent most of his life serving with the 35th Bengal Infantry in India and chose the solitary and commanding position at the top of Gersit Law on his son-in-law’s lands to build his tomb.

Built in 1864 by local craftsmen, to a design by Edinburgh architects, Peddie & Kinnear, the Mausoleum is a hidden gem of Victorian architecture. It is flanked by two life-sized stone lions, one awake and one sleeping, and features a beautiful domed roof pierced with 48 glass stars. Inside, impressive carvings of two tall guardian angels can be found.

The Mausoleum was abandoned in 1964 after the death of the last family member and broken roof windows and door panels have since led to internal damage by wind, rain, birds and other wildlife. The exterior stonework has also fallen into disrepair, with walls overgrown with ivy and weeds. The Mausoleum is currently on the Buildings at Risk Scotland Register and is Listed Grade B by Historic Environment Scotland.