Old Gala House

Old Gala House is a museum and conference centre in the Old Town of Galashiels, in the Scottish Borders. Its walls hold more than five centuries of local history, and a painted ceiling celebrating a seventeenth-century wedding is the best-known treasure inside.

What is Old Gala House?

The building began life as a tower house in 1457, raised by the Hoppringill family, better known today as the Pringles. They had received the lands of Gala from the Earl of Douglas, and the house became the centre of their estate. Over the centuries it grew from a defensive residence into a comfortable family home, and today it works as a museum, gallery and venue for events.

How did the house change over time?

The story unfolds in stages. In 1583 Andrew Hoppringill carried out major improvements and enlarged the house as his family home. Another phase of building followed in 1611. In 1635 Andrew moved back to the family seat at Smailholm Tower, because his daughter Jean married Hugh Scott. Hugh became the new laird and made further improvements and extensions of his own. More additions were made in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and together they produced the building you see now.

What does the building look like?

The house is a five-bay, U-shaped structure built of rubblestone. Three sides of it are wrapped by gardens with water features, which makes the setting a calm contrast with the busy town around it. The mix of building periods is part of the charm, since the older tower-house origins and later additions are all read in a single, compact structure.

What is the painted ceiling?

A ceiling painting was rediscovered in 1952. It was made to celebrate the marriage of Jean Hoppringill and Hugh Scott, the same wedding that saw Andrew return to Smailholm. It is the feature most often mentioned by visitors and a rare surviving piece of decoration from the period.

What can you see inside?

The museum looks at the history of Galashiels and the surrounding area, and it also hosts changing exhibitions of contemporary art and craft. A permanent display is devoted to the sculptor Thomas Clapperton, who is remembered for the frieze on the Liberty store in London and the Border Reiver war memorial. Programmes change from season to season, so it is worth checking what is on before you go.

Practical tips

• Admission to the museum is free.
• The gardens are open to visit free of charge throughout the year.
• Opening times are seasonal and have varied between sources, so confirm them with the venue before travelling, especially outside the summer months.
• Allow about an hour for the rooms and a little extra time to stroll through the gardens.

Frequently asked questions

When was Old Gala House built? The original tower house dates from 1457, with major works in 1583 and 1611 and further additions in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

Who built it? The Hoppringill (Pringle) family, who held the lands of Gala under the Earl of Douglas.

Is it free to enter? Yes, admission is free, and the gardens can be visited free all year round.

Why is the ceiling famous? It is a painted ceiling made for the 1635 marriage of Jean Hoppringill and Hugh Scott, and it was rediscovered in 1952.

Who is Thomas Clapperton? A sculptor honoured with a permanent display in the museum. He is known for the Liberty store frieze in London and the Border Reiver war memorial.