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Visitor Information: Inside the John Buchan Centre |
The John Buchan Centre occupies an old church standing beside the A701 on the southern edge of the village of Broughton in Upper Tweeddale. It tells the story of John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir, and one of the most enduringly popular authors of the 20th Century.
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John Buchan is remembered as a prolific author of a wide range of fiction and non-fiction books, and most notably for bringing Richard Hannay to life in The Thirty-Nine Steps and the books that followed it in the series. His full and formal title at the end of his life was The Right Honourable John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir, GCMG, GCVO, CH, PC.
Buchan was born in Perth, the son of a Free Church minister. The family moved first to Fife and then to Glasgow, where he studied at Hutcheson's Grammar School. He went on to Glasgow University, and then to Brasenose College, Oxford, where he won a prize for poetry in 1898 en route to a First Class degree in 1899, a year in which he was also President of the Oxford Union.
 The Story of John Buchan |
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 More of the Domestic Displays |
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 Some of Buchan's Many Books |
As well as writing books, Buchan spent time as a diplomat in South Africa between 1901 and 1903, and then took up a career in publishing before becoming involved with British Intelligence during World War One. After the war Buchan became a Director of Reuters. He also began to write historical works, becoming president of the Scottish Historical Society. In 1927 Buchan was elected as the Member of Parliament representing Scottish Universities, and in 1933 he was appointed Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
He relinquished both roles when, in 1935, he was appointed Governor General of Canada. He was ennobled at the same time, and it is no coincidence that the title he chose was 1st Baron Tweedsmuir. Buchan had strong family links to Tweeddale and his father had stood in as minister of Broughton Free Church: and met and married John's mother as a result. They moved to Perth before John was born, but he remained deeply rooted in this part of the country.
This is therefore a highly fitting setting for the John Buchan Centre. Broughton can be found about five miles south east of Biggar and ten miles south west of Peebles. Inside you find displays of photographs, information and books telling the story of John Buchan's several parallel careers and his many achievements.
Also on display are a number of John Buchan's belongings, notable some of his uniforms, and household objects associated with the family home on Tweeddale. His many books feature large, with one display covering the many adaptations for film and TV of The Thirty-Nine Steps. The centre also covers the less well known novels of Buchan's sister, Anna, who wrote under the pen-name "O. Douglas".
 John Buchan Centre Seen from the Road |
