Labour of love for mansion
Costly challenge to restore house to former glory
(Story: April 3, 2003)

The original Laird of Trumland, General Frederick William Traill Burroughs, on the ornate staircase of the house. (Picture: Orkney Library Photo Archives)

The new owners of the Trumland estate in Rousay are appealing to the Orkney public to help them restore the mansion to its former glory.

Mr Brian Gregg and his wife Elaine have set themselves the expensive challenge of rebuilding the 19th century property. And to make the refurbishment as authentic as possible, they are seeking old photographs and artefacts connected with the house.

“We want to return it to its former glory within the realms of health and safety levels,” said Mrs Gregg. “If anyone has old interior shots of the house we would be grateful if they would get in touch with myself.”

The Greggs are prepared for costly rebuilding work — without putting a figure to the price. Mrs Gregg told The Orcadian: “How long is a piece of string? It will cost what it costs.”

The couple, who run a coach company in Lincolnshire among many other business interests, will be moving into one of the estate’s cottages within the next few weeks, and thereafter will be starting refurbishment work on the main house.

The sumptuous surroundings of the original library at Trumland House in Rousay. (Picture: Courtesy of Orkney Library Photo Archives)

“From there on everything is go, although it will be a very slow go,” Mrs Gregg continued. “It has taken 15 years for us to get this far, so there is no rush now.”

Although the couple plan to retire to the property, in the meantime they will have to travel back and fore to Lincolnshire to keep an eye on their business interests.

They bought Trumland in 2001 – ten years after they first attempted to buy the property.

The B-listed property had a price tag in the region of £500,000 through selling agents, Scottish Highland Property Services, although it is not known how much the Greggs paid.

Trumland estate is a 2,000 acre property described at the time as a “residential and sporting estate” although the mansion house itself — built in the 1870s for General Frederick William Traill Burroughs — was falling into ruin.

The mansion boasts five reception rooms, seven principal bedrooms, four bathrooms and four attic bedrooms. Two cottages and an additional coach house within the grounds were already owned by Mr and Mrs Gregg and rented out.

Mrs Gregg can be contacted on 0770 220 1187.

The Trumland Estate in Rousay, the new owners of which hope to return it to its former glory. (Picture: Orkney Library Photo Archives)