THE HISTORY OF BURGIE & THE FAMILY


The medieval Burgie Castle was a stronghold of the Dunbar Clan and records date back to about 1600. According to one historian, within the high walls surrounding the Castle lies the ground selected by the monks of Kinloss Abbey for their orchard.

 

It is thought that circa 1800 the middle part of the present house was built

as a "cubical block" using the stone from the then ruined castle. In 1912 Alexander Thomson entirely recast the building, extending the wings and covering the whole with a new roof. The old porch from the current house was removed and re-erected near the castle where it still remains today as a folly.  The house was enlarged again and modernised inside in 1934 and its appearance remains the same to this day.


Burgie came into Hamish Lochore's family in 1902 when his great-grandfather,

Alexander Thomson became a tenant and subsequently, in 1911 bought approximately 3,000 acres, the House and 25 other houses and cottages for GBP25,000.

 

Alexander Thomson died in 1925 having retired from a career as a tea planter in Ceylon where his elder son, Ian lived and worked at the time. Ian came back to Moray and began his life as laird of Burgie having served in The Seaforth Highlanders in the 1st and then in the 2nd World wars achieving the rank of Brigadier.


Ian's sister, Jean, married a prominent civil servant, James Lochore who was subsequently knighted for public service in Ceylon.  Ian Thomson never married and his intention was to make his nephew, John Lochore, elder son of his sister, heir to Burgie.  Tragically John was killed in France, near Caen, on 30th May 1944 while serving with The Seaforth Highlanders.  Johns widow Bodgen then brought their 2 children, Hamish and Fiona to live at Burgie shortly after the war.  Bodgen still lives in the Mains House today.

  

Hamish inherited the now slightly smaller 1500 acre estate from his great uncle in 1966.  Hamish having married Polly (nee Hely Hutchinson) in 1970 left an army career in The Royal Scots Greys, and brought his family Alec, Hugh and Clare to live at Burgie in the early 1970s. 

 

The whole family still remain very involved with the various aspect of the estate despite living 'away from home'.  Alec and Emily (nee Thompson) and 2 young children Rafe and Hector currently live in Norfolk, Hugh and Brooke (nee Shelfer) and their 2 young children Miles and Cole live in Tallahassee, Florida whilst Clare lives in Edinburgh and is an Osteopath in Glasgow.