• Home
• The man
• The writings
• The Society
• The Journal
• >>The John Buchan Centre
• The Thirty-Nine Steps
• How you can help
• Contact the Society
• John Buchan Links
• Articles about Buchan
• High Contrast Colours

Set in the Beautiful Border Countryside of Upper Tweeddale which he knew, and loved so well, the John Buchan Centre tells the story of John Buchan, first Lord Tweedsmuir, one of Scotland's most distinguished sons.

The centre is staffed by approximately twenty volunteers from the local village of Broughton and the surrounding area, and is managed by a committee under the Biggar Museum Trust.

John Buchan's links with Broughton went back to his earliest childhood. In 1851 his maternal grandfather John Masterton became the tenant of the farmhouse of Broughton Green, which opened onto the village street, still in the possession of the Buchan family. At the age of seventeen Helen Masterton married the Reverend John Buchan while he was in charge of Broughton Free Church when the regular minister was abroad. After their wedding at The Green the young couple left for Perth where Mr Buchan had been called to the Knox Church, and there in 1875 their son John was born. Then followed an astonishing and illustrious career as an author, publisher, soldier, diplomat, Minister of Information, Member of Parliament for the Scottish Universities, and finally, as Lord Tweedsmuir, Governor-General of Canada. He died in office in Canada of a cerebral stroke in 1940.

The former church building at the south end of Broughton village, where his relatives regularly worshipped and where he himself often attended services, is now the John Buchan Centre and houses a display of photographs and books illustrating John Buchan's career and achievements. In the display are some of his own and his family's belongings, and other memorabilia. Also featured is the work of his sister Anna, who wrote very popular light novels under the pen-name 'O. Douglas'.

All those who are interested in John Buchan, whether they are fans of long-standing or are meeting him for the first time, will enjoy a visit to the John Buchan Centre.