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Finding Neverland: Moat Brae House

PART OF THE Spotlight on the South-West ISSUE

‘… when shades of night began to fall, certain young mathematicians shed their triangles, crept up walls and down trees, and became pirates in a sort of Odyssey that was long afterwards to become the play of Peter Pan. For our escapades in a certain Dumfries Garden, which is enchanted land to me, were certainly the genesis of that nefarious work, Peter Pan.’ – J M Barrie

Did you know that the inspiration behind J M Barrie’s classic, Peter Pan, was inspired in a beautiful garden in Dumfries? And that Dumfries have opened the amazing Moat Brae House and Discovery Gardens to pay tribute to this place of literary history? Here we share the story of how the house, which fell into disrepair in the 20th century, has now been restored to become as inspirational to children now as it was to J M Barrie in his childhood.

 

Patron of the Moat Brae House, Joanna Lumley, talks to us on Moat Brae’s inspiration on J M Barrie writing Peter Pan:

 

While Moat Brae house was being renovated, they set out their plans for the finished building:

 

 

Moat Brae House opened to the public in Spring 2019, and is a beautiful, inspiring place to feed childrens’ imagination. When lockdown is over, we highly recommend you take a trip to Dumfries to discover the wonder of the gardens yourselves.

For more information on Moat Brae House, visit their website.

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