Centre for Children’s Literature and Story Telling

Client: The Peter Pan Moat Brae Trust

The Category B Listed Moat Brae House and Garden in Dumfries was where the playright J M Barrie played with his friends as a child.  The garden was a place of adventure and his inspiration for Peter Panand Neverland.  The property fell into disuse in the late twentieth century and suffered greatly from water ingress and rot. 

LDN have been responsible since 2013 for helping the Peter Pan Moat Brae Trust to restore and develop the building and its garden as a National Centre for Children’s Literature and Storytelling.  The work has included the restoration of Walter Newall’s interior design; the installation of interpretation and activity spaces; and the creation of a new café, shop and Education Room in new extensions.  The garden has also been transformed into a Neverland attraction for children based around the idea of learning through imagination.

Development proposals were based on wide community consultation and the Trust continued to use the house in its “shell” form to accommodate events ranging from play workshops and music recitals to art exhibitions.  The project was funded by a wide range of individuals and organisations including the Scottish Government, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Historic Environment Scotland and Creative Scotland.

The new centre was opened by the Trust’s Patron “Patsy” who those of a slightly older generation might also remember as “Purdie”. 

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