Rodono House
History
Old Post Cards and Historical Sketch
Two postcards from the interbellum showing Rodono House as it looked approximately 80 years ago. We feel that back then the house had a more commanding presence, dominating St Mary's Loch from all directions. Now, however, with the beautiful, mature trees (oak and ash and maple and sycamore and beech and Scots pine and rowan and birch) all around, the house feels much warmer and sheltered. Still, it's nice to see how things once were.
Seen from across the water,
in its commanding, elevated position.
The hill was terraced
to form a plateau for the house.
From just after WOII dates this historical sketch.
Rodono is derived from the old Scots name for a Rowan-tree viz. Rodon-tree, of which many survivors still grow in the vicinity.
The name-place is a revival of the ancient Barony of Rodono, which consisted of the Meggat Vale and was granted by Alexander 1 in 1236 to the Monks of Melrose Abbey.
It appears in the Abbey opf Melrose Rentals as tenanted by Robert Scott of Bowhill in 1556 and Sir Walter Scott of Branxholm.
The Estate to which this refers would be the site of the Rodono Chapel where mounds are still visible at the roadside just south of Chapelhope Farm, Loch of the Lowes, 2 mls from Hotel.
On this site Mary Queen of Scots held Court in company with Lord Darnley in 1566, whilst visiting Cramalt Royal Hunting Tower, Meggat.
The building of Rodono Hotel was completed in 1866 for the late David Turnbull as a shooting lodge.
The house wqas converted into a hotel over 50 years ago, being well situated as a Half Way House for the Moffat-Selkirk coaching runs.
The Hotel will continue to offer the traditional hospitality of the past to the travellers of the present and the future.
The name-place is a revival of the ancient Barony of Rodono, which consisted of the Meggat Vale and was granted by Alexander 1 in 1236 to the Monks of Melrose Abbey.
It appears in the Abbey opf Melrose Rentals as tenanted by Robert Scott of Bowhill in 1556 and Sir Walter Scott of Branxholm.
The Estate to which this refers would be the site of the Rodono Chapel where mounds are still visible at the roadside just south of Chapelhope Farm, Loch of the Lowes, 2 mls from Hotel.
On this site Mary Queen of Scots held Court in company with Lord Darnley in 1566, whilst visiting Cramalt Royal Hunting Tower, Meggat.
The building of Rodono Hotel was completed in 1866 for the late David Turnbull as a shooting lodge.
The house wqas converted into a hotel over 50 years ago, being well situated as a Half Way House for the Moffat-Selkirk coaching runs.
The Hotel will continue to offer the traditional hospitality of the past to the travellers of the present and the future.