Summary
Perched above Eyemouth harbour, lording it incongruously over the humbler vernacular buildings nearby, Gunsgreen House is a neo- classical mansion, designed in the 1750s by one of Scotland's most eminent architects, John Adam. Recently restored to its former glory, the interior bespeaks of refined living, but tap the walls, open a panel, and you find a concealed tea chute, descend into its capacious vaulted basement and you might well speculate what was stored here, in profitable bulk. FOR Gunsgreen House, for all its veneer of elegant respectability, was built on the proceeds of smuggling, at a time when that free-est of free trades was not only endemic around Eyemouth, but throughout much of Scotland, often with tacit or active support from the public at large.
What is sometimes referred to as "the golden age" of Scottish smuggling was heralded by the Act of Union of 1707, which brought Scotland's hitherto less onerous import duties and taxes into line with those of England. As Gavin D Smith writes in his book, The Scottish Smuggler (now, sadly, out of print): "Scottish import duties subsequently increased until they were in line with those south of the Border, and, in some instances, the new rates were as much as seven times their pre-Union levels."See the full content of this document
Extract
The 'Golden Age' of Scottish Smuggling
Luxuries such as claret and other wines, brandy, tobacco and tea and silk, as well as such necessities as glassware, salt, candles, soap and sugar became lucrative contraband as the duties on them rose. Smith quotes Sir Walter Scott, who, as Sheriff-Depute of Selkirkshire, would have his own experience of smugglers, as commenting: "Smuggling was almost universal in Scotland, for people un...
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