Hugo Burge - an appreciation

I consider it a great privilege to have known Hugo, the self proclaimed “recovering techie and Arts & Crafts geek” who died tragically far too young last week. Hugo was one of life’s most generous spirited, visionary, inspiring, gentle people. He will be mourned by many but his legacy will live on.

11 years ago Hugo began the restoration of Marchmont house, a beautiful 18c Palladian mansion set in its own idyllic parkland . Previously the house had been used by Sue Ryder Care who had bought the house from the McEwen family. The house was a near wreck.

Hugo not only fully restored the house, winning the Country Life Historic House Restoration prize, He also filled it with a fabulous collection. Bedrooms celebrating his love of the Arts and Crafts period  and public rooms which successfully combine 18th and 19th painters, Scottish Colourists and Pre Raphaelites with 20th and 21st century sculptures by such as Gerald Laing and Anthony Gormley.

For this restoration alone Hugo would have earned his place in the Pantheon of great modern Scots but he made Marchmont far more than just a beautiful house. He set out to bring it a new meaning; to give it a future as a place celebrating and encouraging music, writing and the arts reflecting the earlier values of the Arts and Crafts movement he so loved. Celebrating craftsmanship in an age of mass production and preserving skills that are in danger of being lost.

Hugo’s vision was to create a home for makers and creators. A space where innovative ideas could flourish. His dream was to use the house and its tranquil surroundings to inspire creative purpose and find ways to challenge businesses, artists, makers and  creative thinkers to shape a better world.

He converted the stables and kennels into Marchmont Creative Spaces where a strong community of artists and artisans has already developed. Young artists can get funded residences there to help them get started. He saved the last rush seat workshop in the UK giving it a new home. He created a community.

Most recently he launched the Marchmont Silversmithing workshop where a master silversmith works along side and mentors 3 young post graduates. There is also a revolving space for international silversmiths to spend time cross fertilising skills and ideas. This is the most significant development in the Scottish jewellery sector for a generation.

His vision wasn’t just confined to Marchmont itself. He launched the Marchmont Makers Foundation to support creativity in the arts in the Scottish Borders and beyond. Helping artists to become financially sustainable and supporting projects that inspire art in the community.

Such is Marchmont’s success that other artists not directly involved in Marchmont are already being drawn to that part of Berwickshire knowing they will find like minded friends there.

Over the past few years I’ve been lucky enough to visit Hugo at Marchmont a number of times, most recently with a group of enlightened landowners who are themselves finding ways to enhance the communities that live in and they were all inspired, indeed amazed by what they saw.

Philanthropists with great drive generally focus on either trying to preserve something or to change the world. Marchmont and the Marchmont Makers Foundation is one of the rare examples of an organisation which is brilliantly dong both and its all down to the vision of one man, Hugo Burge