Moat Brae

Moat Brae was built in 1823, designed by architect Walter Newall for a local solicitor. Built of sandstone, it would have made an impressive family home, once jokingly referred to as ‘Number One Dumfries’ due to its grandeur, and this is how J M Barrie would have known it.

Barrie was born in Kirriemuir, but attended Dumfries Academy from 1873 to 1878, starting at the age of 13. It was during his time here that he played in Moat Brae and its garden, which he later claimed helped to inspire Peter Pan and his world. In his memoirs, he wrote, ‘Our escapades in a certain Dumfries garden which was an enchanted land to me was certainly the genesis of this work.’ Barrie made friends with Hal and Stuart Gordon, children of the family who lived in Moat Brae in 1873, whilst at school and spent much time, happily playing at pirates in the gardens here.

After many changes of use, in 2009 there were plans to demolish the house and a Trust was established to save and restore both house and garden and to develop them as Scotland's first Centre for Children's Literature. It opened as the National Centre for Children's Literature and Storytelling on the 1st June 2019, also housing the library of the Arthur Ransome Society. However, in August 2024, Moat Brae was closed due to financial difficulties. It stand empty and sad, with signs of this role still in place, leaving me wishing I had been able to visit whilst it was open.

Moat Brae

101 George St,

Dumfries

DG1 1EA

You can read about the Peter Pan statue in Kensington Gardens here.