Knockbrex Estate Buildings Dumfries and Galloway

James Brown of Affleck & Brown has purchased the estate of Knockbrex, Borgue, Kirkcudbright. [Manchester City News 3 February 1894 Page 5 (Personal)]

The estate buildings comprise: Knockbrex House and Knockbrex Castle, also appropriately known as the Toy Fort. This was originally built as a folly and also used as a motor house. In addition there is a stable block set out around a courtyard, a farm and a bathing house, which is situated on the rocky coast close to the house. These were all built for James Brown between 1895 and his death in 1920. Mr Brown was a wealthy cloth merchant from Manchester, who was the chairman of the drapery firm of Affleck and Brown. The architect attributed with the design of these buildings is Mr Higginbottom from Manchester whom Mr Brown had employed to design other buildings.