Newton Surmaville

Newton Surmaville, also known as Newton House, was built between 1608 and 1612, on the site of an earlier building, originally owned by the Norman de Salmonville family from the 1200s. The site was purchased by clothier Robert Harbin, who oversaw the construction of the current house in 1612, replacing the medieval structure. Subsequently, George Harbin, a descendant, made further improvements in the 1820s which addressed practical concerns within the house, such as the layout and access between rooms. In the 1870s, extensive renovations were carried out on the mansion, which still housed its original furniture, an eclectic library of numerous volumes, 17th-century tapestries, and collections of antique pewter, pistols, and swords. Many of these items were sold during an auction in 2007. Following the auction, the current Harbin owners acquired certain items due to their ancestral significance. Upon purchasing the house in 2020, they reinstated these items within Newton House. Some of these contents were donated to the Museum of Somerset and the Somerset Military Museum, while others were auctioned at Sotheby’s in London. Designated as a Grade I listed building by English Heritage, the name “Surmaville” originates from the de Salmonville family.

Thomas Erskine, 9th Earl of Kellie, bought the estate back in the 1790s. A successful merchant in Sweden, he invested heavily in improving the estate. He commissioned the architect Robert Balfour to remodel the house in 1795. The 9th Earl, though married, had no heirs with his wife. However, before his marriage, he had a daughter named Anna Eglehart. He and his wife adopted all of Anna’s children, with the eldest becoming the first baronet of Cambo in 1821, as he couldn’t inherit knighthood due to being illegitimate. Both the first and second baronets of Cambo were avid golfers and served as captains of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club in St Andrews. Their portraits adorn the lobby of the Kingsbarns Golf Links clubhouse.