The Woman Behind the Initials

Every day, as I walk into the courtyard at Brylach Steading, I'm greeted by three gold letters set proudly into the stonework above the buildings.

P.D.D.

Most people probably don't notice them at first.

If they do, they're often left wondering what they stand for.

Those three letters belong to Phoebe Dunbar Dunbar, and over the past few months I've found myself becoming increasingly fascinated by the woman whose initials have watched over Brylach for more than 150 years.

When we first arrived at Brylach, one of the things we wanted to do was gently restore some of the building's original character. Repainting the carved initials and date in gold felt like a small way of honouring the people who came before us, but it also sparked a question.

Who was Phoebe?

As it turns out, her story is a remarkable one.

Phoebe was born into one of Britain's most successful shipping families. Her father, Duncan Dunbar, was one of the nineteenth century's largest shipowners, with a fleet of vessels trading across the globe. One of those ships even carried her name — The Phoebe Dunbar.

It was a world very different from my own family's story.

Although we both have roots in the same part of East London, our histories couldn't have been more different. Phoebe's family owned the ships that sailed from the docks, while generations of my own family earned their living working on the docks.

I often wonder whether, despite their very different lives, our families ever crossed paths in those busy docklands all those years ago. It's one of those impossible questions that history leaves unanswered, but I like the thought that our stories, separated by class and circumstance, have somehow become connected through this place.

Another question I found myself asking was why her surname appears twice.

Like many Scottish landed families of the time, the double-barrelled surname wasn't simply a family name but part of preserving an estate and family lineage through inheritance. It's a small detail, but one that speaks to the traditions and responsibilities of the era.

Phoebe and her husband, Edward Dunbar Dunbar, were closely connected to nearby Rothes Glen House (originally called Birchfield House), and Brylach formed part of that wider family holiday estate. It's lovely to imagine what life here might have looked like in the late nineteenth century — horses returning to the carriage houses, staff busy in the courtyard, and the surrounding Speyside countryside looking reassuringly familiar despite the passing of time.

One of my favourite discoveries has been finding a beautiful portrait of Phoebe, now hanging in The Hayloft. It somehow feels fitting that she's once again part of Brylach's story, quietly watching over the building that still bears her initials.

Of course, Brylach has changed enormously since Phoebe's day.

The horses have long since gone, the carriage houses have become welcoming cottages, and guests now arrive from all over the world to explore everything Speyside has to offer.

Yet some things remain remarkably unchanged.

The peace.

The views across the countryside.

The incredible sunsets.

The feeling that this is a place to pause, breathe and appreciate the landscape around you.

As owners, Janno and I often say that we don't really own Brylach Steading — we're simply its current custodians. Long before we arrived, others cared for this place and left their own mark upon it. Long after we're gone, we hope Brylach will continue to evolve while respecting the history that makes it so special.

Sometimes restoring a historic place isn't just about repairing stonework or repainting old initials.

It's about rediscovering the people whose lives shaped it.

Every time we welcome guests to Brylach Steading, we're adding another chapter to a story that began long before we arrived.

And every time I look up at those three gold letters, I find myself wondering what Phoebe would make of Brylach today.

Somehow, I hope she'd approve.

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Louise Christopher
Owner & Custodian, Brylach Steading