Dundee House

About Dundee House

This was the home of the Willis family who built the tea clipper “Cutty Sark" in 1869. Their son, John, became the ship's Captain, although he did not live in the house.
Opposite is the Coastal Marine Boat Builders Ltd. A boatyard has been operating in Eyemouth since at least 1800, when it was located above the rise of the beach. When it outgrew that site, it was moved to its present location, at Brownsbank, over the Eye Water. In 1867 the firm became known as “James Weatherhead" and was very highly esteemed:
“The local boatyard became famous for the good work produced: indeed. the fishermen used to say with regard to their boats, so great was their confidence in Mr Weatherhead's workmanship: ‘Wun'cudna'blaw, nor sea rin tae dae them harm'".
Time has seen a great change in the size of fishing boats, from the 7m/ 22ft long cobles and 7.5m/ 25ft yawIs used in the 1840s to the 2I-24m/ 70-8oft motor fishing vessels of today. The Boatyard still manufactures and repairs boats, including maintaining RNLI Lifeboats. When the doors of the workshop are open it is possible to see boats being worked on inside.
Outside the boatyard sits “Bertha" one of the oldest steam driven water craft in the country. This boat was built in the 1840s at Isambard Kingdom Banel's works at Bristol for use in the Bridgewater Canal. There are plans to restore Bertha to her former glory as part of a collection of vessels that is now kept in Eyemouth.