A set of rare medals found in a box at Borgue will go on display in Gatehouse today.
The precious collection of 11 items forms part of an exhibition at the Mill on the Fleet on James Brown of Knockbrex.
The Manchester retail entrepreneur bought the Knockbrex Estate and its ten Carrick shore farms in 1894.
He built several buildings in mock-castle style, including the famous Coo Palace model dairy at Corseyard – now a luxury holiday retreat.
Brown died in 1920 but his pedigree Belted Galloways went on to claim trophies at agricultural shows across Scotland.
The medals, many of solid silver, lay undiscovered for decades – then turned up inside a title deeds box at a Knockbrex property.
Mary Kate Brown, who lives at Knockbrex, is James Brown’s great-granddaughter-in-law – and she’s delighted the medals are going on display along with other items relating to the trailblazer’s life and works.
“It’s a unique exhibition,” she told the News. “We did not even know the medals existed until nine months ago.
“My mother-in-law found them in a deed box. They are now in private ownership with a family member.
“This will be the first time they have ever gone on public viewing.”
The medals are likely to attract a lot of interest from local historians and people with an agricultural background.
She added: “It’s incredible they have turned up after all this time.
“They date from 1925 to 1954 and include medals awarded by the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland for best Belted Galloway exhibit.”
“It’s a rather lovely and important connection to the area.
James Brown, a passionate supporter of the arts and crafts movement, brought up silversmiths from Manchester specially to produce personal items.”
Other items in the exhibition include a beautiful silver teapot, an inkwell and archaeological finds.
He was also a keen archaeologist and carried out an excavation of an iron age stone fort on the Carrick shore estate in 1907.
Several relics were uncovered – including one gruesome discovery.
“One was a ring on a finger bone,” Mrs Brown said.
“It will also be on display.”
