History of the Retreat
The Glenesk Folk Museum at the Retreat was set up in 1955 by Miss Greta Michie, a local farmer's daughter and school teacher, based on Scandinavian folk museums she had visited in Norway. The Retreat houses an extremely large collection of artefacts, some of which are now on display in the museum.
When the museum was set up, with the generous help of Lord and Lady Dalhousie, the Retreat building had been empty for some time, after being used as a summer holiday house for friends of the Laird. Built in the 1840’s by Captain, later Rear-Admiral, JE Wemyss as a “retreat” from his life at sea it was originally quite a small cottage. After his death in 1854 it was first rented out and then later enlarged sometime near the end of the 1800’s and used as a shooting lodge. It was enlarged again round about the 1920’s when the distinctive frontage was built. Millden Lodge later superseded it as a lodge.
As well as being a repository for Glen history, the idea behind the setting up of The Retreat was to give employment to the women and young folk of the Glen, a task it has performed admirably for over fifty years. It also gave an outlet for local produce, such as eggs, butter, home baking, home made jams and heather honey as well as local craftwork. Stricter regulations have almost banished the sale of local foodstuffs although we do stock Isabella's Preserves, Glen knitting and handmade cards are still sold in the Gift Shop.
2007 and the Retreat has just undergone a massive reconstruction and is now fully open to the public once more.