Kerse Hall Gogar - John Claudius Loudon's home

‘John [Claudius Loudon] bounded down the stairs, half-sliding and half-leaping down six at a time, using the bannisters for support. James, Mary and Anne were at the kitchen table in Kerse Hall. When he got down they looked expectantly at their bubbly-haired elder brother. John was going to Edinburgh.’ This is a quote from The Claudians: gardens, landscapes, reason and faith: John Claudius Loudon and Claudius Buchanan, Tom Turner (Kindle, 2024)

More about Kerse Hall Farm

The site of the Loudon’s Kerse Hall farm has become one of the most visited places in Scotland, only because it is now forms part of the main runway of Edinburgh Airport. As a great believer in technology and progress, John Claudius Loudon would likely have approved of the development. Kerse Hall farm was probably leased from to the owners of Gogar Castle, which survives. One can guess that the family attended Gogar Parish Church, which has been decomissioned.

Jane Webb Loudon, John's wife would have agreed her husband. She was a pioneer of science fiction and envisioned a future in which air travel was normal. The two futurists deserve a memorial in Edinburgh Airport.  In her novel, The Mummy, Jane included this incident:-

"We have no time to lose, girls," said the duke. "I would not miss being with Sir Ambrose when he receives his letter, for kingdoms. Here, Hyppolite! Augustus! get a balloon ready, and let us be off directly. How tediousthese fellows are! They might have removed a church steeple in the time they have wasted about that balloon." 

"If your grace would have a moment's patience," said Hyppolite, holding the cords of the balloon. But his Grace had no patience; it was an ingredient Nature had quite forgotten to put into his composition; and, without waiting for the ascending ladder to be put down, he sprang into the car in such haste the moment the balloon was brought to the door, that he was in imminent danger of oversetting it. “So! so," said he, "very well! that will do,-and now girls, that you are safely embarked, we will be off. Hyppolite! you will steer us:and, Abelard, go you into the buttery, and let my fellows give you something to eat; you will want something after your fatigues. There! there, that will do; don't let us hinder a moment- ;" and the rest of his speech was lost in air, as the balloon floated majestically away.