Scots Sensation
Explore the life and work of Lewis Grassic Gibbon
JAMES LESLIE MITCHELL might not be a household name, but his celebrated novel caused a sensation when it was published in 1932. And that same tale was voted Scotland’s Favourite Book by BBC Scotland in 2016.
Better known by his pen name of Lewis Grassic Gibbon, his Scottish crofting elegy, Sunset Song, is set in the Mearns – a historic county on the coast of north-east Scotland.
The Mearns is also the tranquil setting for the Grassic Gibbon Centre, which celebrates the life and works of the novelist. The centre stands within three kilometres (two miles) of the Arbuthnott farm where he spent his childhood and just yards from his parish school.
Jim Brown, chairman of the Grassic Gibbon Centre, says, “The centre sits in the heartland of the parish that instilled his appreciation of the natural world, but also fired his acute social awareness and political persuasion.”
Grassic Gibbon followed up his most famous work with two sequels, Cloud Howe and Grey Granite, and his A Scots Quair trilogy remains a landmark in Scottish literature.
When he died – aged just 33, from peritonitis brought on by a perforated ulcer – his ashes were laid to rest in Arbuthnott churchyard, a short walk from the centre.
Jim says, “The enduring reputation of Lewis Grassic
Gibbon is a tribute to his wife Rebecca ‘Ray’ Mitchell. After his untimely death, she set herself two targets – bringing up and educating her two young children and a continuing public recognition of the work her husband had accomplished. “She is often forgotten in the Grassic Gibbon story.”
The centre hosts events throughout the year, with 2022’s theme being Women Of The Mearns – highlighting Ray Mitchell’s influence, among others. The welcoming cafe offers delicious cakes and snacks, and there’s a grassy area with play equipment that’s perfect for picnics and family fun.