Joanna Lumley
The actress has helped raise £5.8 million to restore the house in Dumfries that inspired Peter Pan
A Wee Blether With…
Why did Moat Brae in Dumfries inspire J M Barrie to write Peter Pan?
The gardens, in those Victorian days, would have been much more overgrown so you could imagine lots of places to hide and mermaids in their lagoon in the river. It is just a dreamy kind of place; you can see distant mountains and you get the sense there is a huge sky, and it is a place of beauty. I have always thought this part of Scotland has been touched by a magic quality.
What is your favourite place in the house?
The central hall with extraordinary domed lighting at the top. As a child, you could look down from the round gallery and see your parents leaving to go out for the evening, or see who is coming to the front door, even though you are in your bedclothes. You can imagine Barrie leaning over there.
Why is the National Centre For Children’s Literature And Storytelling, to be based at Moat Brae, needed?
The whole feeling of literature, literacy, storytelling, writing, reading, poetry and listening is my entire life because that is what acting and playwrights are – storytellers. We get stitched down to exact scientific facts and we forget that pretty much everything that makes our life worth living is imagination, fantasy and dreams.
Why do you give up time for charity work such as this and the Gurkha Justice Campaign?
We tend to divide things up and say “that’s charity work, that’s work” but for me charity is just living. If somebody came up and said, “Could you hold this door open while I get my baby from the car?” why wouldn’t you? That’s charity. So if people ask if I can help with this, I say yes, but I can’t say yes to everything because there aren’t enough hours in the day.
Is there anything about Patsy from Absolutely Fabulous in you?
She is the absolute polar opposite, but I had the happiest time ever doing that revolting woman. I care like mad but Patsy couldn’t give a jot; it was a great release to play her.
What do you think when people call you a “National Treasure”?
It is enchanting. It is meant with such kindness; I have been here forever, they have never known Britain without me! I did The Avengers when I was 30 so that is 42 years ago. Most people have grown up knowing a bit about what I do. People come up and speak like a friend, with great kindness and courtesy.
What attracts you to Scotland?
I am three-quarters Scots. My Mamma’s ashes are on Ben Loyal, at her request. My son lives in Lossiemouth with his wife and my two granddaughters, and my husband Stephen and I have our cottage in the Southern Uplands. Because I was born in India we never really belonged to anywhere, but we knew Scotland was home.
Find out more about Moat Brae on Page 110.