Time has not dimmed the racing world’s affection and respect for Jim Clark, one of the greatest drivers of all time, and the most famous connections celebrated by the border town of Duns.

A local farmer notched up 25 grand prix wins, seven of them in a row, and lifted the Formula 1 World Championship trophy twice before his career was tragically ended, at the age of 32, in a fatal crash at the Hockenheim track in Germany.

Three years before his death he became the first non-American since 1916 to win the Indianapolis 500.

Every year fans from all over the world travel to Duns to visit the Jim Clark Room where a record of his career, from club competitions to Formula 1, and his many trophies are on display.

Duns date back over 1,000 years and around 1320 Duns Castle was built as a tower house,

its defences sorely put to the test on numerous occasions when troubled flared along the English Scots border.

Today the castle is seen in its rebuilt form but still retains some of its grandeur and is privately owned. There are walks in the grounds.

But Duns Castle is not the grandest house in the area. This accolade goes to Manderston, two miles east of the town and the epitomy of Edwardian opulence.

Parts of the house date back to 1790, but most of what is on view today was introduced over a dozen years or so from the mid 1890’s when Sir James Miller inherited the property.

Architect John Kinross was told that money was no object and set about creating Edwardian luxury on a grand scale. Manderston stands in 56-acres of formal gardens and is well worth a visit if only to see the only silver staircase in the world.