“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

 A time to be born, and a time to die……….a time to mourn, and a time to dance.”

Regular readers of this blog and volunteers at the House will know Susie, our cat.

Susie was nearly thirteen years old, but, sadly, having used up all her nine lives, she died on Saturday 16th April after a very short illness.

She was the last resident of the House and will be greatly missed.

Susie lived at Bannockburn House almost all her life and knew every inch of the house and gardens. For a number of years she slept in the master bedroom, climbing up to bed by way of an overgrown pear tree at the rear of the house and going in through a broken window.

Despite being a very shy cat, she took a great interest in events at the house – usually from a safe distance.

She was never far away from the interesting happenings and if you’ve ever had the feeling that you were being watched, it’s more than likely that she was tucked under a shrub or hiding in a shadow nearby, following your every move.

We only knew her for a few short years (from 2017) but she endeared herself to almost every group that regularly visits the house: listening to outdoor history group meetings, supervising the garden team as we gradually tamed some of her wilder hunting grounds or generally sitting on the low walls at the front of the house just watching.

She was a regular visitor to the front drive, when curiosity got the better of her and she just had to come and see what exactly was going on. Often, she just wanted to share a friendly greeting as our comings and goings added interest to her day.

We buried her near the Yew Tree in the garden that she called home, a place she knew and loved. So, anytime you visit, you can call out a ‘hello’ to Susie – but look closer at those dancing shadows among the leaves, as she may still be there keeping a friendly eye on us all.

Sleep soundly little one.