History of Glasclune Glasclune House was built for J. B. Balfour in 1889-92 by Peter Whitecross & Sons, (Builders) Victoria Road, North Berwick. John Blair Balfour was Lord Advocate for Scotland (1881-85) and created 1st Baron Kinross of Glasclune in 1902. The Balfour family came from the Parish of Markinch where over twenty branches of the family owned land in Fife. Lady Kinross occupied Glasclune until 1919 and thereafter the house was let to several prominent families including Lady Cooper, Hursley Park, Winchester in August 1925. The origin of the name Glasclune is unknown, but John ' Blair ' Balfour could have been inspired to name his property after Glasclune Castle situated 4 miles north west of Blairgowrie in Perthshire.

Alternatively the name Glasclune may have its origin in the Welsh language meaning 'green meadow' just as Glasgow means 'green place' and Aberdeen means 'on the deen', pronunciation of Glasclune should be 'Glassclean'. In 1912, a grand two day bazaar and exhibition in connection with Dr. Barnardo's Homes for boys was held in the grounds of Glasclune House, kindly granted for the occasion by Dowager Lady Kinross. Within the house Dr. Barnardo's Musical Boys gave an excellent and varied performance with handbell. mandolin, ocarina, dulcimer, fairy bell and other selections, including a musical march by the pipers in Highland dress. Later three flying machines from an Aerial Circus performed over the house and town. The property was sold to the Cross family in 1912 and when Marjory Cross married Lord Martin Hawke it transferred to that family. In 1938 it was purchased by Viscountess Garnock and during WW2 Glasclune came under the control of the military authority until the invasion of Europe in 1944. That year Barnardo's purchased the property to the east of Glasclune known as Redholm, which was opened as a boys home in September 1944 and they also purchased Glasclune, opening it as a girls home in October of the same year. Redholm closed in 1948 and Glasclune eventually became a home for both boys and girls in 1953. It remained as such until 1975 when it reverted to a home for emotionally difficult children, under the supervision of its last superintending couple, Dorothy and Eric Falconer.