| AdminHistory | Howden House was Livingston's first public building. In 1964 the Corporation secured £12000 from the UK Carnegie Trust to restore the 18th century house on two conditions: firstly that the house be ready to use by the time the first families moved into the area and, secondly, that the Corporation contribute to running costs until local organisations could afford to pay full rent.
Howden House was used as a community centre and provided meeting rooms for local groups and offices for organisations such as the Citizen's Advice Bureau and the YWCA. The grounds of the house became Livingston's first park.
More significantly, the stable block and coach house were developed into an arts centre and opened by the actor Andrew Cruickshank in 1972. This new centre provided the Mews Theatre and accommodation for groups involved in the arts.
Other out buildings were converted into a conference and meeting centre and provided a venue for receptions of VIPs and foreign visitors.
On the wind up of the LDC the house and arts centre passed to West Lothian Council. Howden House itself was in the hands of private developers as of 2012, whilst Howden Park Centre remains a significant part of West Lothian Council's cultural activities. |