[12] When the opportunity arose, in the early 20th century, the Sutherland family acquired Kelso House and amalgamated the two villas into one structure.

[1] Queen Elizabeth II, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, visited the mansion house, inspected a guard of honour from the 4th / 5th Battalion of the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, and had lunch there with civic leaders on 29 October 1954.

[13][14] A Nobel Peace Prize, which had been presented to former Foreign Secretary, Arthur Henderson, for his work on disarmament in 1934, was stolen during a burglary at the mansion house in April 2013.

[15][16] Prince Andrew, Duke of York chose the building, in September 2015, for the launch of a campaign by the Children's Foundation, of which he was the patron,[17] to help young people to improve their mental health.

[26] There is additionally a painting by Thomas Miles Richardson depicting the sheriff's procession to meet the judges in Newcastle.