Building record MAB13197 - WARDHOUSE

Remains of a symmetrical Palladian mansion house.

Remains of a symmetrical Palladian mansion house. Datestone high on the centre front states 'Arthur's Seat Built in the Year 1757-17..'. this date has led to suggestions that John Douglas may have been the architect, although the building's form and energy suggest earlier, possibly John Adam, times. Locally pronounced 'Wardis', the house is symmetrical about a stylish two-storey and full basement centre block with a pedimented centre raised above the wallhead, in a curious slatey ashlar. There is a grand central first-floor window with Gibbsian surround, and a staircase in half-hexagon bow to rear, Single storey quadrants link to square, two-storey wings, the east one much extended. The house is set in a designed landscape with remnants still showing both uphill to the north and downhill to the south. Gutted circa 1953, a restoration scheme, under Acanthus Douglas Forrest, began in 2005 to convert the mansion house (along with several other buildings within the Wardhouse Estate policies) into a residential development. A desk-based assessment was carried out by AOC in 2007 over part of the designed landscape (NJ53SE0042) in advance of proposed restoration of the mansion house and other buildings. This revealed that Wardhouse Estate has existed since the mid 16th Century, with the mansion house and designed landscape dating from the mid 18th Century. A walkover survey also carried out in 2007 by AOC to assess the condition of the designed landscape (see NJ53SE0042) also noted that the mansion house was in a ruinous state with no remaining roof, the interior considerably overgrown and littered with building debris. Photographic recording was also carried out in 2007.

Period Notes
Built 1757; restoration works began 2005. Listed 16/04/1971.

Author unknown, , PRESS & JOURNAL, 23/4/99 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1416.

Author unknown, 1799, OLD STATISTICAL ACCOUNT, VOL XIII, 80 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1845.

ORDNANCE SURVEY, 1871, Ordnance Name Book, No88(1866) 17 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1360.

HEART-SHP ARROWHD

BINNEY, M, 1980, LOST HOUSES OF SCOTLAND (Bibliographic reference). SAB3740.

MACAULAY, J, 1981, EIGHTEENTH CENTURY COUNTRY HOUSES IN ABERDEENSHIRE. IN DEESIDE FIELD 17, 58-62, 60 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1216.

AOC, 2007, WARDHOUSE, INSCH: DESK BASED ASSESSMENT, DBA (Bibliographic reference). SAB3528.

Aug 3 2001 , AAS/01/6/CT1-20, AAS/01/6/CT1-20 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB17730.

Aug 20 1986 , AAS/86/04/S6/12, AAS/86/04/S6/12 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB13667.

Feb 16 1994 , AAS/94/04/G9/7,13, AAS/94/04/G9/7,13 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15006.

Jan 1 1907 , C 33064 PC, C 33064 PC (Ground Photograph). SAB12941.

Jan 24 2007 , APP/2004/1476, APP/2004/1476 (Ground Photograph). SAB13307.

Jun 14 1989 , IX 31-36, IX 31-36 (Ground Photograph). SAB33688.

Jun 14 1989 , IY 1, IY 1 (Ground Photograph). SAB33689.

May 7 2003 , E 35496 CN, E 35496 CN (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB12942.

May 7 2003 , E 35507 CN, E 35507 CN (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB12943.

May 14 1988 , Jasair NJ53S 1088152, Jasair NJ53S 1088152 (Air-vertical Photograph). SAB17244.

SDD, n.d., BLDS OF ARCH & HIST INTEREST, KENNETHMONT 23 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1827.

Author unknown, n.d., NSA, VOL XII, 584, 750 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1269.

Record last edited

May 11 2020 1:16PM