Building record MAB13353 - MAINS OF MAYEN

Laird's house and site of earlier manor.

Laird's house and site of earlier manor. It was built in 1608, with additions and alterations in 1680 and 1855-7 by James Mattews. The Lands of Mayen were originally part of Barony of Rothiemay, having been bestowed on David Abernethy by David II in the 14th century. The property was purchased by Major Alexander Duff in 1785-8, who built Mayen House (NJ54NE0030), and demoted the old house as the Mains of Mayen. It is a 2-storey, L-plan house, with a circular stair turret in the re-entrant angle, and is harled, with whinstone and granite ashlar dressings and substantial boulder footings to the earliest portion of the house at the North. The North-South rectangular block with the main East elevation comprises of a circa 1600 build at the North, and 1680 at the South, with a simple doorway in the East front under a dated and inscribed plaque with the arms for Alexander Abernethy and Jean Hacket, or Halkett, his wife, 'Alus per Christum AA IH 1680' (the motto translates as 'Salvation through Christ'). The South wing is from 1855-7, and is a 2-storey, 3-bay block is at right angles with the projecting crowstepped gabled porch in the North face, and it has enlarged ground floor windows that were added in circa 1956. The circular stair tower in the re-entrant angle has 2 windows, diminutive re-used late-17th century gabletted wallhead dormers and a bellcast slated roof. This is also the work of James Mattews, replacing a smaller, earlier turnpike in the same position. There is varied fenestration to the house, with small gabletted dormers breaking the wallhead in the older portion, with 1 dormer at the East having a gablet dated 1680. There is a substantial early ridge stack in the East block (probably dated circa 1600) and also end stacks. There is a small ridge stack in mid-later 19th century wing. There are slate roofs and crowstepped gables throughout. It has a simple interior, with a plank door with long blacksmith's hinges in the East elevation, giving into a room with a hearth in cross-wall with roughly tooled granite facings and 2 mural aumbries. The ground floor room at the North has an indication of the former internal mural stair, with a wheel stair in the drum tower.

Period Notes
Lands incorporated into barony from the 14th century. It was originally built in 1608; alterations and additions in 1680 and later in 1855-7. Windows were added to the 19th century wing in 1956. Listed designation given on 22/02/1972, and its category was changed from a B listing to an A listing on 25/04/1989.

TRANTER, N, 1970, FORTIFIED HOUSE IN SCOT VOL 4, 66-9 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1918.

BOGDAN, NQ, 1991, Castles, Manors & Town House survey, 37 (Bibliographic reference). SAB2251.

SDD, n.d., BLDS OF ARCH & HIST INTEREST, ROTHIEMAY 11 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1827.

Author unknown, n.d., LEOPARD MAGAZINE, p.15 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1074.

Record last edited

Mar 5 2018 4:31PM