Building record MAB16407 - NETHERDALE HOUSE, TURRIFF

Mansion house, probably built on or near the site of an earlier Barony or mansion house.

Mansion house, probably built on or near the site of an earlier Barony or mansion house. Netherdale belonged to a branch of the Maitland family from whom it seems to have passed to the Gordons in around 1497. In 1641 the barony is recorded as belonging to the Crichtons of Frendraught. By the late 18th Century it had come into the possession of the Earl of Fife. The present mansion house (Listed B) is thought to have been designed by William Robertson circa 1825 for the Rose-Innes family, factors to the Duke of Fife, who occupied Netherdale until 1922. It is a 2-storey, 5-bay by 3-bay classical house with a raised basement. A 2-storey single bay, recessed wing and rear additions have been attributed to A. and W. Reid of Elgin, circa 1856. The house is constructed of coursed granite ashlar with rusticated quoins to the principal floors with harled sides to the rear and rear elevation. The south elevation features a broad advanced bay at its centre, and a Roman Doric portico with paired columns and fully detailed entablature with Diocletian window above. The east and west elevations have three windows to each floor, two bays to advanced west wing, and a single bay to the east wing with lean-to addition at ground. The north elevation has an irregular 2-storey broad advanced bay at its centre accommodating a secondary stair. The house was used as a rest and pre-embarkation camp for allied soldiers during WWII. At the end of the war the estate was sold and subdivided. To the north of the main house is the coach-house (NJ64NE0086), which dates to the early 19th century. To the northwest of the house is a farmstead with dovecot. The farmstead is depicted on the 1st and 2nd edition OS maps as a U-plan steading open to the East with subsidiary buildings to the North and East. The dovecot (Listed C) lies just to the North of the central steading, and is dated 1774. It is a cylindrical 2-stage dovecot, constructed of squared and pinned (cherry-cocked) rubble with granite ashlar dressings encircling the alighting course. There is a door to the East, and a marriage stone above to the left dated 1774 with the initials 'J I' and 'H G', commemorating the marriage of John Innes, 1st of Netherdale, and Helen Gordon of Ardmeallie who had married in June 1760. There is a small opening to the South and a semi-circular flight-hole with voussoirs to the West above. Now roofless. Some distance to the North of the main house is a walled garden and summerhouse (Listed B), dating to circa 1800. The wall is constructed of ashlar coped rubble, brick-lined with a pink wash, and encloses and area circa 120 m x 140 m. The summerhouse is a 2-storey Gothic style structure set against the North wall built of brick, rendered, with contrasting ashlar dressings. A panelled door is positioned centrally in the broad canted advanced pavilion flanked by windows. A further three windows are situated at first floor level, the central window with pointed arch. There are single bays of rectangular-plan body flanking the main structure, with piended roofs and each with a panelled door at ground floor level and a small window to the first floor. Roofed in grey slates, with swept eaves to the pavilion, and clay ridge tiles and finials. Inside the summerhouse can be found classical timber chimneypieces to each floor and simple plasterwork. Greenhouses adjoin the summerhouse to the left, now in a ruinous condition. There is also a sundial at the centre of the garden with a horizontal dial on an ashlar columnar pedestal. It is inscribed 'James Rose Innes of Netherdale'.

Period Notes
Earlier house mentioned in c1497 and 1641. Dovecot 1774; present mansion house (Listed B) is thought to have been designed by William Robertson c.1825 but other sources state 1868 recasting; walled garden and summerhouse (Listed B) c.1800; alterations1900.

SDD, n.d., BLDS OF ARCH & HIST INTEREST, MARNOCH 15,16 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1827.

Oct 1 1993 , LB Survey, LB Survey (Ground Photograph). SAB13421.

Record last edited

Nov 14 2025 9:53AM