Building record MAB22622 - HADDO HOUSE

Mansion House, originally designed by William Adam in Georgian Palladian style carried out with detail alterations and sculpture by John Baxter, 1731-6.

Mansion House, originally designed by William Adam in Georgian Palladian style carried out with detail alterations and sculpture by John Baxter, 1731-6. The interior of the house is late Victorian in style, having undergone refurbishment in 1880 by Wright and Mansfield of London. It has been home to the Gordon's of Methlilck and to Earls and Marquesses of Aberdeen since it was built in the 1730s. The house was built by the 2nd Earl of Aberdeen to impress the Duke of Gordon, the father of the Earl's third wife. The landscape (NJ83SE0076) of vistas, avenues and ornaments was created by the 4th Earl of Aberdeen, who was also Britain's Prime Minister during the Crimean War. The two Wellingtonia trees in the garden were planted by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert when they stayed in 1857. During the Second World War Haddo was used as a maternity hospital. The house was bequeathed to the National Trust after the death of the 4th Marquess in 1974. The central block of the house is a 23.5 square metre, three-storey structure built of ashlar granite with quoined corners. Both the east and west facades feature seven windows and are astylar in design. On the west side, the central three bays are slightly projected and topped with a pediment adorned with urns. A piend roof with a parapet crowns the structure. Extending from the central block are quadrant walls with a radius of 7.3 metres, connecting to two-storey wings constructed of quoined rubble. These wings present five-window facades facing both the front and the courtyard. The first floors of the wings were raised in 1780, and it is likely that the quadrants were modified at the same time. A chapel adjoins the northeastern wing of the house. Of the Adam-Baxter interior work, the original first-floor entrance hall at the centre of the west side survives. It features a notable addition: an 1845 bust of Queen Victoria sculpted by Baron Marochetti. The policies of the house incorporate several entities, including a stable and coach house block (NJ83SE0097), two halls (NJ83SE0096 and NJ83SE0149), two sundials (NJ83SE0100 and NJ83SE0103), a fountain (NJ83SE0101), balustrades (NJ83SE0102), an unidentified building (NJ83SE0148), a chapel (NJ83SE0155), and several findspots (NJ83SE0052, NJ83SE0015, and NJ83SE0016). Geophysical and ground penetrating radar surveys carried out in 2004 revealed a series of stone lined drains and suggested the existence of substantial sub-surface structural remains. A watching brief was maintained in August 2005 during excavation of a soakaway and related drainage work. No archaeological features or finds were evident during the excavation of the soakaway, but a small section of V-shaped stone drain of probable 19th-century date was recorded below a pathway on the south side of the chapel adjoining the house. MAS excavated two small trenches in an area of former terraced garden during a programme of restoration work in August 2008. The trenches provided information on a 'daisy' feature, and cut a section across one corner of a 'peta' bed. The trenches also showed that the bed had been cut through a path-like surface of fine pink granite dust, which can with some confidence be interpreted as one of the mid 19th-century paths. A watching brief on a new fire main trench to the west of the house in July 2011 recorded a considerable wall which pre-dated the lawn, established when Haddo House was built. It is possible that the wall is part of, or related to, the House of Kelly (NJ83SE0020). Subsequent geophysical survey and trial trenching was carried out in August 2011 to evaluate the nature and extent of the archaeology below the lawn. Two small test pits were also excavated beside the Peatyards. The structures recorded are thought to be the remains of the 16th-century House of Kelly. A watching brief carried out in 2011 during excavation of a trench to relocate cabling for a new old tank on the west side of the north wing of the house recorded no archaeological features or finds. An evaluation was carried out by MAS in January 2012 as part of works associated with the renewal of a lightning conductor on the north side of the house (centred on NJ 86860 34767). An early 19th-century brick drain and part of a mid-19th-century garden path were recorded. A watching brief was carried out by Cameron Archaeology in October 2012 on a trench for a new oil tank. It was excavated within the fill of existing services and no archaeological features or artefacts were recorded. A watching brief was carried out by MAS in July 2013 during work associated with the mains water supply along the east side of the staff car park (NJ83SE0187). Two sherds of late medieval or post medieval redware pottery were found. Building recording of the Wendy House, believed to have been made in the 1950s, in the northwest corner of the private garden of the south wing was carried out by MAS in April 2014. Cameron Archaeology conducted a watching brief in May 2024 during excavation of a trench for cable ducting between the central wing of Haddo House and Haddo House Hall (NJ83SE0192).

Period Notes
House built between 1731-6, sundial 17th or early 18thC; obelsik 1815; walled garden early 19thC; alterations to house and construction of stable and coach-house 1822, kitchen court 1843, fountain and balustrades mid-19thC; chapel 1876-81; major alterations to interiors 1879-81; various works on estate and new theatre hall and covered tennis court 1891; renovation and reconstruction of west wing after fire and alterations to south wing 1930-1; restoration and upgrading scheme commenced 1997; development plan proposals 2005.

Author unknown, , PRESS & JOURNAL, 08/03/78 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1416.

Author unknown, , PRESS & JOURNAL, 10/08/15 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1416.

Author unknown, , PRESS & JOURNAL, 15/06/1989 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1416.

Author unknown, , PRESS & JOURNAL, 19/08/87 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1416.

Author unknown, , PRESS & JOURNAL, 19/09/2008 p.12 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1416.

Author unknown, , PRESS & JOURNAL, 23/07/83 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1416.

Author unknown, , PRESS & JOURNAL, 29/03/86 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1416.

THE SCOTSMAN, 0000, THE SCOTSMAN, 24/12/2008, p.7 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1819.

FORMAN, S, 1967, SCOT COUNTRY HOUSES & GARDENS, 134 (Bibliographic reference). SAB511.

MACAULAY, J, 1981, EIGHTEENTH CENTURY COUNTRY HOUSES IN ABERDEENSHIRE. IN DEESIDE FIELD 17, 58-62, 58-9 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1216.

McALLAN, L, 2005, DES VOL5, 2004, P.17 (Bibliographic reference). SAB4584.

EVALUATION

MURRAY, J. C., 2006, DES VOL6, 2005, p.18 (Bibliographic reference). SAB4552.

watching brief

ARCHAEOLOGY SCOTLAND, 2009, DISCOVERY & EXCAVATION IN SCOTLAND, VOL 9, 2008, p.26 (Bibliographic reference). SAB3496.

MURRAY ARCHAEOLOGICAL SERVICES, 2011, WEST LAWN, HADDO HOUSE, TARVES, ABERDEENSHIRE: ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF AND EXCAVATION (Bibliographic reference). SAB5011.

ARCHAEOLOGY SCOTLAND, 2012, DISCOVERY AND EXCAVATION IN SCOTLAND. NEW SERIES, VOLUME 12, 2011, pp.24-5 (Bibliographic reference). SAB5536.

CAMERON ARCHAEOLOGY, 2012, HADDO HOUSE, TARVES, ABERDEENSHIRE: RELOCATION OF NORTH WING OIL TANK: REPORT ON ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF, CA106-2012 (Bibliographic reference). SAB5344.

MURRAY ARCHAEOLOGICAL SERVICES, 2012, LIGHTNING CONDUCTOR TRENCH, HADDO HOUSE: ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION (Bibliographic reference). SAB5010.

ARCHAEOLOGY SCOTLAND, 2013, DISCOVERY AND EXCAVATION IN SCOTLAND, NEW SERIES, VOLUME 13, 2012, p.25 (Bibliographic reference). SAB5487.

MURRAY ARCHAEOLOGICAL SERVICES, 2013, HADDO HOUSE, ABERDEENSHIRE: STAFF CAR PARK MAINS WATER LEAK: ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF, WB report (Bibliographic reference). SAB5158.

ARCHAEOLOGY SCOTLAND, 2014, DISCOVERY AND EXCAVATION IN SCOTLAND, NEW SERIES, VOLUME 14, 2013, p.27 (Bibliographic reference). SAB5483.

MURRAY ARCHAEOLOGICAL SERVICES, 2014, WENDY HOUSE, HADDO HOUSE, ABERDEENSHIRE: BUILDING RECORDING, Building recording (Bibliographic reference). SAB5162.

ARCAHEOLOGY SCOTLAND, 2015, DISCOVERY AND EXCAVATION IN SCOTLAND. NEW SERIES, VOLUME 15, 2014, p.31 (Bibliographic reference). SAB5542.

CAMERON ARCHAEOLOGY, 2024, HADDO HOUSE, METHLICK, ELLON, ABERDEENSHIRE, AB41 7EQ REPORT ON THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF, Watching Brief (Bibliographic reference). SAB8956.

Aug 26 2004 , AAS-GR-04-08-006, AAS-GR-04-08-006 (Ground Photograph). SAB35798.

Feb 3 2000 , AAS/00/03/CT50-8, AAS/00/03/CT50-8 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB12278.

Feb 3 2000 , AAS/00/03/G7/4-9, AAS/00/03/G7/4-9 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB12277.

Jan 25 1999 , AAS/99/01/G1/16-20, AAS/99/01/G1/16-20 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB17128.

Jun 20 2015 , AAS-GR-15-06-090 - 097, AAS-GR-15-06-090 - 097 (Ground Photograph). SAB20826.

Jun 20 2015 , AAS-GR-15-06-136 - 208, AAS-GR-15-06-136 - 208 (Ground Photograph). SAB20825.

Jun 20 2015 , AAS-GR-15-06-221 - 223, AAS-GR-15-06-221 - 223 (Ground Photograph). SAB20888.

Mar 1 1997 , AAS/GR/97/CT121-124, AAS/GR/97/CT121-124 (Ground Photograph). SAB33025.

Mar 21 2006 , AAS/06/1/DG50-1, AAS/06/1/DG50-1 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB18621.

SDD, n.d., BLDS OF ARCH & HIST INTEREST, METHLICK 13 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1827.

Author unknown, n.d., COUNTRY LIFE, AUGUST 1966 (Bibliographic reference). SAB276.

Author unknown, n.d., NSA, VOL XII, 967 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1269.

Author unknown, n.d., THE MAIL ON SUNDAY, 15/03/2009 (Bibliographic reference). SAB4633.

Oct 27 2016 , AAS-GR-16-10-009 - 033, AAS-GR-16-10-009 - 033 (Ground Photograph). SAB35583.

Sep 6 1984 , AAS/84/14/S9/1-20/1-9, AAS/84/14/S9/1-20/1-9 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB14654.

Sep 11 1988 , HT 1-8, HT 1-8 (Ground Photograph). SAB14656.

Sep 14 1984 , DE 4-24, DE 4-24 (Ground Photograph). SAB14655.

Record last edited

Feb 26 2026 10:14AM