Building record MAB27771 - PITFOUR

Designed landscape, estate, site of mansion house and possible site of manor.

Designed landscape, estate, site of mansion house and possible site of manor. This may have been the site of Manor Place of Pitfour. The estate came in to the possession of the Ferguson family in the early 18th Century. The original estate was enlarged by the acquisition of land at Inverugie, formerly owned by the Earl Marischal. The 'improving' Fergusons subsequently built one of the most magnificent mansions in the north-east designed by John Smith, with landscaped surrounding policies. The finished product was one of the show-pieces of Buchan. The earlier mansion house may have been an addition to the former manor or built on the site of the manor. The conservatory gallery was carried on Ionic columns with a protruding studio on Corinthian columns, which was added along the entire front of the house. When the house was demolished, the studio and gallery were removed to Kinloch House, near St Fergus (NK05SE0102). Although the house was demolished in 1927-30 and the grounds have suffered much from timber felling, the lake and its surrounding buildings still have great landscape and architectural value. All buildings associated with the house are group listed B because of this. To the north of the house lay gasometers, the laundry with an ice-house to the rear (NJ94NE0139), stables (NJ94NE0160) and a riding school. To the west were the kennels and pheasantry. There were also sawmills at NJ9627 4930 with a lade leading from the west to it. To the west of the stable block is the remains of a game larder (NJ94NE0039). Other features include Bruxie Lodge (NJ94NE0123), West Lodge (NJ94NE0122), East Lodge (NJ94NE0163), South Lodge (NJ94NE0143), South Lodge gatepiers and memorial tablet (NJ94NE0147), South East Bridge (NJ94NE0156), North East Bridge (NJ94NE0162), North West Bridge (NJ94NE0129), Kennels Cottage (NJ94NE0130), a boathouse folly (NJ94NE0131) and Shepherd's Lodge (at NJ 9705 5045). A watching brief was carried out in 2016 (NJ94NE0165). The memorial tablet at South Lodge is dedicated to William Pitt the younger and Henry Dundas, Viscount Melville, erected by James Ferguson, 3rd laird of Pitfour. James Ferguson FRSE (25 May 1735 - 6 September 1820) was the 3rd Laird of Pitfour, and was MP for Banffshire from 1789 - 1790, and MP for Aberdeenshire from 1790 until his death in 1820. He was the rector at Aberdeen University from 1794 - 96, and was responsible for the founding of the planned village of Mintlaw (in 1813) and the expansion of Longside (in 1801). His brother, Major Patrick Ferguson, was the designer of the Ferguson Rifle (in 1770), one of the first breech-loading rifles to be put into service by the British military (in use from 1776 - 78). 

Period Notes
House first built in the early 18thC; rreconstructed c1809; fire damage 1820; reinstated with additions 1821-2; demolished 1927-30. Canal to sea 1798; South Lodge 1816; Bruxie Lodge 1850; Stables 1820; larder 1826; chapel 1850; Observatory 1845; Loch bridge pre-1820; Temple of Theseus 1835.

ROBERTSON, J, 1843, HISTORY OF SHIRES OF ABERDEEN & BANFF, 398-9 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1504.

COLVIN, H, 1978, BIOG DICT OF BRIT ARCHITECTS, 762 (Bibliographic reference). SAB270.

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

BUCHAN, J, 1987, BYGONE BUCHAN, 63 (Bibliographic reference). SAB97.

Jun 11 2009 , ABS-GR-14-03-006, ABS-GR-14-03-006 (Ground Photograph). SAB20875.

Mar 1 2011 , AAS/2011/2/DG3389, AAS/2011/2/DG3389 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB13341.

Mar 6 2000 , GR-00-CT95, 96, GR-00-CT95, 96 (Ground Photograph). SAB36929.

Mar 17 2005 , AAS/05/01/G1/10-11, AAS/05/01/G1/10-11 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB33974.

Mar 17 2005 , AAS/05/1/CT60, 83-90, AAS/05/1/CT60, 83-90 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB18300.

Record last edited

Feb 14 2025 3:06PM