Building record MAB7948 - INVERERNAN HOUSE

Mansion house, built on the site of an earlier manor within a designed landscape (NJ31SW0022).

Mansion house, built on the site of an earlier manor within a designed landscape (NJ31SW0022). Inverernan House was built in 1764, but was reconstructed circa 1828 and again in 1935. The East elevation (designed by G. Bennet Mitchell, Aberdeen, 1935) is a near reproduction of Bellabeg House (being one of the finest houses in Strathdon, built in 1765 - see NJ31SE0147), with a red granite ashlar front with with centre nepus gable and cherry-cocking. The house is a two storey with attic and later three storey, five bay, laird´s house overlooking a formal garden to the south. There are 12, 16 and 18 pane glazing patterns in the timber sash and case windows, and the roof is covered by graded grey slates. It has coped ashlar stacks with cans, and ashlar-coped skews with block skewputts. The cast iron downpipes and decorative rainwater hoppers date to 1935. The house has some very early fabric as well as some fine imported interior timberwork. It formerly had a 4-column Roman Doric porch. The interior features panelled and architraved doors, parquet flooring, deep skirting boards, timber fire surrounds (some with cast iron grates) and a timber dog-leg staircase with decorative ironwork balusters. The study has timber panelling, a timber fire surround with a carved frieze, dentilled cornice and an overmantel with a mirror surmounted by a broken pediment installed in 1938. The dining room has a marble fireplace and pedimented doorpieces. Inverernan House was originally built for the Forbes family, and the first Forbes of Inverernan was Black Jock, Bailie to the Earl of Mar in 1715. It is reported that the current dining room was the place where, urged by Mar to take part in the rising, documents were signed raising the neighbourhood to arms. Black Jock was taken prisoner and died in Carlisle the night before the day fixed for his execution. Forbes family records date a building to this site in 1680. Sold in 1934, at which time it was to be used as the dower house for Candacraig, and improvements included importing panelling and decorative timberwork from London in 1938. Plans were lodged in 2013 to reinstate the Roman Doric porch.

Period Notes
Built 1764 on site of earlier manor of unknown date; reconstructed and gate piers added c.1828; stables built c.1859; reconstruction and conversion of stables into garage 1934-5; east elevation added in 1935.

LAING, A, 1828, DONEAN TOURIST, 4 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1049.

SHEPHERD, I.A.G.S., 2006, DONSIDE & STRATHBOGIE: ARCHITECTURAL GUIDE, P.68 (Bibliographic reference). SAB3366.

CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY, 2013, HISTORIC DESIGNED LANDSCAPES PROJECT SITE RESEARCH REPORT 23 INVERNERNAN HOUSE (Bibliographic reference). SAB8677.

Record last edited

May 16 2024 3:46PM