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Summary

Description

Dated 1740. Austere 3-storey, 7-bay mansion linked by curved single storey quadrants to rear 2-storey, 3-bay wings forming

rear U-plan court; rear (N) court closed by range of single

storey outbuildings. All harled with tooled granite and

tooled ashlar sandstone margins and dressings.

S facing main front of mansion with slightly advanced, gabled

and finialled centre bay with pedimented entrance masked by

mid 19th century, flat roofed porch; corniced 1st floor

window above decorative carved mock keystone to lintel;

octagonal blind oculus in gablet. Regular fenestration with

narrow windows, longer in 1st floor and small in 2nd floor;

regular 2-bay fenestration in gables, some blind windows.

2-, 4- and 6-pane glazing. Crowstepped gables; coped end and

gabled rear wallhead stacks; slate roof.

Low single storey curved quadrants, each with 2 small windows

in SE and SE elevations, link main house with mirrored

symmetrical 2-storey and dormerless attic wings, each of 3

wide bays with regular fenestration in outer and courtyard

elevations. Centre door blocked as window in E range; mainly

4- and 12-pane glazing. Flat skews; end stacks; slate roofs.

Later curved single storey lean-to corridor links central

mansion and outer wings at N, marred by intrusion of modern

garage extension.

INTERIOR: centre entrance/stairhall with original staircase

rising full-height; turned wooden balusters; shallow carved

scroll pattern on outer face.

Ground floor dining room at E with buffet recess; 1st floor

drawing room. Other than staircase few original features

survive; early 19th century panelled doors, window shutters;

later chimneypieces.

GATEPIERS: house approached from N and separated from former

stables (E, dated 1795) and steading at W by rubble wall with

simple square gatepiers flanking entrance.

Statement of Special Interest

Datestone at rear of house, sited near wallhead stack,

initialled SF and MC for Samuel Forbes (of Skelleter,

Strathdon) and Margaet Chalmers, his wife. Mansion built on

earlier site which had been purchased in 1630 by Alexander

Forbes of Pitsligo. The mansion passed to William Gordon,

Commissioner to Earl of Aberdeen; bought in 1813 by Mr John

Dingwall of Brucklay (probably responsible for early 19th

century panelling); in 1840 Aberdour House was inherited by

the Dingwall Fordyce family.

The former stables sited at N, dated 1795 and much altered,

are not included in listing. Nor is the steading, also N of

the mansion.

References

Bibliography

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