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Summary

Description

Hatton Manor is a two-storey, L-plan 17^th century mansion house remodelled and extended between the mid-18^th century and early-19^th century. The building is harled with red sandstone ashlar dressing at openings.

The north wing has a skewputt dated 1694 but may include fabric from an earlier fortified castle built on this location. The principal south elevation has a central moulded doorway flanked by two additional doors and two small windows. There are four large windows at first floor. The first-floor windows and the doors flanking the central entrance are likely to be old openings enlarged when the house was extended around the mid-18th century to early 19^th century. The rear elevation at north has a small window at ground floor and some small openings and arrow slits on its semi-circular projection.

The southeast wing, dating from around the later 18^th to early-19^th century, partially obscures the south-eastern bays of the original range. The east elevation of this range is two storey, seven bay and nearly symmetrical. The west elevation facing the former courtyard is four bay with the lower openings of a smaller size. A further central single elliptical window is present at the first floor on the south gable.

The windows are predominantly six-over-six timber sash and case. The roof is slated with has red sandstone scroll moulded skews. The skewputt on the front elevation contains the initials W.M. (Buildings of Scotland). There are four rectangular chimneystacks two at west and south gable-ends and two at roof junction.

The building was damaged by fire in 2022. The fire resulted in the loss of the southeast wing interior and roof. The northern range has been lightly damaged by the fire with limited roof collapses and some damage to windows.

The interior of the northern range includes rooms with black bolection-moulded fireplaces, some early moulded wooden panelling and some surviving windows shutters. At the time of the listing two original panelled rooms at the first floor of the northern range were recorded while the east wing interior was partly renewed, and lime plastered. The 2022 fire has resulted in the complete loss of the interior of the east wing.

Historical development

According to historical sources Hatton Manor was initially built as a castle and later replaced by a mansion (Castle of the Clans). The blank north façade with the extruding semi-circular staircase and gunloops is likely to be part of the earlier towerhouse or castle.

Owned by the Dempster family in the 16^th century, the manor was owned by various families before being sold to the Duff family, in 1709 (Castle of the Clans). The Duffs were prominent landowners in the northeast of Scotland the 17^th century and lived at Hatton Manor for some years before purchasing the lands of Balquhollie in 1723. They renamed these lands Hatton and built Hatton Castle as their main residence (listed separately, LB16431) in 1814 (Castle of the Clans).

Hatton Manor is shown on an 1813 'Plan of Manor Place of Hatton' by John J Roy as a U-plan structure with the northern block slightly extruding to the west. This plan indicates that the original north range of the manor had already been extended with the addition of two wings, including the southeast wing which survives today. Two detached rectangular buildings at south-east and south-west are also shown. A walled garden flanked the manor at north and east and an offices yard of four linear buildings was situated further southwest along the road. Two detached rectangular buildings at south-east and south-west are also shown.

The Ordnance Survey six-inch 1^st edition map (surveyed 1869-71, published 1873) shows the building labelled as 'Manorplace'. The Ordnance Survey Name Books, 1865-1871 describes Manorplace as a large farm steading occupied by Mr. A. Wilson and property of the late G.W. Duff of Hatton. The U-plan manor is visible at this time apart from its north-western corner which appears to have been removed. On this map the southwest wing appears separate from the north block and linked to the southeast wing by a wall creating a courtyard open to the south.

The southwest wing is shown in ruins on the Ordnance Survey 2^nd Edition map (revised 1900, published 1902) and the walled garden seems to have been removed. The southwest range ruins and the outbuildings at north of the manor appear to have been demolished in the 20^th century and currently only the base of the south courtyard wall remains. A Canmore image of the site from 1968 shows the north and southeast wing only suggesting that the southwest range, the walled garden and outbuildings had been demolished by this date

Hatton Manor suffered a fire in 2022 which resulted in damage to the historic fabric including the loss of the interior and roof of the southeast wing.

Statement of Special Interest

• It is a major example of a small mansion house which shows the development from fortified house to a classical manor house across the 17^th to early 19^th century.
• Although there has been some loss of fabric following a fire, its historic character is retained.
• Its rural, largely agricultural setting is substantially unaltered since the mid-19^th century.
• It is a rare surviving example of mansion house dating to the 17^th century.

Design

Hatton House is major surviving example of a small mansion house that shows the development from a traditional fortified house to a classical styled mansion.

The north range dates to the 1694 but it may include fabric from an earlier fortified castle. The early date of the north range is evident in the rear north elevation with extruding semi-circular staircase and small, irregular window openings and arrow slits. The building was later remodelled and extended between the mid-18^th century and early 19^th century into a more symmetrical manor house. The classical influence of this period of development is shown in the south elevation with larger, evenly spaced windows and interior features such as panelling and moulded chimneypieces. The later southeast wing dates from the mid-18^th to early 19^th century and is a sympathetic extension of the earlier north range.

A fire in 2022 resulted in substantial damage to the historic fabric and in the loss of the southeast wing interior and roof. The earlier northern range has suffered some fire damage to the easter section, the roof and interior, however a substantial amount of fabric and interior features including timber panelling, doors and fireplace largely dating from the 18^th century remodelling survive. The southeast wing interior and roof have been lost, however the external elevations survive complete to wallhead and the openings intact.

Overall, the character of the building is retained with the earlier fortified features of the north range and later restrained classical symmetry of the south range still legible.

Setting

In the mid-19^th century Hatton Manor was described as a large farm steading and was depicted on historical maps as forming part of a small group of farm buildings among farmlands. Apart from some changes to the immediate setting of Hatton Manor in the 20^th century including the loss of the southwest courtyard building and the outbuildings at north (and possibly also the walled garden) the historic rural setting is well retained.

The wider rural setting of the manor house appears largely unchanged from that shown on the 1^st edition Ordnance survey map (surveyed 1869-71, published 1873). since the mid-19^th century with no significant developments in the surrounding area.

Age and rarity

Dating from the later 17^th century, Hatton Manor is a rare surviving example of a small manor or mansion house of the period. This building type in Scotland represents the transition from the medieval fortified tower houses to the non-defensive and more classically inspired country houses.

Hatton forms part of a small group of surviving 17^th century country houses located in the north-east of the Aberdeenshire region. This group includes Mounie Castle (Category A, LB2793) in Daviot, Birkenbog House (category A, LB10586) in Fordyce, Dunlugas House (Category A, LB2888) in Alvah, Nether Ardgrain (Category A, LB9106) in Ellon. Mansion houses surviving from this period are relatively rare and Hatton Manor is a major surviving example of the building type.

Social historical interest

The continued occupation of Hatton Manor from at least the 17^th century is of social historical significance for what it tells us about the changing functions of the estate. The change in requirement from fortified dwelling to high status home is shown in the late 17^th century rebuilding and later 18^th to early 19^th century additions to the building. The development of the house in the 19^th century from manor house to farmhouse reflects the agricultural history of the area.

Association with people or events of national importance

There is no association with a person or event of national importance.

Listed building record revised in 2023.

References

Bibliography

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