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Summary

Description

Earlier 19th century with later additions. Well detailed single storey and attic 3-bay, L-plan estate house, with associated kennels set in raised piece of land. Appears single storey to front and 2-storey to rear. Coursed granite rubble. Orientated S with detached position at end of row of estate cottages. Base course. Symmetrical S façade with 4-panelled timber door with narrow 2-pane fanlight above. Granite console details above door and flanking windows.

Predominantly 8 lying pane timber sash and case windows. Grey graded slate with coped gable stacks. Raised coping with skewputts.

ANCILLARY STRUCTURES: Single storey timber structure to N, with corrugated iron roof and 9-pane windows.

To NE, granite kennels, now in poor condition (2006). Gabled range with enclosed stone yard to S. Grey graded slate.

GATEPIERS: pair of square-plan coursed granite coped gate piers to W.

INTERIOR: extensively modernised.

Statement of Special Interest

This is a good example of a well detailed estate house, with largely unaltered exterior and good outbuildings. Although giving the impression of a modest, single storey cottage to the front, it is a more substantial house at the rear. The console details on the S façade are an unusual decoration within the estate and suggest this was the head gamekeeper, or kennel master's house. The Kennels are situated on Abergeldie Estate, which was leased to the Royal Family from 1848 until the 1960s - they owned the neighbouring Balmoral Estate. Prince Albert and Queen Victoria built stone houses for the tenants on their estates to replace the 'crude' thatched cottages, built of stones and mud, and it is likely that this cottage was improved and extended at this time.

This house was the home of one Peter Farquharson who became gamekeeper to the Gordons of Abergeldie in 1834, residing from that point at Balnacroft. He continued as keeper following the leasing of the estate by Victoria and Albert, and became keeper in charge of the grouse ground, latterly of the deer in the newly planted Girnoch forest. He received the Victoria Faithful Service Medal from the Queens own hand on his deathbed in 1874, having lived in the house for 40 years.

References

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