Listed Building

The only legal part of the listing under the Planning (Listing Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 is the address/name of site. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing – see 'About Listed Buildings' below for more information. The further details below the 'Address/Name of Site' are provided for information purposes only.

Address/Name of Site

DRUMTOCHTY CASTLELB9664

Status: Designated

Documents

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Summary

Category
A
Date Added
18/08/1972
Local Authority
Aberdeenshire
Planning Authority
Aberdeenshire
Parish
Fordoun
NGR
NO 69984 80047
Coordinates
369984, 780047

Description

James Gillespie Graham circa 1810-12, large additions 1815-16, with

John Smith of Aberdeen as builder, further alterations probably also by Gillespie Graham 1839 incorporating old house of Woodstock. Late Georgian castellated, 2 storey and attic, mainly ashlar faced and

crenellated almost throughout. Main block: Entrance front on east, square corner turret on left, lower 1 window bay with square headed windows linking to stepped tripartite entrance bay, 4 centre arched porch with octagonal angle turrets, hood-moulded window of 3 pointed lights over, tall single storey 3 window hall block on right, traceried 4 centre arch 3 light windows, centre bay raised and square turret at north east angle: South front overlooking valley, central 3 window semi- circular tower with hoodmoulded ground floor windows, 4 centre arched 1st and 2nd floor windows. Corbelled and crenellated parapet encircling upper octagon with tall narrow openings and crenellated parapet with narrow pepperpot angle turrets, lower square clasping turrets with slit openings; 2 window to right linking to south east corner turret, 4 centre arched windows; 3 window to left, arched windows in giant recesses linking to quatrefoil plan 3 storey south west angle tower after Caesar's Tower at Warwick; tall narrow slit windows, 2 per segment; west elevation centre turret feature of shallow projection,

3 light staircase window with geometrical windows to left, one bay of arched windows to right, pepperpot at north west angle; lower 3 storey south west wing returns west at right angles, main part on right,

generously spaced 3 windows, all 4 centre arched, higher one bay section on left with small 2 light windows, round arched ground and 2nd, trefoiled at 1st, taller still square south west angle-turret with hoodmoulded slits, 1 window gable with 2 light hoodmould and traceried square headed windows; links to 2 storey square plan north west wing at higher level, similar fenestration ground floor, 2 pointed arched lights in square recesses at 1st floor, higher octagonal corner turret with pointed slits at north west angle. Piended slated roofs, diagonal shafted chimneys, modern stair tower in main block and north west wing.

Original glazing with wood traceried sashes, stone tracery at hall block at north east and north west wing. Extensive railed terraces on south. Interior has notable clerestoreyed and plaster-vaulted central hall. Extensively re-habilitated after use as a prep school. Jenkins and Marr

1974-5.

Statement of Special Interest

Picturesque elevated site. The building sequence does not seem to be precisely known though the 1815 16 work must account for more than half the house (probably the western hall of the main block and the western and north western wing as it specified 608' of embrasure caps: it also must include the upper stage of the central tower on the south front as it includes the 'bulls' (eyes).

References

Bibliography

NSA v XI pp 88-89 Groome (?30,000) Smith accounts NMRS (?10,385 in 1815-16) letter from Lady Mary Crawford to Hugh Hamilton 4th Jan 1813, Harley Drummond and Meg Munrow have in the North a Beautiful Castle but small...... they have got a Number of our Workmen and Mr Gillespie has

prevailed on their finishing of their house in the Outside like Our Priory (Crawford Priory, Fife) GD/142/2/10/4.

Reference in G Skene Keith. A General View of Agriculture in Kincardineshire (1813) shows however that the house was already gothic and castellated. Further alterations referred to in letter of Andrew Gammell of Countesswells, the then owner 28 May 1839. SRO GD 52/367.

Quoted in J M Macauley: The Gothic Revival.

About Listed Buildings

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Listing is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for buildings of special architectural or historic interest as set out in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997.

We list buildings which are found to be of special architectural or historic interest using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Listed building records provide an indication of the special architectural or historic interest of the listed building which has been identified by its statutory address. The description and additional information provided are supplementary and have no legal weight.

These records are not definitive historical accounts or a complete description of the building(s). If part of a building is not described it does not mean it is not listed. The format of the listed building record has changed over time. Earlier records may be brief and some information will not have been recorded.

The legal part of the listing is the address/name of site which is known as the statutory address. Other than the name or address of a listed building, further details are provided for information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland does not accept any liability for any loss or damage suffered as a consequence of inaccuracies in the information provided. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing. Even if a number or name is missing from a listing address it will still be listed. Listing covers both the exterior and the interior and any object or structure fixed to the building. Listing also applies to buildings or structures not physically attached but which are part of the curtilage (or land) of the listed building as long as they were erected before 1 July 1948.

While Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating listed buildings, the planning authority is responsible for determining what is covered by the listing, including what is listed through curtilage. However, for listed buildings designated or for listings amended from 1 October 2015, legal exclusions to the listing may apply.

If part of a building is not listed, it will say that it is excluded in the statutory address and in the statement of special interest in the listed building record. The statement will use the word 'excluding' and quote the relevant section of the 1997 Act. Some earlier listed building records may use the word 'excluding', but if the Act is not quoted, the record has not been revised to reflect subsequent legislation.

Listed building consent is required for changes to a listed building which affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest. The relevant planning authority is the point of contact for applications for listed building consent.

Find out more about listing and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.

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Printed: 28/03/2024 12:52