Buildings

Name

Duff House

Grid Ref

Grid Ref N

Grid Ref E

Notes

In 1913 Duff House became a sanatorium, and later prison of war camp; George Bennett Mitchell\'s alterations have now been reversed.

William Adam, 1735-40; George Jamieson, mason; John Burn, specialised in carving. \'Buildings of Scotland\' states that John Burt was clerk of works.

Golf course laid out by the leading golf course specialists, A & C J MacKenzie.

The following alternative names are associated with this building/design:

Alt classic

Name	Current Name	Notes
New Duff House Sanatorium	No

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The building is classified under the following categories:

Class classic

Classification	Original Classification	Notes
Country House	Not Known

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The following date-based events are associated with this building:

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Event Type	From	To	Notes
Build/construction	1735	1741	Also temple on the Hill of Doune and a triumphal arch on an island in the River Deveron. Landscape design - perhaps not executed.
Build/construction	1761c		First floor entrance vestibule and family apartment and part of the attic floor fitted out as bedrooms. Overdoor friezes and fireplace in private dining room. Book cases in library.
Proposed	1764		Alternative scheme
Build/construction	1767c		Garden landscaped.
Alterations and additions	178		Landscape restyled.
Build/construction	179		Decorative ceiling in Great Drawing Room
Build/construction	1791c	1792c	Marble floor and stair itself fitted in hall
Decoration carried out	1811		Furnishing and decoration under guidance of James Gillespie Graham.
	1870		Corridor block and service pavilion
	1913		Alterations
	1920c		Minor interior alterations and nurses' home; scullery and gate lodge; engine house; laundry; alterations to pavilion
Restoration	1956
Restoration	1994		Restoration of Fife Gates

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The following individuals or organisations have carried out design/construction work. Where architects or practices worked together, matching letters appear beside their names in the Partnership Group column.

design classic

Person	Partnership Group	Role	From	To	Notes
William Adam	A	Architect	1735	1741	Also designed temple on the Hill of Doune and a triumphal arch on an island in the River Deveron and provided a design for the garden.
William Boutcher	K	Garden designer	1735		Provided scheme for the garden. Probably not executed.
Thomas Dott	G	Craftsman	176		First floor entrance vestibule and family apartment and part of the attic floor fitted out as bedrooms. Overdoor friezes and fireplace in private dining room. Book cases in library.
James Adam	E	Architect	1761C		Fireplace in private dining room
John Adam	E	Architect	1761C		Fireplace in private dining room
John Woolfe	S	Architect	1764		Alternative scheme
William Bowie	J	Garden designer	1767C		Design of landscape executed by the 2nd Earl\'s gardener, Thomas Reid.
Thomas White	L	Garden designer	178		Garden by Bowie restyled
John Paterson	J	Architect	179		Decorative ceiling in Great Drawing Room
James Robertson	K	Mason	1791C	1792C	Marble floor and stair itself fitted in hall
James Gillespie Graham	H	Architect	1811		Guided 4th Earl in furnishing and re-decoratin of hhouse.
David Bryce (junior)			1870		Corridor block and service pavilion
George Bennett Mitchell	B		1913		Alterations
George Angus Mitchell	C		1920c		Minor interior alterations and nurses' home; scullery and gate lodge; engine house; laundry; alterations to pavilion
George Bennett Mitchell	C		1920c		Minor interior alterations and nurses' home; scullery and gate lodge; engine house; laundry; alterations to pavilion

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The following individuals or organisations have commissioned work on this building/design:

client classic

Name	Notes
Scott & Gilchrist	1913 alterations
New Duff House Sanatorium Ltd	1913 alterations
Duff, John, 2nd Earl of Fife	Client for John Woolfe scheme
Fife, 1st Earl of	Client for William Adam building

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This structure or site has the following component or child structures (click on an item to view details):

Child classic

Notes	Name
In November 1907, the Duke of Fife presented Duff House to the townships of Banff and Macduff. The two town councils initially decided to convert the house and some 140 acres of the surrounding land into a hydropathic establishment. Sutherland and George prepared sketch plans, but the scheme was abandoned. Instead, in August 1908, the councils offered Dewynter Limited the option to turn the house into a hotel. Sutherland and George were retained by Dewynter Limited and continued working on the scheme between 1 October 1908 and 14 January 1909. About this time Dewynter Limited seem to have determined not to proceed, nor to pay their architects\' fees for the abortive work. In December 1910 the matter was ultimately settled in court where the full claim of £810-2-11 fees and expenses was awarded to the plaintiffs.<br><br>The estimated cost of hotel conversion in January 1909 was £200,000.<br><br>(Colonel George, the town clerk of Macduff, was a brother of Clement George.)	Duff House (proposed hotel scheme)

Notes

Name

In November 1907, the Duke of Fife presented Duff House to the townships of Banff and Macduff. The two town councils initially decided to convert the house and some 140 acres of the surrounding land into a hydropathic establishment. Sutherland and George prepared sketch plans, but the scheme was abandoned. Instead, in August 1908, the councils offered Dewynter Limited the option to turn the house into a hotel. Sutherland and George were retained by Dewynter Limited and continued working on the scheme between 1 October 1908 and 14 January 1909. About this time Dewynter Limited seem to have determined not to proceed, nor to pay their architects\' fees for the abortive work. In December 1910 the matter was ultimately settled in court where the full claim of £810-2-11 fees and expenses was awarded to the plaintiffs.<br><br>The estimated cost of hotel conversion in January 1909 was £200,000.<br><br>(Colonel George, the town clerk of Macduff, was a brother of Clement George.)

Duff House (proposed hotel scheme)

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The following books contain references to this building:

bio ref classic

Author	Year	Title	Part	Publisher	Notes
Adam, William	1820	Vitruvius Scoticus			Plates 146-8.
Anon	1743	Braco Case Petitions and Depositions			From this he appears to have also designed a temple on the Hill of Doune and a triumphal arch on an island in the Deveron.
Donaldson, Peter R	1995	Conservation case study: the Duff House project	VI	Architectural Heritage, VI (published 1996), pp32-48	Illustration
NMRS		NMRS Jubilee: A Guide to the Collections			pp22-23
Vitruvius Britannicus	1767	Vitruvius Britannicus			Voluem v, 1771, plates 58-60.
Walker, David W and Woodworth, Matthew	2015	The Buildings of Scotland: Aberdeenshire North and Moray		Yale University Press	pp45, 76, 94-96, 98, 101-104

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The following periodicals contain references to this building:

period ref classic

Periodical Name	Date	Edition	Publisher	Notes
Aberdeen Press and Journal	1964/12/08	*		Obituary of George Angus Mitchell

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The following archives hold material relating to this building:

arc ref classic

Source	Name	Item Name	Notes
Aberdeen City Archives	George Bennett Mitchell and Son Collection		GBM/1920/50/1-2, GBM/1920/51/1, GBM1920/52/1, GBM/1920/53/1. GBM/1920/54/1, GBM/1920/55/1
National Archives of Scotland (formerly SRO)	Gifts and deposits		GD 248 'The Buildings of Duff House' by James Simpson
Historic Environment Scotland	Listed Buildings Register	21985
Courtesy of Harry Mantell	Information sent via\'Contact Us\' on DSA website		Sent October 2009
National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMS	Drawings Collection		Original drawings by Bryce

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Basic Site Details

Alternative Names

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Building Type Classification

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Events

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People

Design and Construction

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Clients

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Related Buildings, Structures and Designs

Child Structures

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References

Bibliographic References

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Periodical References

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Archive References

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