Recording Your Heritage Online
Event ID 563983
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Recording Your Heritage Online
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/563983
House of Schivas, c.1585 or slightly earlier, Thomas Leper. Lands originally held by Scheves family, a succession of owners has wrought many changes and additions. Remarkably complex with some of the massing of Barra, but many
links in plan and details to Tolquhon (eg triple gunloops). A lofty, L-plan, with square stairtower and a stair-turret in the re-entrant - for George Gray, fourth laird. North-east wing added, 1750, by Forbeses; 1780, main block extended to west; before 1851, north wing built by Irvines of Drum; 1900 burnt; 1902 rebuilt, A G Sydney Mitchell (executed James Cobban);
from 1931 much internal work, A H L Mackinnon; 1934-7 restored, Fenton Wyness, Scots 16th-century style for first Lord Catto of Cairncatto, a Buchan loon turned merchant banker. Wyness remodelling very effective in unifying the various surviving fragments; in particular the courtyard wall and jewel-like gatehouse are admirable. Plasterwork of great hall by Mitchell, modified by Wyness; that of drawing room, also by Mitchell.
Taken from "Aberdeenshire: Donside and Strathbogie - An Illustrated Architectural Guide", by Ian Shepherd, 2006. Published by the Rutland Press http://www.rias.org.uk
