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Pitfour House: Temple of Theseus

Date 8 September 1992

Event ID 892084

Category Management

Type Site Management

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/892084

Small Greek Docic Hexastyle temple with 34 granite- column peristyle; wood entabuature; very finely detailed. Interior contains cold bath. Roof dilapidated and parts of cornice missing.

Wilson Smith credits the building of the temple James Ferguson 'the member' c. 1809-20; but the N.S.A. v. 12 p 141 describes it as 'lately erected'. Although the house was demolished in 1927-30 and the grounds have suffered much from timber felling, the Lake and its surrounding buildings still have great landscape and architectural value.

The buildings are probably all the work of John Smith who is credited with the house (reconstructed c 1809; fire damaged 1820, reinstated with further additions 1821-2) in the A.P.S.D. and his Aberdeen Journal Obituary. (Historic Scotland)

The Blenheim of Buchan. One of the great estates of north-east Scotland, first built by the eccentric Ferguson family in the early 18th century. The house, extended probably by John Smith circa 1809, and subsequently, was demolished in 1927. Much survives of the estate, mainly because the Ferguson's spared little expense...The Temple of Theseus, a six bay Greek Doric Temple, enclosed within 36 columns, with a wooden entablature above, contained a cold bath (and so it is said, Admiral Ferguson's alligators ) within. (C.McKean)

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