Birkenbog House Flanking Range

Flanking range of Birkenbog House. Mixed period with central block oldest at c. 1800. Small extension to south now demolished.

RCAHMS (2012).

Flanking buildings to Birkenbog House. Mainly 2-storey range at right angles to house on N side of garden.Rubble, some harling. Centre, earliest building is 3-bay house with tooled ashlar margins. Blocked 1st floor centre window; 16-pane glazing in surviving 1st floor windows, varied glazing elsewhere. Single storey former detached kitchen abuts E gable of house; 2-storey, 2-bay gig house continuous at W gable with brick-faced segmental-headed gig house entrance and 2 1st floor windows. Coped end stacks; Banffshire slate roofs throughout.

Birkenbog the home of the Abercrombie(y) family of Birkenbog. In 1790-1 it was recorded that 'Sir George Abercrombie has pulled down the old family seat and has not yet re-built it' after destruction by fire in 1790. The drum tower at the rear was obviously part of this 'old family seat'; so too may have been the studded plank door closing the N entrance to the walled garden. Re-set armorial bears the Abercrombie arms, the motto 'Merci is my desir' and the date 1693. It is said to have come from Glassaugh (also Abercrombie).

The plan form of present house is early rather than late 18th century and may, like the more obvious drum tower, have been a wing of the earlier mansion. As the Abercrombies of Birkenbog inherited Forglen, near Turriff in 1803, there was no need for a large family mansion at Birkenbog after that date and the rehabilitation of surviving ranges sufficed. (Historic Scotland)