Basic Site Details Name: | Glen Tanar House | Town, district or village: | Aboyne | City or county: | Aberdeenshire | Country: | Scotland | Parish: | | Status: | Demolished | Grid ref: | | Notes: | This originally was one of the little Scottish cottages; two rooms on ground floor and two attics in roof. The Earl of Southesk then had the shooting for a time, and erected a wing containing dining room drawing room and some bedrooms; but when Mr Brooks came these were all made into bedrooms, and in six weeks Mr Truefitt designed, and had three large reception rooms built, 30 feet by 22 feet each. As time was an object, these rooms were erected of timber, and harled outside; but they have since had an outer casing of granite. Another large wing has been built, consisting of servants’ hall, bedrooms etc, new kitchen department; and the old part of the building has been altered and added to, to make it agree with the new work. We here get a large verandah and porch combined in rustic work, and other bits of rustic work about the building. Internally the principal rooms have pine dados and panelled ceilings, and we notice in all the bedrooms ornamental glass of quaint design, every pattern different, and designed by the architect. The glass is in the lower panes of the sashes, and while it gets rid of the usual short white blinds, gives a cheerful effect to the rooms, and adds to the external general effect. Sitting and bedrooms are papered with tinted-glazed plain papers, of quiet tints, they do not therefore interfere at all with the pictures, engravings, water-colour drawings etc, with which the whole of the walls throughout the house are well covered. ... Carpets are the same everywhere - sitting rooms bedrooms and staircases. This adds greatly to the repose of the place. The bedrooms are purposely all small, but there are plenty of them. One idea was to keep the house as small in appearance as possible. ..... Wash-stands and dressing-tables, looking-glasses, and writing tables are all designed purposely, and mostly made fixtures. [Aberdeen Journal/Builder 19 September 1874 p791-792] | Alternative NamesThe following alternative names are associated with this building/design: | | Name | Current name? | Notes | | Glen Tannar House | | Alternative spelling | | Glentanar House | Yes | |
Building Type ClassificationThe building is classified under the following categories: | | Classification | Original classification? | Notes | | Country House | | |
EventsThe following date-based events are associated with this building: | | From | To | Event type | Notes | | 1869 | c. 1872 | Build/construction | | | 1898 | | Addition | Gardens | | 1906 | 1907 | | Alterations | | Mid 1930s | | | Alterations | | 1975 | | | Demolition |
PeopleDesign and ConstructionClientsThe following individuals or organisations have commissioned work on this building/design: | | Name | Notes | | Coats, George, later Lord Glentanar | 1905 alterations | | Cunliffe-Brooks, Sir William | Original house and client for gardens |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this building: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Academy Architecture | 1907 | | part 1 | | pp70,71 | | Geddes, Jane | 2001 | Deeside and the Mearns: An Illustrated Architectural Guide | | Edinburgh: RIAS/Rutland Press | p120 (Truefitt) | | Jamieson, David and Wilson, W Stewart | 2001 | Old Royal Deeside | | Stenlake | p30 | | Sharples, J, Walker, D W and Woodworth, M | 2015 | The Buildings of Scotland: Aberdeenshire South and Aberdeen | | London and New Haven: Yale University Press | p513-4 | | Waymark, Janet | 2009 | Thomas Mawson: Life, Gardens and Landscape | | Frances Lincoln Ltd. London | p231 |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this building: | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 19 September 1874 | | | pp791-792 |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this building: | | Source | Archive name | Source catalogue no. | Notes | | National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMS | George Truefitt at Glen Tanar 1875-85: photo album | | Original drawings. Album of sketches, photos & cuttings Acc No 1998/44 | | Professor David M Walker personal archive | Professor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material | | Information on Marshall Mackenzie work (and Isobel Gordon/Adams's role in it) from Isobel Margaret Gordon's daughter Ishbel Barnes (email 21 August 2006). | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | Larmont Douglas Penman: L v23 no1830 & F no2681 (box 10) |
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