Description

James Gillespie Graham circa 1810-12, large additions 1815-16, with

John Smith of Aberdeen as builder, further alterations probably also by Gillespie Graham 1839 incorporating old house of Woodstock. Late Georgian castellated, 2 storey and attic, mainly ashlar faced and

crenellated almost throughout. Main block: Entrance front on east, square corner turret on left, lower 1 window bay with square headed windows linking to stepped tripartite entrance bay, 4 centre arched porch with octagonal angle turrets, hood-moulded window of 3 pointed lights over, tall single storey 3 window hall block on right, traceried 4 centre arch 3 light windows, centre bay raised and square turret at north east angle: South front overlooking valley, central 3 window semi- circular tower with hoodmoulded ground floor windows, 4 centre arched 1st and 2nd floor windows. Corbelled and crenellated parapet encircling upper octagon with tall narrow openings and crenellated parapet with narrow pepperpot angle turrets, lower square clasping turrets with slit openings; 2 window to right linking to south east corner turret, 4 centre arched windows; 3 window to left, arched windows in giant recesses linking to quatrefoil plan 3 storey south west angle tower after Caesar's Tower at Warwick; tall narrow slit windows, 2 per segment; west elevation centre turret feature of shallow projection,

3 light staircase window with geometrical windows to left, one bay of arched windows to right, pepperpot at north west angle; lower 3 storey south west wing returns west at right angles, main part on right,

generously spaced 3 windows, all 4 centre arched, higher one bay section on left with small 2 light windows, round arched ground and 2nd, trefoiled at 1st, taller still square south west angle-turret with hoodmoulded slits, 1 window gable with 2 light hoodmould and traceried square headed windows; links to 2 storey square plan north west wing at higher level, similar fenestration ground floor, 2 pointed arched lights in square recesses at 1st floor, higher octagonal corner turret with pointed slits at north west angle. Piended slated roofs, diagonal shafted chimneys, modern stair tower in main block and north west wing.

Original glazing with wood traceried sashes, stone tracery at hall block at north east and north west wing. Extensive railed terraces on south. Interior has notable clerestoreyed and plaster-vaulted central hall. Extensively re-habilitated after use as a prep school. Jenkins and Marr

1974-5.

Statement of Interest

Picturesque elevated site. The building sequence does not seem to be precisely known though the 1815 16 work must account for more than half the house (probably the western hall of the main block and the western and north western wing as it specified 608' of embrasure caps: it also must include the upper stage of the central tower on the south front as it includes the 'bulls' (eyes).

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Drumtochty Castle at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q3374673

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Cornwall (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)