Boundary Walls And Railings, Manor House Including Summerhouse, Skene Street, Macduff, Aberdeenshire

Description

Designed by Alexander Marshall Mackenzie and dating from 1905, the Manor House is a single and two-storey, five-bay, mock half-timbered house set-back from street frontage with a fine little-altered interior and located at heart of Macduff. Timber verandah, unusual glazing pattern to leaded diamond-paned casement windows set in timber frames, and jettied, mock half-timbered gableheads. Rubble with concrete render inset with regularly-sized river pebbles; pink Turriff sand render over granite at rear. Timber margins, transoms and mullions.

FURTHER DESCRIPTION: principal southwest elevation with gabled, symmetrical two-storey centre bays comprising advanced centre with two-leaf panelled timber door, flanking lights and further lights to returns, first floor with mock half-timbering below full-width, 8-light, square-plan, transomed window; flanking bays each with four-light transomed window at each floor and plain-balustered verandah on square columns. Lower, gabled bay with three-light transomed window to outer right, and lean-to garage (on site of former conservatory) at outer left. Boiler room to northwest incorporates pedimented doorway dated 1872 from former cottage on site.

Leaded glazing to upper lights and some lower lights of transomed windows at southwest, all in timber casement windows; replacement uPVC glazing elsewhere. Rosemary tiles and grey slates. Stacks of concrete render with inset pebbles with full complement of clay cans. Plain bargeboarding.

INTERIOR: much original detail retained including fine joinery work to stairhall screen and fire surrounds; some plasterwork cornicing. Timber dado panelling to music room; plasterwork dado panelling painted as timber at staircase and drawing room. Timber dog-leg staircase with carved balusters. Leaded windows with decorative ironwork handles.

SUMMERHOUSE: rustic timber summerhouse retaining leaded glazing with decorative coloured glazing in shaped light and plain bargeboarding. Interior retains bench seats, hessian and decorated cloth wall coverings and makers plate stamped 'Caesar'.

BOUNDARY WALL AND RAILINGS: semicircular-coped rubble boundary walls; stepped with inset railings to southwest.

Statement of Interest

The Manor House is a surprisingly English design isolated among low terraced cottages in a north east fishing town. Built on the site of three small cottages for 'Dr' Walford Bodie, possibly Scotland's most famous magician of his era. Alexander Marshall Mackenzie (1848-1933) was a respected architect who contributed much to the architectural character of the North East of Scotland and is particularly associated with Aberdeen. The grandiose setting, with sweeping drive and lawn retaining original garden ornaments and benches, resembles a stage set with a contrasting thin strip of garden to the rear of the house. The unusual and unexpected design features extend to the house interior with apparently timber panelling made of painted plaster, and the very fine hall screen creating an illusory space leading to a 'grand' staircase. It is possible that the screen is imported from Duff House which was being refurbished during the opening years of the 20th century. Apparently altered to fit the space, the pilasters carry differing numbers of flutes, and the panels appear to be slightly irregular. Records exist confirming that the drawing room originally housed a marble fireplace from Duff House. The single storey music room wing is thought to have been used as a Masonic Lodge, it has oak-timbered panelling, the doors have early five-lever locks, and the room is thought to conceal Masonic symbols. A replacement lodge, funded by Bodie, was built just across the road in 1916.

Born Samuel Murphy Bodie in Aberdeen in 1869, he became a successful showman, conjuror and magician. A colourful and controversial figure, 'one of the most famous and highly paid performers of the British Music Hall' (Woods), Bodie said of himself that the initials 'MD' after his name meant 'Merry Devil'. By 1906 he was earning about £400 per week. His first performance was given at Stonehaven Town Hall in 1884, and after learning about electricity when working for the National Telephone Company he went on to develop the Electric Act for which he is best known. The popularity of this act was enhanced when, in 1890, the first judicial electrocution by means of electric chair took place in America. The Laird of Macduff, as he became known, was an associate of Houdini who supposedly presented Bodie with the actual chair in 1920. By the 1930s increasing sophistication of audiences and competition from cinema led to a serious decline in Bodie's line of business, and Manor House together with its contents was sold off in 1937 to repay debts. A memorial fountain (located in Crook O'Ness Street) commemorates his daughter, Jeannie, who died at the age of 18, and the Bodie Crypt is at Doune churchyard.

Listed building record updated in 2022.

External Links

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