Haddo House

Haddo House stands in Aberdeenshire, about thirty-two kilometres north of Aberdeen. Built in 1732 by William Adam, it replaced an older castle burnt down during the Covenanting troubles. The family who owned it became Earls and Marquesses of Aberdeen and Temair. Since 1979 the National Trust for Scotland has cared for the house and its grounds. The interior was remodelled in the late 19th century by Wright and Mansfield. Inside hangs a notable art collection, including eighty-five castle views by James Giles and an early work by Claude Lorrain. The estate is recognised for its designed landscape, entered on Scotland’s register in 1987. William Adam, the artist James Giles and George Hamilton-Gordon, the 4th Earl of Aberdeen, shaped its 18th- and 19th-century layout. Large parkland, avenues, woodlands and water features spread across the countryside. The house also holds the Cabot Commemorative State Dinner Service, a Canadian gift of 1898. Nearly twelve hundred babies were born here during the Second World War, many returning later to see the place. Visitors find a Georgian Palladian mansion with Victorian interiors. The grounds include a theatre and rehearsal rooms used by Haddo House Choral & Operatic Society. A small chapel is attached to the house, and gatehouses in Tudor style mark the north and south entrances. The estate suffered heavy losses in Storm Arwen, when about a hundred thousand trees fell. Despite this, the designed landscape remains a fine example of its kind.