Kemnay House

Kemnay House is a grade A listed building of mid-17th century origin, substantially developed and remodelled over subsequent centuries. The building comprises a mid-17th century three-storey and attic L-plan tower house; a three-storey north-west wing with bell gable, added around 1690; and a south-east wing probably dating from the late 17th to early 18th century, which was remodelled and raised from two to three storeys with a piend roof in 1808. A south-west porch dated 1833, north-east water and stair towers dated 1830, and extensive interior remodelling in classical style were carried out between 1830 and 1833 by John Smith, Aberdeen City Architect. The building underwent restoration in 1964 by Vespen, and further restorations in 1977 and 1994 by Rhind of Inverurie.

The house is constructed of harl with stone margins. The granite ashlar water tower and porch feature a band course and jettied blocking course to the water tower, and a band course to the stair tower. The ground floor is vaulted and features decorative corbels.

The north-west (entrance) elevation is dominated by a projecting two-bay bell gable with symmetrical fenestration to the first and second floors. To the left is the original tower house with a blocked segmental-headed doorway retaining a decoratively-astragalled fanlight as a window, with small windows to each floor above and an attic window with a tiny pedimented dormer. A re-entrant angle contains a small stair window at ground level and a corbelled turret stair serving the second and attic floors. Set-back bays to the left have a single ground floor window and two windows to each upper floor. A projecting conically-roofed stair tower beyond contains a blocked round-headed opening at ground level, replaced by a shield bearing an incised date and narrow lights at each upper floor, with a round-headed opening at attic level. The water tower to the left has a round-headed door (converted from a window) at ground level and windows to each floor above, with an advanced bay to the outer left featuring an arrowslit to each floor.

The south-west (principal) elevation consists of an altered symmetrical five-bay block with a granite porch at the centre of the ground floor, flanking windows in adjacent bays, and regular fenestration to each upper floor. A narrow rounded stair tower in a re-entrant angle at the junction with the set-back north-west wing features gunloops to each floor. The north-west wing comprises two regularly-fenestrated bays.

The south-east (rear) elevation displays largely symmetrical fenestration with advanced outer bays. Tall first floor windows include a round-headed window left of centre and a segmental-headed tripartite window to the outer right.

The north-east elevation is gabled with a garage extension at ground level, a window to the right at second floor, and a small attic window to the left, with the water tower at the outer right angle.

Fenestration throughout predominantly comprises multi-pane glazing in timber sash and case windows. The roof is covered in grey slates. Coped ashlar gablehead stacks and paired diamond-aligned wallhead stacks are present on the south-east elevation. Ashlar-coped skews detail the gables.

The interior retains fine decorative detail and features decorative and plain moulded plasterwork, as well as timber and marble fire surrounds with cast-iron grates. The original north-west main door opens into a broad wheel stair. A vaulted kitchen contains a large segmental-arched chimney and evidence of a three-wheel multiple jack similar to that at the House of Dun. A vaulted gunroom features a marble fireplace, and a vaulted wine cellar with dirt floor is also present. Early 18th century panelling is retained to the first floor room of the north-west wing.

The south-west wing, remodelled in 1830, comprises a front hall with flag floor and chamfered-reveal window opening from the original building; a panelled dining room containing a series of ten painted panels by the Norie family; a stone dog-leg staircase with decorative cast-iron balusters leading to the first floor; a drawing room with an adjacent small drawing room; a dining room with timber dado; and a library retaining original 1830s wallpaper. The panelled principal bedroom is thought to have been the original great hall.

The original tower house was built for Sir Thomas Crombie and was subsequently purchased by Thomas Burnett, 1st Laird of Kemnay, from Sir George Nicholson in 1688. George Burnett, the third laird, undertook estate improvements including the laying out of 130 acres with woodland and enclosed fields, as well as planting The Avenue. His son Alexander continued agricultural improvements. John, the 5th laird, took over in 1814 on his marriage to Mary Stuart of Dunearn in Fife. The property remained in the same family and was inherited by Susan Letitia Burnett or Milton, the 9th and current laird, in 1948, though her mother retained life rent.

During the 1964 renovation, Mrs Milton discovered the original window in the front hall and subsequently unearthed painted grisaille panels by the Norie family from an attic. Investigation suggests that the panelling of the ground floor dining room, into which the Norie panels have been reinserted, was originally imported from the first floor suite of three low panelled parlours in the original building. The principal bedroom with its fine original panelling is believed to have been the great hall. Further discoveries included a well fed from a spring to the south-west near the base of the original wheel stair, and a blocked door in the front hall, which would balance John Smith's classical design.

Correspondence in the family archive concerning the remodelling and building work undertaken by John Smith is dated 17 June 1830 and 20 July 1830, though the latter is mistakenly addressed to John Gordon Esq of Kemnay instead of John Burnett. Documents also record a plan to relocate the kitchen to the small woman's room (maid's pantry) at the base of the stair in the water tower, which would have been convenient for the new first floor dining room.

The family retains the muckle key of Crathes, taken after an inheritance dispute between the Burnett and Burnet of Leys families. In 1830 John Burnett opened a granite quarry at Paradise Hill, which was subsequently leased to John Fyfe; stone from this quarry was used in building the Thames embankment. The gatepiers flanking the entrance to Kemnay House are constructed of stone from the local railway station (demolished in 1964), with ball finials (tourie) from the 1830 porch. A monument to George Burnet (died 1780), who "Planned, Planted and brought to Perfection this Grove", was moved to the garden of Kemnay House from the Wilderness in 1964.