Fetternear House and Bishop's Palace is a Grade B listed building in the Aberdeenshire local planning authority area, Scotland. First listed on 16 April 1971. Tower house, mansion. 2 related planning applications.

Fetternear House and Bishop's Palace

WRENN ID
south-jamb-plover
Grade
B
Local Planning Authority
Aberdeenshire
Constituency
Gordon and Buchan MP: Harriet Cross (Con)
Country
Scotland
Date first listed
16 April 1971
Type
Tower house, mansion
OS grid reference
NJ 723 170
Coordinates
57.24372, -2.46003
Source
Historic Environment Scotland listing

Also on this page: related consents · flood risk · radon risk · weather exposure · detailed attributes ↓

Description

Fetternear House and Bishop's Palace is a roofless building that was burnt in 1919. The oldest part is a three-storey tower house measuring 20 feet by 36 feet, featuring a circular southwest angle tower that contains a staircase. The ground floor is vaulted, although part of the vault was removed later. This section was built in the late 16th century for John Leslie, the 8th Baron Balquhain.

In 1691 to 1693, it became part of a large near-symmetrical mansion constructed for Count Patrick Leslie. This mansion is three storeys high with six windows and includes circular angle towers, one of which on the east side belongs to the original house. There are small ground floor openings and larger openings on the first and second floors that are grooved for glass. A fine armorial panel from 1693 is located above the central door, with the inscription IHS-MRA/POL/MOI/1691 above it.

The building underwent reconstruction in the early 19th century, during which the towers were raised, and corbelled and crenellated parapets were added to both the towers and the main block. The central north wing was gutted, and a staircase was inserted, designed by architect James Massie. Additionally, a two-storey wing with a bow on the east side was added north of the staircase, dated 1818, and a west wing along with a cross wing were added around 1850.

Local climate

Fetternear House and Bishop's Palace receives an average of 860 mm of rain a year. This makes it wetter than 60% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is lower than that of 96% of listed buildings.

It experiences an average of 60 freeze-thaw cycles a year, more than 98% of listed buildings. Of these, 38 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.

Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.

More on this building

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  • No EPC on record for this property
  • No sale records on file
  • Related listed building consents — 2 applications
  • Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
  • Flood risk assessment
  • Radon risk assessment
  • Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
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Nearby listed buildings

  1. Stables, Fetternear House Grade C 333 m
  2. The Roman Catholic Church Of Our Lady Of The Garioch And St John The Evangelist., Fetternear Grade B 750 m
  3. Presbytery, The Roman Catholic Church Of Our Lady Of The Garioch And St John The Evangelist, Fetternear Grade B 754 m
  4. James Mitchell Memorial, Kemnay Grade C 1.5 km
  5. Birchfield, High Street, Kemnay Grade C 1.5 km
  6. School, Grove Road, Kemnay Grade B 1.6 km
  7. Schoolhouse, Grove Road, Kenmay Grade B 1.6 km
  8. Morthouse, Kemnay Parish Church Grade B 1.7 km
  9. Kemnay Parish Church Grade C 1.7 km
  10. Milton Grade C 1.8 km