House Of Schivas

The Gatehouse at the House of Schivas is a historic building designed by Thomas Leper around 1585, or possibly slightly earlier. The original structure is a three-storey, rubble-built L-plan house featuring an entrance and a corbelled stair turret in the northeast re-entrant angle, along with a semi-circular stair tower at the center of the north front of the main block.

In approximately 1750, a three-storey piended northeast wing was added, followed by a three-storey west extension with a bow around 1780, and a two-storey north wing constructed before 1851. The building suffered a fire in 1900 and was rebuilt in 1902 by A.G. Sydney Mitchell, who also executed the work of James Cobban. During this reconstruction, an east office wing was added, the top of the stair tower was replaced with a parapet, the re-entrant turret was restored, and the west extension was reduced from three storeys to two.

Significant internal renovations took place in 1931 under A.H.L. Mackinnon, followed by further restoration from 1934 to 1937 by J. Fenton Wyness. During this period, the northeast wing was removed, and the east and north wings were remodeled in the style of 16th-century Scottish architecture. The tower parapet was removed, and crowsteps were restored, which had been removed prior to 1851 but left traces on the jamb. The courtyard wall was rebuilt, with remnants visible from Cobban's time, and a conjectural gatehouse was added, although the original form is unknown, along with a new wellhead for the well in the courtyard.

The interior features a great hall with plasterwork by Sydney Mitchell, which has been partly modified, especially in the altar recess, by Fenton Wyness, and is adorned with sequoia wood panelling. The withdrawing room also showcases plasterwork by Sydney Mitchell and panelling sourced from houses in Aberdeen, along with a 1596 Gray panel.