Haddo

The ruinous remains of Haddo consist of a central, severe three-story, three-window block constructed of rubble. An Italianate two-story addition is located to the south, arranged in a T-plan and harled with granite margins. It has a low-pitched roof with broad eaves and an eaves belt course. A porte-cochere entrance tower rises on the west side, topped with a dome on pendentives and featuring semi-circular arches with continuous architraves. A group of three round-arched windows are positioned above each side of the tower, which is finished with a low pyramidal roof and wide consoled eaves. A wooden conservatory is set into the angle of the building. A three-window bow front is visible on the east gable. The building is noted for its finely composed and distinctive detailing, dating to circa 1836. An office block on the north side, likely of the same date, is rubble-built and characterized by twin, curved gables with cruciform chimneys.

Beyond the main house, across the Banffshire border, lies an oval walled garden, now derelict, along with a circular doocot and a segmentally arched bridge spanning the Keithny Burn.

Historical records suggest conflicting authorship, with both Smith and Simpson credited with work at Haddo. Simpson was known to have designed work at Haddo (Methlick) in 1822. However, unsigned plans and other work for the Aberdeen family around the same time point to involvement by the Smiths, around 1843. The architectural style is similar to that of Simpson (comparable to Linton and Thainston) although the Smiths also demonstrated a similar style in the 1830s.