Invereshie House

Invereshie House is a courtyard dwelling comprising different building phases, with a main block dating from around 1830 fronting an earlier 18th-century range, which has undergone later alterations. The courtyard is closed to the east by a wall with a central arched entrance. The house is harled with granite ashlar and sandstone dressings and margins.

The symmetrical, two-storey, three-bay main block (likely designed by William Robertson, Architect) has a granite ashlar porch with a round-headed entrance that masks the entrance within a recessed central bay. A moulded cornice and barge-boarded gable suggest a pediment. A decorative glazed fanlight sits above a panelled door. Long, flanking ground floor windows are mirrored in the return gables, all featuring 9- and 15-pane glazing. A deep ashlar eaves band, a moulded eaves cornice, and a barge-boarded gable span the recessed central bay. Paired corniced ridge stacks rise from the piended slate roof.

The rear of the house features long east/west elevations belonging to the earlier 18th-century two-storey and attic, three-bay house. A later two-storey bowed bay window has been added to the outer right bay of the west elevation, and three piended dormers break the west wallhead. A further two-storey range closes the north side of the courtyard; this features multi-pane glazing, end stacks, and slate roofs.

The interior of the 1830 block features a central stairhall with an imperial staircase flanked by Ionic columns supporting a half landing. Three panelled doors (two of which are blind) are present, with Greek key pattern detailing on the half landing, leading to the earlier rear house which has differing floor levels. Cast-iron balusters with palmette decoration are featured, as is a coffered ceiling in the hall and on the first floor landing. Simple marble chimney pieces and plain cornices decorate the public rooms.

The earlier 18th-century range contains a central wooden staircase with turned balusters, a moulded hand-rail, and carved motifs. A small top landing window with shutters is present. A diminutive wooden key-stoned moulded basket arched box bed alcove, now a cupboard in the present ground floor bar, is also visible. Fielded panelled doors and simple moulded cornices are found in the low-ceilinged rooms.

The house was formerly the home of the MacPherson and subsequently the MacPherson-Grant families (now of Ballindalloch). The main front block of around 1830 closely resembles the frontage of the earlier house at Inveravon Manse, Ballindalloch, Moray, by William Robertson. Invereshie is said to date from 1695, and some fabric from this period may be incorporated into the structure. Invereshie House now operates as a hotel.