Kingcausie: Secret charms of an old Deeside estate
March 2009
16th laird of Kingcausie: Today’s laird, Henry Irvine-Fortescue, with his mother Margaret, his wife Hazel and their children. [photo: Ian Hamilton]
by Elizabeth Bracegirdle
Henry Irvine-Fortescue, the 16th laird of Kingcausie, whose family has owned the estate since its origin in 1535, lives in dread of the proposed Aberdeen bypass. It would, he says, have a colossal environmental and visual impact on the estate’s historic landscape.
It appears that the area has been overlooked in the consultation process for the road, no mention having been made of the grade B listed Kingcausie House.
This middle-ranking house is important in having been owned continuously by a family which has made important contributions to north-east economic development and culture.
In 1935 Thomas Innes of Learney wrote that “the turrets and gables of Kingcausie, rising from amidst their spreading woods
and park, are one of the best known features in the landscape of Lower Deeside.”
The turrets and gables of Kincausie are now concealed and no longer ‘best known’, and a loved landmark has been all but lost.
A period of relative affluence and careful husbandry in the mid-19th century was followed by the 12th laird’s plundering of estate resources. Subsequent lairds have striven to effect a recovery, but Kingcausie has gradually become hidden.
The merchant burgess and 1st laird Henry Irvine established a cadet line of the Irvines of Drum at Kingcausie. Cadet lines originated from younger sons and secured a network of support for family chiefs. Henry acquired land at Kingcausie, with its rich salmon fishery, in 1535, and managed much of Aberdeen’s lucrative salmon export trade.
John Irvine Boswell: Shorthorn cattle pioneer
By the 17th century agriculture had superseded the salmon trade as a means of income, and this is still the case. The 9th laird, James, followed his father ‘in making the fields more productive. Claud Irvine Boswell, husband of the 10th lady, blew up rocks, and drained, fallowed and dunged the land. John Irvine Boswell, 11th laird, received the Royal Highland Society’s gold medal in recognition of land improvement. He also pioneered the shorthorn cattle breed.
Our knowledge of the earliest building is reliant on the observation of James Irvine Fortescue, 15th of Kincausie, father of the present laird, Henry. The E-shaped 16th century foundations of Kingcausie’s earliest house, aligned with the ancient yew-hedges, were seemingly discovered during drainage excavations.
A second, early 17th century house, similar in status to Provost Skene’s House in Aberdeen, can be traced in surviving stonework, such as doorway mouldings and notches for a two-flight stair with a small oval window. Fire-damaged in 1680, this house was rebuilt by John, 8th laird and finished by his son James. They retained the core walls of the old house, completing a second storey in 1748. The mouldings for a late 17th century doorway can still be seen at the west end of the building.
The present-day Kingcausie was shaped by the 11th laird, John Irvine Boswell, who chose architect David Bryce to mould the baronial style, reflecting new confidence in Scottish identity. This style reflected a romantic past, but had the modern comforts of water closets, showers, plate-glass windows and a separate domain for servants. Bryce is known for the Bank of Scotland head office on the Mound; and in Grampian, Cullen House and Keith Hall, both now divided into flats.
Bryce’s Kingcausie, c.1851, has turreted east and west wings, a new north façade and oriel window, encasing the old house centrally. He incorporated the service building, the Brew House, to the east, giving romantic asymmetry to an otherwise symmetrical building.
Conspicuous from the new Deeside Railway – open to Banchory in 1853, Aboyne in1859, and Ballater in 1866 – Kingcausie was considered the height of modernity. When Victoria and Albert noticed the building they reputedly stopped the royal train for a better view… and Balmoral’s baronial alterations began in 1853.
The Irvines, who were noted for both trading connections and intellectual interests, fostered Kingcausie’s collections. In the 17th century John, 7th laird, was described as “a pretty good Historian and Geographer and wel red in polimicke contraversie”.
The 9th laird James, studied law, while his second wife, Mary, collected classic French literature. It is probable that the Canton trader John Irvine collected Kingcausie’s oriental pieces.
Eliza Boswell, 1788-1839, was a flower painter and the Kingcausie collections include her sketchbooks and watercolours. For 10 years her drawing master was Patrick Syme, a founder member of the Royal Scottish Academy and author of Practical Directions for Learning Flower Drawing.
John Thomas Boswell Syme: Sowerby’s English Botany
One day in 1822 Eliza set off by coach for her lesson; the coach returned without her, however, with a note to say that she had eloped with drawing master Syme. Their son, John Thomas Boswell Syme, became an eminent botanist, responsible for the third edition of Sowerby’s English Botany.
The 13th laird, William Irvine Fortescue, 1851-1941, was known as a surgeon and naturalist.
Hazel, wife of the current laird, Henry, is an artist and basket maker, so the artistic tradition continues. Collections in situ include papers, books, paintings, porcelain, furniture and metalwork.
Kingcausie estate includes a range of structures, many dating from the time when Irvine Boswell incorporated the small adjoining estate, Eastland, into the policies. Boswell also built the home farm steadings, including the archway, clock tower and doocote.
The 18th century Eastland mansion was enlarged as the dower house, and Archer Irvine Fortescue lived there until he became 14th laird in 1941. Eastland cottage became the home of the estate carpenter.
At Kingcausie there is a wooden model that shows the Victorian ‘improvements’ of the mansion. It may have been made by the estate carpenter for John Irvine Boswell, to demonstrate his ideas to architect David Bryce.
Philips Cottage, the ‘gingerbread house’, bears the family name of Agnes Philip, a 19th century housekeeper, and there are ruined crofts on the Gallowhill and the Cleanhill. The woodland laundry ruin demonstrates a mechanism for diverting water from the burn.
Kingcausie’s lodges include Aberdeen – which with its gates is ‘B’ listed – Clianthus, Dalfogart, Eastland and the Old Post Office. Aberdeen Lodge gates bear the crests of
Irvine and Boswell. A set of similar gates marking the western approach, at Dalfogart, has gone.
Drystane dykes and ha-has accentuated the incorporation of Eastland into the Victorian estate. The ha-ha, a ditch with sunken wall, contains livestock while still allowing a swept view. The parkland ha-ha to the west of the house, for example, provides distant views of the estate from the north bank of the Dee, and unifies the landscape for those looking from the woodland.
There is a hierarchy of drystane dykes throughout the estate. The top category of dykes – high, and constructed with dressed stones and triangular copingstones – distinguished a part of the estate as high status. An intermediate form has flattened squared coping stones, and the third form is the standard rubble-built field divider.
A ha-ha, enhanced by a row of oaks
The traveller from the western approach first met the high status wall and gates at Dalfogart Lodge. A ha-ha, enhanced by a row of oaks, still provides swept views over Eastland pastures. The traveller continued along a raised road, with step-down effect to the pastures, and the eye would be drawn, as it is today, along the tree belt to Eastland’s northernmost fields.
The traveller next encountered the high status wall of Green Croft, sunken from the carriage drive side, allowing a view across the field to the woodland – a charming succession of vistas.
A further ha-ha encloses the southern end of the formal garden, giving an impression of bringing the garden into the surrounding woodland, while retaining privacy.
A carriage drive to the west of the house passed between the garden and the woodland walks, giving a southern approach via Clianthus Lodge and extended by an avenue to Swellhead. Farm traffic was relegated to a parallel track.
Parkland is used to reveal the mansion from the north Dee bank, and also to expose the surrounding views to the occupants of the house. The oriel window on the principle storey and the corner turret windows on the bedroom storey open onto parkland views sweeping down to the Dee.
Douglas, 1781, describes Kingcausie’s parkland as, “sheltered by belts of planting and hedge-rows”. Alexander Burnett of Leys’ letter to James, ninth laird, confirms the contemporary style of planting in tiers. Irvine has sent Burnett some chestnut trees, who promises to plant them, “interlined with walnut trees and limes”.
Later fashion was more irregular. Tree rows were opened out by Irvine Boswell to give the natural-seeming scatter seen in the 1868 OS map. Capability Brown promoted the ‘natural’ style of open parkland, seen through asymmetrical tree plantings and across water, with deer or cattle enlivening the scene. The impression of Kingcausie’s turrets and gables seen through scattered trees from the riverbank is still important today.
The ancient yew-hedges, by their alignment, could date from the 16th century. This may suggest a date for the earliest formal garden. Yew was one of the species employed to enclose renaissance knot gardens. If the merchant Irvines travelled, as suggested by 5th laird John’s nickname of ‘Far from the Land’, they may have seen European examples firsthand.
In the 18th century the 9th laird James and his second wife Mary were instrumental in developing the garden, which was accessed via a covered way from the south side of the house. Writings around 1811 described the gardens as “charmingly laid out”.
A 1780 seedsman’s account lists: White and red Aster, Painted Lady, Sweet Pease, Venus’ Looking Glass, Double Larkspur, White Lupins, Yellow Ditto, Red Lavatera, Tree mallow, Tall Sunflower, Double Stock, Double Carnations, Thyme and Clover.
Lady Mary’s Garden, a circular ‘eye-catcher’
The 1813 estate plan and the 1868 Ordnance Survey map show a formal garden set out in parterres. An Edwardian photograph shows an intricate pattern of box hedging with one of the two 19th-century sundials evident. This may represent a Victorian restoration to match the David Bryce baronialisation of the house.
The walled garden today is informal and in keeping with more simple contemporary tastes, the ancient yew hedging producing the effect of ‘rooms’. The pleasance within a designed landscape was a secluded retreat, a place of tranquillity set out with shady walks. Lady Mary’s Garden, a circular ‘eye-catcher’ and viewpoint, originally with flower borders, exemplifies an 18th century garden retreat, of which little remains but the circular wall. It is situated away from the mansion to the east, at the top of the Hill of Kingcausie. The 1813 plan and 1868 O.S. map show the transition from straight avenues, arranged as a saltire, to meandering paths. Innes describes the garden as reached by “winding and mossy woodland paths”.
Contemporary with the eye-catcher was Capel Grove to the west of the house, named after Lady Mary’s sister-in-law and described by Douglas as “a most delightful spot …Here the children of Nature dread no enemy, while you walk thro’ their peaceful retreat”.
Comparing the 1813 plan and 1868 map, a network of gentle woodland walks with a seat emerges. A gated exit leading over the garden ha-ha into the woodland, stone-slab bridges to cross the burn and specimen trees are all manifest today. The walks provided circulation and access to Corbie Linn – “scenery a good deal picturesque” – Eastland and the Kirk.
Some ancient hollies remain in the Hollie Yaird by the main drive to the house. Holly is the heraldic device of the Irvines and the family motto is Sub Sole Sub Umbra Virens – in sunshine or in shade ever green – a positive maxim for survival in good times and bad.
Much is known about Kingcausie, but there is still a huge amount to discover. The estate in its maturity encompassed the Eastland mansion, the laundry, cottages, crofts, lodges and the ha-has and dykes. The stories of many people, whose voices have yet to be heard, are woven into these structures.
James Irvine-Fortescue, 15th laird of Kingcausie, saved the ancient county of Kincardineshire in 1972 when he arrived at St Andrew’s House in Edinburgh brandishing a claymore.
At the Scottish Office headquarters James was warned about being in possession of an offensive weapon. But he replied that as he was wearing the kilt, the sword formed part of his Highland dress. Due to his efforts, the county remained intact, but Irvine-Fortescue returned to the fray 21 years later when it was to become part of Aberdeenshire. His efforts led to road signs proclaiming ‘Historic Kincardineshire’ whenever the old county is entered.
Educated at Edinburgh Academy, Irvine-Fortescue graduated in French and German from Aberdeen University, and followed his father Col. Archer Irvine-Fortescue into service with Kincardine County Council.
Family history and genealogy were his abiding interests and he spent considerable time researching an ancestry which ran back to William de Irwyn, who was given the Forest of Drum by King Robert Bruce in 1323.
James Irvine-Fortescue died in 2005, aged 87, and is survived by his wife Margaret, three sons and a daughter. It is hoped that the current laird, Henry Irvine-Fortescue, will not need to resort to the family claymore.
Elizabeth Bracegirdle has an MA Hons in Art History (1st ) from Aberdeen University. She worked for 10 years as a tutor for the Open University and has, in the past, worked as a casual lecturer for Aberdeen University and Gray’s School of Art.
This is an article from the March 2009 edition of Leopard Magazine. To read much more like this every month, see our subscription details.