Mar Lodge
Encyclopedia
Mar Lodge is a sporting lodge, the principal building on the Mar Lodge Estate
in Aberdeenshire
, Scotland
.
and Duchess of Fife
. It is located about 4 miles to the west of Braemar
and is accessed from the Linn of Dee road, over the Victoria Bridge
, a lattice girder structure built across the River Dee
in 1905.
There have been four Mar Lodges. The 1995 photograph shows the 4th Lodge with the drive aligned with its main door.
Originally known as Dalmore House, the Lodge was damaged in the 'Muckle Spate
' ('large flood') of 1829 and later demolished.
at the top of Mar Lodge Brae. It was a very 'Victorian' building with architectural detailing such as prominent use of lattice work (still visible on the 'Stag Ballroom') and tree-trunk supports (visible in the veranda of the old bar at the rear of Mar Lodge) being reused in the construction of the next Mar Lodge. It was destroyed by fire on the 14th of June 1895.
and his wife Princess Louise, Princess Royal and Duchess of Fife
. The foundation stone was laid by the Duchess' grandmother, Queen Victoria
on 15 October 1895.
This photograph (scanned old postcard) shows the original veranda and drive alignment that allowed horse drawn carriages arriving from Braemar
to pull up at the main door.
The 3rd Mar Lodge was destroyed by a fire while being renovated in 1991.
Mar Lodge Estate
became a National Trust for Scotland
property in 1995.
Mar Lodge Estate
Mar Lodge Estate is a Scottish Highland estate in Aberdeenshire, owned by the National Trust for Scotland. It is entirely contained within the Cairngorms National Park and important for nature conservation, landscape, recreation and culture.-Geography:...
in Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area.The present day Aberdeenshire council area does not include the City of Aberdeen, now a separate council area, from which its name derives. Together, the modern council area and the city formed historic...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
Location
Mar Lodge is a sporting lodge built for the use of the DukeAlexander Duff, 1st Duke of Fife
Alexander William George Duff, 1st Duke of Fife KG, KT, GCVO, PC, VD , styled Viscount Macduff between 1857 and 1879 and known as The Earl Fife between 1879 and 1889, was a British Peer who married Princess Louise of Wales, the third child and eldest daughter of King Edward VII and Alexandra of...
and Duchess of Fife
Louise, Princess Royal and Duchess of Fife
The Princess Louise, Princess Royal and Duchess of Fife was the third child and the eldest daughter of King Edward VII and Alexandra of Denmark...
. It is located about 4 miles to the west of Braemar
Braemar
Braemar is a village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, around west of Aberdeen in the Highlands. It is the closest significantly-sized settlement to the upper course of the River Dee sitting at an altitude of ....
and is accessed from the Linn of Dee road, over the Victoria Bridge
Victoria Bridge (Mar Lodge Estate)
Victoria Bridge is the white painted iron bridge on Mar Lodge Estate, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.It crosses the River Dee linking the drive to Mar Lodge with the public road between Braemar and Linn of Dee....
, a lattice girder structure built across the River Dee
River Dee, Aberdeenshire
The River Dee is a river in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It rises in the Cairngorms and flows through Strathdee to reach the North Sea at Aberdeen...
in 1905.
History
1st Mar Lodge
The first Mar Lodge was built in the 18th century by Lord Braco, on the site of the present Lodge.Originally known as Dalmore House, the Lodge was damaged in the 'Muckle Spate
Muckle Spate (1829)
The Muckle Spate was a great flood in August 1829, which devastated much of Strathspey, in the north east of Scotland.It began raining on the evening of 2 August 1829, and continued into the next day when a thunderstorm broke over the Cairngorms. To the south, the River Dee rose rapidly above its...
' ('large flood') of 1829 and later demolished.
2nd Mar Lodge
The 2nd Mar Lodge, colloquially known as Corriemulzie Cottage or 'New' Mar Lodge, was built near Linn of CorriemulzieCorriemulzie
Corriemulzie is a locality on the Linn of Dee road about 3 miles west of Braemar, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.The locality includes the Corriemulzie Burn that flows through the Linn of Corriemulzie, and under the Corriemulzie Bridge...
at the top of Mar Lodge Brae. It was a very 'Victorian' building with architectural detailing such as prominent use of lattice work (still visible on the 'Stag Ballroom') and tree-trunk supports (visible in the veranda of the old bar at the rear of Mar Lodge) being reused in the construction of the next Mar Lodge. It was destroyed by fire on the 14th of June 1895.
3rd Mar Lodge
The 3rd Mar Lodge was built between 1895 and 1898 for the Alexander Duff, 1st Duke of FifeAlexander Duff, 1st Duke of Fife
Alexander William George Duff, 1st Duke of Fife KG, KT, GCVO, PC, VD , styled Viscount Macduff between 1857 and 1879 and known as The Earl Fife between 1879 and 1889, was a British Peer who married Princess Louise of Wales, the third child and eldest daughter of King Edward VII and Alexandra of...
and his wife Princess Louise, Princess Royal and Duchess of Fife
Louise, Princess Royal and Duchess of Fife
The Princess Louise, Princess Royal and Duchess of Fife was the third child and the eldest daughter of King Edward VII and Alexandra of Denmark...
. The foundation stone was laid by the Duchess' grandmother, Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
on 15 October 1895.
This photograph (scanned old postcard) shows the original veranda and drive alignment that allowed horse drawn carriages arriving from Braemar
Braemar
Braemar is a village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, around west of Aberdeen in the Highlands. It is the closest significantly-sized settlement to the upper course of the River Dee sitting at an altitude of ....
to pull up at the main door.
The 3rd Mar Lodge was destroyed by a fire while being renovated in 1991.
4th Mar Lodge
Rebuilt soon thereafter to a similar design. It has recently been converted into holiday flats and retains many of the grand features of its heyday as a hunting lodge. The ballroom has a spectacular 2,435 red deer stags heads lining the walls and ceiling.Mar Lodge Estate
Mar Lodge Estate
Mar Lodge Estate is a Scottish Highland estate in Aberdeenshire, owned by the National Trust for Scotland. It is entirely contained within the Cairngorms National Park and important for nature conservation, landscape, recreation and culture.-Geography:...
became a National Trust for Scotland
National Trust for Scotland
The National Trust for Scotland for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, commonly known as the National Trust for Scotland describes itself as the conservation charity that protects and promotes Scotland's natural and cultural heritage for present and future generations to...
property in 1995.
Stag Ballroom
A ballroom was constructed for estate staff balls, required by the need for segregation between master and servant which dominated the period. Built near to the second Mar Lodge at Corriemulzie, it was moved to the present site in 1898. A large timber building in the estate red, it has distinctive lattice trellising, an original Victorian ventilation system and unusual cast iron bracers on stone plinths supporting the walls. Internally the building remains virtually in its original state and contains over 2,435 stag's skulls.External links
- A gallery of photographs by Joe Dorward