Mar Lodge Estate
Encyclopedia
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.
of Scotland, with the Lodge
five miles to the west of Braemar
. The estate covers 29340 hectares (72,500.7 acre) of some of the most remote and scenic wild land in Scotland, including four of the five highest mountains in the UK. The estate, now owned and managed by the National Trust for Scotland
is recognised as one of the most important nature conservation landscapes in the British Isles and occupies nearly 8% of the Cairngorms National Park
.
The estate is characterised by rounded granite
Cairngorm mountains
to the north, with deep corrie
s and crags down to the valley floor. There are spectacular glacial breaches, the Lairig Ghru
and Lairig an Laoigh. To the south west are the more open, rolling hills of the Geldie and Dalvorar. Extreme weather conditions are experienced across the estate, especially on the plateau. Landslides, avalanches and floods alter the landscape and give it an interesting geomorphology
.
, heather moorland, juniper
scrub and a part of the high Cairngorm plateau. It supports important populations of red grouse
, wader
s and raptors
. Waters flowing from the mountains becomes the headwaters of the River Dee
. The estate includes land which has a number of national and international natural heritage designations, one of the country's largest areas of Scheduled Ancient Monuments and archaeological sites. The architectural importance of the estate is reflected in that there are 5 listed buildings including Mar Lodge
, which was built in 1895 by the Duke of Fife
and destroyed by a fire in 1991. Rebuilt soon thereafter, 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.
Long term conservation of the area is a priority of the National Trust for Scotland
– in particular the regeneration of Caledonian pinewood by reducing the damage caused by grazing red deer. It has carried out pioneering work in mountain footpath repair, and the restoration of bulldozed hill tracks.
fishing, deer stalking
, grouse
shooting and walking
, with several mountain bothies
. The area includes four of the five highest peaks in Scotland.
, of the historic Earldom of Mar
.
. The resulting forfeiture of 1716 brought to an end the essentially feudal landholding system practised in the Earldom of Mar.
At this period the locality of Mar Lodge was known as Dalmore from dail mhor and was held by the McKenzies who had acted as foresters to the Earls of Mar from at least the 17th century. Documents in the National Archives of Scotland
– for example (NAS GD124/6/95) dated 11 December 1661 refers to 'John McKenzie of Dalmoir [sic]'. Later documents (NAS GD124/6/61) dated 1707 – for example – refer to 'Kenneth McKenzie of Dalmore, forester to the Earl of Mar' – the duties of forester were to 'protect the game, to supervise timber-extraction, to conserve the woodland, and to apprehend trespassers' – Dixon & Green (1995).
The next owners of the estate were James Erskine, Lord Grange and David Erskine, Lord Dun
– with Dixon & Green (1995) giving the year of their purchase as 1719 – however, some NAS documents suggest 1724 is more likely – for example (NAS GD124/15/1251) is a congratulatory letter to Lord Grange on the purchase of the Mar Estate dated 18 August 1724 and (NAS GD124/15/1252) are three letters from Lord Grange to Lord Dun detailing his difficulties in purchasing the Mar Estate dated between 18 August 1724 and 8 October 1724.
Lord Grange was the brother of the Earl of Mar, and other documents make clear that his and Lord Dun's intentions were to purchase Mar Estate to 'provide' for the Earl of Mar's wife and son – Frances, Countess of Mar and Thomas, Lord Erskine. For example – (NAS GD124/15/1246/5) is a letter from Lord Grange to Countess Mar explaining the delay in making payments to her and dated 14 July 1724 and (NAS GD124/17/22) is a book of transactions carried out 'by Lord Grange and Lord Dun in relation to their purchasing of the estate of Mar for the behoof [sic] of Thomas, Lord Erskine' and dated between 26 October 1723 and 13 June 1726.
When Lord Grange and Lord Dun acquired the lordship of Braemar the landholding system was still essentially feudal with Kenneth McKenzie of Dalmore acting as forester, and feuar in his own right. Along with him other feuars include John Farquaharson (Invercauld), Patrick Farquaharson (Inverey
), Donald Farquaharson (Allanaquoich
) – Dixon & Green (1995).
, later created Earl of Fife, between 1730 and 1737.
This formed the nucleus of Mar Estate. In the years that followed, the many minor lairdships surrounding the two large estates of Invercauld and Mar were gradually absorbed by one or the other, until they were the only two estates in Braemar.
The Duffs as Earls of Fife
– following the recreation of 1759 – held onto what became Mar Lodge Estate into the 20th century building the 2nd and 3rd Mar Lodge
s.
William died on 30 September 1763, and is interred in the mausoleum at Duff House
, Banffshire
.
succeeded his father William, becoming the 2nd Earl Fife.
The work of Dixon & Green (1995) shows that until the improvements began in the 1760s by James Duff, 2nd Earl Fife much of the estate was populated and farmed by tenants and sub-tenants. Even today – names on ordnance survey maps and ruins on the ground record the existence of townships and farms in the main glens of the estate (including) Glen Dee, Glen Ey, Glen Lui
and Glen Quoich from this period.
James died on 24 January 1809 at his house in Whitehall
, London, and is interred in the mausoleum at Duff House, Banffshire.
succeeded his brother, becoming the 3rd Earl Fife.
Alexander died on 17 April 1811 at Duff House.
succeeded his father, becoming the 4th Earl Fife.
During this period Anderson & Anderson (1850) give interesting descriptions of the estate travelling through it from Glen Tilt
and down Glen Dee to Castletown of Braemar
as Braemar was know at that time. They describe the location of Mar Lodge as 'in the bottom of the valley', that it is a 'commodious hunting-seat of the Earl of Fife's' and that it was being 'rented, with the adjoining deer forests, by the Duke of Leeds'. They also describe Corriemulzie Cottage (second Mar Lodge) as a 'pretty sporting villa, occupied during the season by General Duff and his family'. From this we can see that the first Mar Lodge was still habitable, and in use, but that the Duffs were only using the 'Cottage' on their visits for the deer hunting season.
James died on 9 March 1857 at Duff House.
The hamlet
of Inverey
is the only survivor of the estate clearance – not counting the village of Braemar
part of which was also very much part of Mar Estate well into the 20th century.
In the 19th century the estate moved towards being used primarily for recreational shooting and fishing with the building of the Hunting Lodges of Derry Lodge, Geldie Lodge and Bynack Lodge.
succeeded his uncle James becoming the 5th Earl Fife.
succeeded his father James becoming the 6th Earl Fife.
Alexander died on 29 January 1912 at Aswan
, Egypt and was interred at Mar Lodge.
died on 26 February 1959
and was interred at Mar Lodge.
, constructed for a proposed skiing development.
bought Mar Lodge Estate. Ann Marie Salvesen, a publicity-shy member of the Christian Salvesen shipping and distribution dynasty anonymously donated £4.5m to assist with the purchase. At the time there was much speculation that the Prince of Wales
was behind the donation.
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...
, owned by the 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...
. It is entirely contained within the Cairngorms National Park
Cairngorms National Park
The Cairngorms National Park is a national park in north east Scotland, established in 2003. It was the second of two national parks established by the Scottish Parliament, after Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, set up in 2002. The park covers the Cairngorms range of mountains, and...
and important for nature conservation, landscape, recreation and culture.
Geography
Mar Lodge Estate is located in the heart of the CairngormsCairngorms
The Cairngorms are a mountain range in the eastern Highlands of Scotland closely associated with the mountain of the same name - Cairn Gorm.-Name:...
of Scotland, with the Lodge
Mar Lodge
Mar Lodge is a sporting lodge, the principal building on the Mar Lodge Estate in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.-Location:Mar Lodge is a sporting lodge built for the use of the Duke and Duchess of Fife...
five 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 ....
. The estate covers 29340 hectares (72,500.7 acre) of some of the most remote and scenic wild land in Scotland, including four of the five highest mountains in the UK. The estate, now owned and managed by the 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...
is recognised as one of the most important nature conservation landscapes in the British Isles and occupies nearly 8% of the Cairngorms National Park
Cairngorms National Park
The Cairngorms National Park is a national park in north east Scotland, established in 2003. It was the second of two national parks established by the Scottish Parliament, after Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, set up in 2002. The park covers the Cairngorms range of mountains, and...
.
The estate is characterised by rounded granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
Cairngorm mountains
Cairngorms
The Cairngorms are a mountain range in the eastern Highlands of Scotland closely associated with the mountain of the same name - Cairn Gorm.-Name:...
to the north, with deep corrie
Cirque
Cirque may refer to:* Cirque, a geological formation* Makhtesh, an erosional landform found in the Negev desert of Israel and Sinai of Egypt*Cirque , an album by Biosphere* Cirque Corporation, a company that makes touchpads...
s and crags down to the valley floor. There are spectacular glacial breaches, the Lairig Ghru
Lairig Ghru
The Lairig Ghru is one of the mountain passes through the Cairngorms of Scotland.Like many traditional routes the ends of the route through the Lairig Ghru are like the ends of a frayed rope. From the south the Lairig Ghru can be approached from Braemar though Glen Lui, or Glen Dee, and from Blair...
and Lairig an Laoigh. To the south west are the more open, rolling hills of the Geldie and Dalvorar. Extreme weather conditions are experienced across the estate, especially on the plateau. Landslides, avalanches and floods alter the landscape and give it an interesting geomorphology
Geomorphology
Geomorphology is the scientific study of landforms and the processes that shape them...
.
Conservation and designations
The estate contains examples of remnants of the ancient Caledonian pine forestCaledonian Forest
The Caledonian Forest is the name of a type of woodland that once covered vast areas of Scotland. Today, however, only 1% of the original forest survives, covering in 84 locations. The forests are home to a wide variety of wildlife, much of which is not found elsewhere in the British...
, heather moorland, juniper
Juniper
Junipers are coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on taxonomic viewpoint, there are between 50-67 species of juniper, widely distributed throughout the northern hemisphere, from the Arctic, south to tropical Africa in the Old World, and to the...
scrub and a part of the high Cairngorm plateau. It supports important populations of red grouse
Red grouse
The Red Grouse is a medium sized bird of the grouse family which is found in heather moorland in Great Britain and Ireland. It is usually classified as a subspecies of the Willow Grouse but is sometimes considered to be a separate species Lagopus scoticus...
, wader
Wader
Waders, called shorebirds in North America , are members of the order Charadriiformes, excluding the more marine web-footed seabird groups. The latter are the skuas , gulls , terns , skimmers , and auks...
s and raptors
Bird of prey
Birds of prey are birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision. They are defined as birds that primarily hunt vertebrates, including other birds. Their talons and beaks tend to be relatively large, powerful and adapted for tearing and/or piercing flesh....
. Waters flowing from the mountains becomes the headwaters of 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...
. The estate includes land which has a number of national and international natural heritage designations, one of the country's largest areas of Scheduled Ancient Monuments and archaeological sites. The architectural importance of the estate is reflected in that there are 5 listed buildings including Mar Lodge
Mar Lodge
Mar Lodge is a sporting lodge, the principal building on the Mar Lodge Estate in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.-Location:Mar Lodge is a sporting lodge built for the use of the Duke and Duchess of Fife...
, which was built in 1895 by the Duke of Fife
Alexander 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 destroyed by a fire in 1991. Rebuilt soon thereafter, 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.
Long term conservation of the area is a priority of the 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...
– in particular the regeneration of Caledonian pinewood by reducing the damage caused by grazing red deer. It has carried out pioneering work in mountain footpath repair, and the restoration of bulldozed hill tracks.
Recreation
Mar Lodge is a traditional Highland Estate. Today, the estate provides opportunities for SalmonSalmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
fishing, deer stalking
Deer stalking
Deer stalking is a British term for the stealthy pursuit of deer for sporting purposes, historically with dogs such as Scottish Deerhounds, or in modern times typically with a high powered rifle fitted with a telescopic sight to hunt them....
, grouse
Grouse
Grouse are a group of birds from the order Galliformes. They are sometimes considered a family Tetraonidae, though the American Ornithologists' Union and many others include grouse as a subfamily Tetraoninae in the family Phasianidae...
shooting and walking
Walking
Walking is one of the main gaits of locomotion among legged animals, and is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined by an 'inverted pendulum' gait in which the body vaults over the stiff limb or limbs with each step...
, with several mountain bothies
Bothy
A bothy is a basic shelter, usually left unlocked and available for anyone to use free of charge. It was also a term for basic accommodation, usually for gardeners or other workers on an estate. Bothies are to be found in remote, mountainous areas of Scotland, northern England, Ireland, and Wales....
. The area includes four of the five highest peaks in Scotland.
History
Today Mar Lodge Estate and Mar Estate are two independent Highland Estates. They are the two largest remnants, in upper DeesideDeeside
For Strathdee in Scotland see River Dee, AberdeenshireDeeside is the name given to the predominantly industrial conurbation of towns and villages that lie on, or near the River Dee in Chester. These include, Connah's Quay, Mancot, Pentre, Shotton, Queensferry, Sealand, Broughton, Hawarden,...
, of the historic Earldom of Mar
Earl of Mar
The Mormaer or Earl of Mar is a title that has been created seven times, all in the Peerage of Scotland. The first creation of the earldom was originally the provincial ruler of the province of Mar in north-eastern Scotland...
.
John Erskine
The 'modern' story of the estate begins with the participation of John "Bobin' Jock" Erskine, 6th Earl of Mar in the Jacobite Rising of 1715Jacobite Rising of 1715
The Jacobite rising of 1715, often referred to as The 'Fifteen, was the attempt by James Francis Edward Stuart to regain the British throne for the exiled House of Stuart.-Background:...
. The resulting forfeiture of 1716 brought to an end the essentially feudal landholding system practised in the Earldom of Mar.
At this period the locality of Mar Lodge was known as Dalmore from dail mhor and was held by the McKenzies who had acted as foresters to the Earls of Mar from at least the 17th century. Documents in the National Archives of Scotland
National Archives of Scotland
Based in Edinburgh, the National Archives of Scotland are the national archives of Scotland. The NAS claims to have one of the most varied collection of archives in Europe...
– for example (NAS GD124/6/95) dated 11 December 1661 refers to 'John McKenzie of Dalmoir [sic]'. Later documents (NAS GD124/6/61) dated 1707 – for example – refer to 'Kenneth McKenzie of Dalmore, forester to the Earl of Mar' – the duties of forester were to 'protect the game, to supervise timber-extraction, to conserve the woodland, and to apprehend trespassers' – Dixon & Green (1995).
1716 – 1735 (Lord Grange & Lord Dun)
The process of resolving the forfeiture of 1716 took many years. The estates of the now attainted and exiled Earl of Mar were sequestrated.The next owners of the estate were James Erskine, Lord Grange and David Erskine, Lord Dun
David Erskine, Lord Dun
David Erskine, Lord Dun , was a Scottish judge and MP.Erskine, son of David Erskine of Dun, near Montrose, Forfarshire, studied at the universities of St. Andrews and of Paris. He became a member of the Scottish bar on 19 November 1698, and soon rose to eminence...
– with Dixon & Green (1995) giving the year of their purchase as 1719 – however, some NAS documents suggest 1724 is more likely – for example (NAS GD124/15/1251) is a congratulatory letter to Lord Grange on the purchase of the Mar Estate dated 18 August 1724 and (NAS GD124/15/1252) are three letters from Lord Grange to Lord Dun detailing his difficulties in purchasing the Mar Estate dated between 18 August 1724 and 8 October 1724.
Lord Grange was the brother of the Earl of Mar, and other documents make clear that his and Lord Dun's intentions were to purchase Mar Estate to 'provide' for the Earl of Mar's wife and son – Frances, Countess of Mar and Thomas, Lord Erskine. For example – (NAS GD124/15/1246/5) is a letter from Lord Grange to Countess Mar explaining the delay in making payments to her and dated 14 July 1724 and (NAS GD124/17/22) is a book of transactions carried out 'by Lord Grange and Lord Dun in relation to their purchasing of the estate of Mar for the behoof [sic] of Thomas, Lord Erskine' and dated between 26 October 1723 and 13 June 1726.
When Lord Grange and Lord Dun acquired the lordship of Braemar the landholding system was still essentially feudal with Kenneth McKenzie of Dalmore acting as forester, and feuar in his own right. Along with him other feuars include John Farquaharson (Invercauld), Patrick Farquaharson (Inverey
Inverey
Inverey is a hamlet on Mar Lodge Estate, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland that straddles the Ey Burn close to its confluence with the River Dee.Inverey comprises two 'communities' separated by the Ey Burn - Muckle Inverey on the east bank and Little Inverey on the west.-John Farquharson, 3rd of...
), Donald Farquaharson (Allanaquoich
Allanaquoich
Allanaquoich is a locality on Mar Lodge Estate, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.Allanaquoich is little more than a farm house now although it once could have been described as a hamlet...
) – Dixon & Green (1995).
1735 – 1763 (1st Earl Fife)
Dalmore, the westernmost part was bought by the astute entrepreneur William Duff of DippleWilliam Duff, 1st Earl Fife
William Duff, 1st Earl Fife was a Scottish peer.The son of William Duff of Dipple, in 1719 he married Janet Ogilvie, daughter of James Ogilvy, 4th Earl of Findlater. She died in 1720 and in 1723 he married Jean Grant, daughter of Sir James Grant, Bt...
, later created Earl of Fife, between 1730 and 1737.
This formed the nucleus of Mar Estate. In the years that followed, the many minor lairdships surrounding the two large estates of Invercauld and Mar were gradually absorbed by one or the other, until they were the only two estates in Braemar.
The Duffs as Earls of Fife
Earl of Fife
The Earl of Fife or Mormaer of Fife referred to the Gaelic comital lordship of Fife which existed in Scotland until the early 15th century....
– following the recreation of 1759 – held onto what became Mar Lodge Estate into the 20th century building the 2nd and 3rd Mar Lodge
Mar Lodge
Mar Lodge is a sporting lodge, the principal building on the Mar Lodge Estate in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.-Location:Mar Lodge is a sporting lodge built for the use of the Duke and Duchess of Fife...
s.
William died on 30 September 1763, and is interred in the mausoleum at Duff House
Duff House
Duff House is a Georgian house in Banff, Scotland.Within the Deveron Valley lies Duff House, designed by William Adam, built between 1735 and 1740, and widely thought to be one of Britain's finest Georgian houses. Duff House was built for William Duff of Braco, who became Earl Fife in 1759.The...
, Banffshire
Banffshire
The County of Banff is a registration county for property, and Banffshire is a Lieutenancy area of Scotland.The County of Banff, also known as Banffshire, was a local government county of Scotland with its own county council between 1890 and 1975. The county town was Banff although the largest...
.
1763 – 1809 (2nd Earl Fife)
In 1763, James DuffJames Duff, 2nd Earl Fife
James Duff, 2nd Earl Fife was a Scottish Earl, Baron and Minister of Parliament.-Heritage:James Duff was second son of William Duff, 1st Earl Fife, and Jean Grant , his fathers second wife. His father, son of William Duff of Dipple, co. Banff, was M.P...
succeeded his father William, becoming the 2nd Earl Fife.
The work of Dixon & Green (1995) shows that until the improvements began in the 1760s by James Duff, 2nd Earl Fife much of the estate was populated and farmed by tenants and sub-tenants. Even today – names on ordnance survey maps and ruins on the ground record the existence of townships and farms in the main glens of the estate (including) Glen Dee, Glen Ey, Glen Lui
Glen Lui
Glen Lui from Gleann Laoigh – calves' glen – Gordon is one of the major glens on the Mar Lodge Estate, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.Its main watercourse is the Lui Water a tributary of the River Dee, which it joins about a half-mile downstream from the Linn of Dee.-Canadian Campsite to Linn of...
and Glen Quoich from this period.
James died on 24 January 1809 at his house in Whitehall
Whitehall
Whitehall is a road in Westminster, in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards Charing Cross at the southern end of Trafalgar Square...
, London, and is interred in the mausoleum at Duff House, Banffshire.
1809 – 1811 (3rd Earl Fife)
In 1809 – Alexander DuffAlexander Duff, 3rd Earl Fife
Alexander Duff, 3rd Earl Fife was a Scottish nobleman.Duff was the son of William Duff, 1st Earl Fife and younger brother of James Duff, 2nd Earl Fife....
succeeded his brother, becoming the 3rd Earl Fife.
Alexander died on 17 April 1811 at Duff House.
1811 – 1857 (4th Earl Fife)
In 1811 – James DuffJames Duff, 4th Earl Fife
James Duff, 4th Earl of Fife KT, GCH , was a Scot who became a Spanish general.-Biography:James was the elder son of the Hon. Alexander Duff, who succeeded his brother as third Earl Fife in 1809...
succeeded his father, becoming the 4th Earl Fife.
During this period Anderson & Anderson (1850) give interesting descriptions of the estate travelling through it from Glen Tilt
Glen Tilt
Glen Tilt is a glen in the extreme north of Perthshire, Scotland. Beginning at the confines of Aberdeenshire, it follows a South-westerly direction excepting for the last 4 miles, when it runs due south to Blair Atholl...
and down Glen Dee to Castletown 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 ....
as Braemar was know at that time. They describe the location of Mar Lodge as 'in the bottom of the valley', that it is a 'commodious hunting-seat of the Earl of Fife's' and that it was being 'rented, with the adjoining deer forests, by the Duke of Leeds'. They also describe Corriemulzie Cottage (second Mar Lodge) as a 'pretty sporting villa, occupied during the season by General Duff and his family'. From this we can see that the first Mar Lodge was still habitable, and in use, but that the Duffs were only using the 'Cottage' on their visits for the deer hunting season.
James died on 9 March 1857 at Duff House.
The hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
of Inverey
Inverey
Inverey is a hamlet on Mar Lodge Estate, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland that straddles the Ey Burn close to its confluence with the River Dee.Inverey comprises two 'communities' separated by the Ey Burn - Muckle Inverey on the east bank and Little Inverey on the west.-John Farquharson, 3rd of...
is the only survivor of the estate clearance – not counting the village 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 ....
part of which was also very much part of Mar Estate well into the 20th century.
In the 19th century the estate moved towards being used primarily for recreational shooting and fishing with the building of the Hunting Lodges of Derry Lodge, Geldie Lodge and Bynack Lodge.
1857 – 1879 (5th Earl Fife)
In 1857 – James DuffJames Duff, 5th Earl Fife
James Duff, 5th Earl Fife was a Scottish nobleman.Duff was the son of Sir Alexander Duff, younger brother of James Duff, 4th Earl Fife and Anne Stein, the daughter of James Stein of Gilbogie....
succeeded his uncle James becoming the 5th Earl Fife.
1879 – 1912 (6th Earl Fife)
In 1879 – Alexander William George DuffAlexander 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...
succeeded his father James becoming the 6th Earl Fife.
Alexander died on 29 January 1912 at Aswan
Aswan
Aswan , formerly spelled Assuan, is a city in the south of Egypt, the capital of the Aswan Governorate.It stands on the east bank of the Nile at the first cataract and is a busy market and tourist centre...
, Egypt and was interred at Mar Lodge.
1912 – 19?? (Trustees of the Late Duke of Fife)
Following the death of Alexander the estate was managed by Trustees.19?? – 1959 (Duchess of Fife)
Princess Alexandra, Duchess of FifePrincess Alexandra, Duchess of Fife
Princess Alexandra, 2nd Duchess of Fife was a member of the British Royal Family, a granddaughter of King Edward VII...
died on 26 February 1959
and was interred at Mar Lodge.
1959 – 1962 (Alexander Ramsey)
In 1959 – Alexander Ramsey inherited the estate from his aunt.1962 – 1989 (John & Gerald Panchaud)
Mar Lodge Estate was briefly owned by the Ashford family, who then sold it to the Swiss Panchauds family, in 1962. They ran the estate as a commercial sporting venture and the Lodge as a hotel. Vehicle tracks were constructed throughout the estate, including one leading close to the summit of Beinn a' BhùirdBeinn a' Bhùird
Beinn a' Bhùird is a Munro in the Cairngorm mountain range of Scotland.In Watson the author suggests the mountain should be named Beinn Bòrd - table hill saying that local Scottish Gaelic speakers pronounced the mountain Paing Bòrd, with some of the older local folk still using Painna Bòrd.The...
, constructed for a proposed skiing development.
1989 – 1995 (J Kluge)
In 1989 the estate was bought by Mar Lodge Estate Inc. who ran the estate for sporting purposes, with a greater emphasis on sensitive land management and improvement of facilities and buildings. Renovation of the Lodge was interrupted by a fire in 1991 and finally completely in 1993.1995 onwards (National Trust for Scotland)
In 1995, the National Trust for ScotlandNational 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...
bought Mar Lodge Estate. Ann Marie Salvesen, a publicity-shy member of the Christian Salvesen shipping and distribution dynasty anonymously donated £4.5m to assist with the purchase. At the time there was much speculation that the Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
was behind the donation.
Gallery
This photograph gallery contains general views of Mar Lodge Estate.External links
- The Mar Lodge Estate website
- The Cairngorms National Park website
- The National Archives of Scotland website