Mintlaw Station to Pitfour: autumn colours

The short section of Line running west between Mintlaw Station and the crossing with the A950 runs close to the main road for most of its length. A short distance before the crossing  a disused bridge over the Line a footpath leading to the Pitfour Estate is signposted, the remnants  of this once vast estate  are well worth exploring, not least for the waterfowl on the lake. when we visited there were constant arrivals and departures of trumpeting swans.. 

Former Station Hotel, Mintlaw

Now sadly closed, this hotel has had several reincarnations,  in 1862 it was the Buchan Railway Hotel, named for its proximity to the station, later becoming  the Station Hotel, it was renamed in the late 20th century to become the Country Park Hotel, for its proximity to Aden Country Park. Mintlaw Station was originally a temporary terminus on the Buchan and Formartine Railway Company's line to Peterhead from Dyce. When it opened the station was temporarily known as Old Deer and Mintlaw, reflecting its position on the Fraserburgh turnpike,midway between the two communities.The station was convenient for the estates of Aden and Pitfour but less so for the two villages. The station was renamed Mintlaw in 1867 by which time it had  a large goods yard and the line had been extended to Peterhead. The community which grew up by the station became known as Mintlaw Station and included the premises of JC Rennie and Co, Woolen manufacturers who made wool brought in by the producers into a range of goods including blankets, clothing, flannels and bedclothes.

Cairn on the trackbed  at the west end of Mintlaw Station commemorating the signing of the agreement between Grampian Regional Council and Buchan Countryside Group which facilitated the creation of the Formartine Buchan Way by David Bellamy in 1987.

The Line under the Fetterangus road bridge has  a really autumnal look at present. The bright, bushy tree on the right is  a beech. The ash and sycamores and occasional birch which predominate have almost entirely shed their leaves.

The signpost by the now defunct bridge which, before realignment carried the A950  over the Line, directs the walker to Pitfour

Sunlight on  a venerable and colourful beech growing just inside the wood which borders the southern edge of the estate. Pitfour was  at one point the most extensive agricultural estate in Scotland, extending over 50 square miles. Many of the trees, notably oaks and sycamores, in the policies have enormous trunks and are obviously of  a great age, probably dating from the landscaping carried out by James Ferguson, the 3rd laird (1736-1820). Of the five Ferguson lairds of Pitfour the first 3, although ambitious carried out prudent improvements to the estate which earned it the title, 'the Blenheim of the North, but  the last two lairds were extravagant and ostentatious beyond their means leading to the decline and fragmentation of the once great estate.

Reflections: there is currently extensive tree felling taking place as can be seen beyond the line of trees on the far bank

This picturesque 'ruin' on the bank of the artificial lake was actually a boathouse.

The three elegant spans of the North Bridge reflected in  the lake.
The artificial lake was dug in the early 19th century and covers an area of nearly 50 acres, three bridges of which the north bridge is by far the grandest, carried the driveway to the house over the lake. The square Grecian design in the panels on the bridge also occur on the stables and the 'Temple of Theseus' which overlooks the lake.

Pitfour Stables,  a listed building very obviously 'at risk'

As one walks north through the estate along the main path, once the main drive, beyond the lake towards Fetterangus, the vast bulk of the derelict U shaped stable block suddenly looms through the trees, 'Straddling the skyline like  a palace'. This was built by Admiral Ferguson, he of the race course,on the site of the home farm. The imposing two storey building, built in a similar style to the house had stabling for ten horses, four loose boxes, two coach houses and a harness room. On the first floor, above the stables there were six  servant's bedrooms, there was also a coachman's house. 

'Is there honey still for tea?'

Though still imposing  the stables are now horribly dilapidated but once must have been magnificent. The central carriage arch was surmounted by a  wooden clock tower, the clock is still in place but the top portion and copper cupola which capped the tower and contained a bell have been removed and lie amidst rubble in the yard. Pitfour House, the last of 3 mansions of that name, each larger than its predecessor,  was situated in front of the stables was demolished around 1926 when the estate was broken up to pay death duties. The stone from the mansion was used to build Aberdeen council houses.

Pitfour Chapel

Recent tree felling means that, like the stables, the chapel suddenly appears on the skyline as one walks north through the estate. The chapel, now a private house, was built in 1851 by George Ferguson, 5th Laird who was embroiled in a quarrel with the  Episcopal congregation over the repair or replacement of their existing chapel at Waulkmill. The congregation at this time built St Drostan's in Old Deer on land made available  to them by Mr Russell of Aden. In a fit of pique Ferguson built a private chapel on a hillock to the west of the house. The chapel was almost the same size as St Drostan's and had a bold, battlemented  tower about 20 metres high.Twenty years after it was built the chapel required extensive renovation but remained ill ventilated and damp and fell out of use around 1876: an expensive face saving folly. It is said that on Sundays the estate workers and staff processed to the chapel followed by the Ferguson family, the choir dressed in surplices and then the priest.

Taitswell, the Pitfour factors house near the East Lodge, seen from the Line close to the footpath leading to Pitfour. Most notable of the factors to live at Taitswell was James Mitchel who served the estate in a variety of capacities for forty-eight years from 1790 until his death in 1838. Mitchel served the Ferguson's loyally and with great integrity  he was popular and rspected not only on the estate but also in the local community with which he was actively involved. When he died he left  a considerable estate a substantial part of which was set aside to establish and finance girls' schools locally in Fetterangus, Rora, Mintlaw and Maud and in his home town of Banff. The remainder of his estate was an endowment,still in existence, known as the Mitchel Bequest  for the benefit of old men and widows on the Pitfour Estate. He is commemorated by the street named after him in Mintlaw: James Mitchel Place.