Crimonmogate

Crimonmogate takes its name from a combination of  Gaelic and  Old Norse words which mean ' road through the pasture by the peat moss' said to refer to an ancient track across the estate which originally formed part of the vast lands owned by the Earl of Erroll.

 Crimonmogate is a good example of a classical Regency mansion set in extensive policies. The house, designed by Archibald Simpson,  was commissioned in 1820 by Patrick Milne, a highly successful businessman, who became enormously wealthy as  a result of enterprises in the West Indies, India and China. Milne died before the completion of the house in 1825  and it passed firstly to his relation Sir Charles Bannerman then to  the Carnegie family who lived there until the mid 1900s.

The mansard roof and round headed dormer windows which detract from the lines of the original classical design were added in around 1860

A modern  aerial sculpture representing a trapeze artist balances on  a line between trees in front of the house.

 Beech hedges and mature woodland screen the house from outwith the grounds. During the season shooting parties  heading for Crimonmogate  regularly arrived by train at Lonmay station where  there is a large turning area to accommodate  horse drawn carriages and coaches. Only the trees can be seen from the Line.

 The round sundial, positioned  in front of the house, is dated 1780 , the capital is decorated with Prince of Wales feathers.

This obelisk, dated 1821 was erected by Charles Bannerman in memory of Patrick Milne

During WW2 the head office staff of the Consolidated Pneumatic Tool company were evacuated from London to Fraserburgh and were billeted at Crimonmogate and nearby Cairness. Sasha Carnegie's book 'Pigs I Have known', describes a post war pig keeping venture at Crimonmogate. Christopher Monckton, a cousin to the Carnegies adviser to Margaret Thatcher and  inventor of the board game Eternity lived here  from 1996 - 2000. Monckton offered  a prize of 1million pounds for what he thought was his virtually insoluble board game Eternity. Alas the game was solved within  a period of months forcing the sale of the house.

The yurt in the grounds is used for weddings and other events, it is also popular with  swallows

 In 2001 Crimonmogate was purchased by William and Candida, Viscount and Viscountess Petersham who carried out extensive restoration and now run a successful wedding and corporate events business from the property.