Heritage site in Scotland
Rosehaugh House was an estate located near the village of Avoch in the Highland council area of Scotland. It consisted of a manor house, gardens, parkland, agricultural land, and several outlying buildings. The property has been documented since the 14th century and was one of the estates of the regionally dominant Mackenzies. In the 17th century, the lawyer and later Lord Advocate George Mackenzie of Rosehaugh resided there, known for his role in witch trials. He built the earliest documented manor house there. The Mackenzie family inherited Rosehaugh as their seat. James Fletcher, a merchant, acquired Rosehaugh in the 1860s after the insolvency of James Mackenzie, 6th Baronet. Fletcher modernised and expanded agricultural and livestock activities at Rosehaugh. In 1953, following the death of his son's widow, an insurance company purchased the estate for commercial purposes.
After the Fletchers' extensive additions and remodelling, Rosehaugh House was considered the epitome of opulent late Victorian architecture. In the 1950s, the cost of maintaining the manor house was deemed economically unviable by the owner, leading to its demolition in 1959. Only several exterior buildings remain, which are currently being restored and rented out as living spaces or holiday homes. Fifteen of the surviving outbuildings are classified as category "B" or "C" monuments in the Scottish heritage lists. The former dairy is of particular note, as it is protected as a category "A" listed building. The estate, along with its former park and gardens, is considered particularly significant by Historic Environment Scotland, which has awarded it the highest rating of "outstanding" in two of six categories.
History.
The estate dates back to the 14th century and has had several names over time, including "Petconachy" (1456), "Petquhonochty" (1458), "Pettenochy" (1527), "Pittanicty" (1745–1750; "Roy's Map of Scotland"), and finally "Pittanochtie". Its name may have originated from the Gaelic "Pit Dhonnachaidh", meaning "Duncan's place" or "Duncan's court". Rosehaugh, on the other hand, indicated the land adjacent to "Pittanochtie". The name Rosehaugh is derived from the words "rose" and "haugh". "Rose" may refer to the vine rose or Gaelic "ros(s)" meaning "(rock) ledge". "Haugh" is an obsolete term for river meadow. Therefore, Rosehaugh means either "rose meadow" or "meadow at the (rock) ledge". The stream Rosehaugh Burn originates on the estate and flows into Avoch Bay on the Moray Firth as Avoch Burn.
Mackenzie era.
The estates of "Pittanochtie" and Rosehaugh in the historical county of Ross-shire belonged to the Mackenzies, the dominant clan in the Easter Ross region. A house with an L-shaped floor plan and modest dimensions is documented there from 1662. In the late 1660s, George Mackenzie, a native of Dundee, acquired the property. He was the son of Simon Mackenzie of Lochslin Castle and cousin of Kenneth Mackenzie, 3rd Earl of Seaforth. The Earls of Seaforth were one of the four most influential noble lines in the Highlands at that time, alongside the Dukes of Argyll, Atholl, and Gordon. George Mackenzie was a prominent Scottish lawyer who served as Lord Advocate in 1677 and was a member of the Privy Council of Scotland, which advised the Scottish king. Mackenzie is known for his involvement in witch trials and the persecution of the Covenanters, a reformed movement that opposed the re-Catholicisation of Scotland under Charles II. This earned him the nickname "Bloody Mackenzie". His book, "Laws and Customs of Scotland in Matters Criminal", is considered the first book on Scottish criminal law. Upon being knighted in 1674, George Mackenzie chose the name Sir George Mackenzie of Rosehaugh. In 1688, just three years before his death, George Mackenzie sold the Pittanochtie estate to Kenneth Mackenzie, a politician who was later made a baronet in 1702/3. Despite this sale, Rosehaugh continued to employ George Mackenzie for his heirs.
Rosehaugh was inherited by the Mackenzie baronets. The estate was eventually sold to George Ross of Pitkerrie. The first steps in the development of the estate's landscape appear to date from around this time. Roderick Mackenzie, the 4th Baronet, reunited Rosehaugh and Pittanochtie. He had the first documented manor house built there in 1798, which he called Rosehaugh House. The newer house was constructed above the older one, providing an additional panoramic view of the grounds. According to an estimate, it cost between £3000 and £4000 to build. In 1811, Roderick Mackenzie's second son, James Wemyss Mackenzie, 5th Baronet, inherited the estate. Through his marriage to Henrietta of Suddie, who was set to inherit the neighbouring Suddie estate to the west, Rosehaugh was expanded. James Mackenzie developed the estate by constructing a farmhouse and other agricultural buildings in the 1810s. In 1820, construction of the state road section between Munlochy and Avoch (now the A832) progressed. The road cut through the estate, prompting a complete redesign of the main driveway, which was then oriented southwest towards the new road.
Far-reaching developments began under James John Randoll Mackenzie, 6th Baronet, who inherited Rosehaugh on the death of his father in 1843. He significantly extended the manor house and the estate and commissioned Edinburgh-based landscape architect C.H.J. Smith to develop the gardens. Various outbuildings and quarters for the estate servants were also constructed, and Smith designed terraced gardens that extend down the slope to the south of the manor house. The 2.4 hectare gardens to the southeast of Rosehaugh House were created between 1844 and 1850, although Smith's design was not realised. During this phase, other areas of the estate were also formalised, and paths were laid out. By 1850, the estate had seven gates for access. In the 1850s, Mackenzie was able to service his ongoing loans through the sale of land. However, he became insolvent in 1862 and left Scotland for France, where he died in 1884. During the era of the Mackenzie lairds, Donald Cameron, a bagpiper, composed the "Rosehaugh House" march.
Fletcher era.
Following Mackenzie's bankruptcy, James Fletcher purchased the 25.9 square kilometres of Rosehaugh for £145,000. Despite being born and raised in Elgin, Moray, Fletcher's family hailed from Avoch. Fletcher amassed his wealth as a merchant in Liverpool, where he established the import firm Jack Bros. with his brother. The company was among the largest British organisations in maritime trade with Peru. Fletcher personally managed the branch in Arequipa, Peru, until 1845. The trade goods that were most important to the region included wool from llamas, alpacas, and vicuñas, which was necessary for the textile industry. Fletcher rapidly expanded Rosehaugh's area to 42.9 km2 through acquisitions. In addition to his duties as a company director, Fletcher managed two agricultural estates in Forfarshire and invested in mines and railway companies. However, he devoted a significant amount of energy to further developing Rosehaugh. The focus of Fletcher's efforts was on restructuring the estate's agriculture and reclaiming previously unused land. To achieve this, he had 1335 hectares of fallow land ploughed and further areas developed by draining moors. Further on, he drained "Loch Scadden" near Avoch, covering 24 hectares, by creating a system of 4.5-metre-deep canals. To structure the activities in the growing areas, the farms were bundled into organizational units, each farming 400 to 600 hectares. The central estate managed an area of around 2000 hectares. Alexander Ross, a prominent Highland architect, was entrusted by Fletcher with the structural development of Rosehaugh, which included the extension and remodelling of Rosehaugh House, as well as the construction and revision of numerous external buildings. The terraces on the south side and the adjoining greenhouses to the east were constructed during this period. The precise extent of Ross's contribution is uncertain.
In 1885, James Fletcher passed away, leaving his possessions and a large sum of money to James Douglas Fletcher. The latter was involved in the tea and rubber trade in Ceylon, where he managed plantations covering 11.8 km2 and 4.1 km2 respectively. Fletcher's "Rosehaugh Tea &amp; Rubber Company" was acquired in 1978 and operated as a property developer, "Rosehaugh", in London before being wound up in 1992. It was during his tenure that the estate underwent its most significant developments. By 1903, Fletcher had spent approximately £250,000 on Rosehaugh House, making it the most expensive private building project in the UK at the time. The architect William Flockhart from Glasgow, who operated his office in London, was commissioned for the planning. The project involved constructing an artificial lake with an island, damming the "Killen Burn" (which required relocating several families), and redirecting the water to flow over a cascading waterfall (known as "Horseshoe Falls") to generate electricity. Additionally, extensive greenhouses were installed, and terraced gardens were created to the south of the manor house. By 1893, the interior of Rosehaugh House had been modernised. After Flockhart completed his work, Fletcher commissioned the architect to carry out another substantial extension to the manor house. This extension was carried out between 1898 and 1903. Stylistically, Rosehaugh House, which was largely designed by Ross, did not correspond in any way to Flockhart's work. During the extension, it was decided to carry out a comprehensive overhaul in the French Neo-Renaissance style. Since 1885, citizens have had the right to access the estate and hold events there. Additionally, Avoch benefited from the developments at Rosehaugh House, including the installation of water pipes and sewers, which greatly improved the village's hygienic conditions. Fletcher also had buildings erected for the residents and was involved in local sports and church decision-making bodies.
Fletcher's heirs.
James Douglas Fletcher died in 1927 without any descendants. His widow, Lilian Maud Stephen, inherited the estate. She commissioned the renowned architect Edwin Lutyens to create a monumental tomb and memorial for her late husband. In 1943, she put Rosehaugh up for sale but then took it off the market again. After Stephen died in 1953, the estate passed to her niece, Shaw-Mackenzie of Newhall, who sold it the following year. Previously, she donated various items from the interior and exterior to museums. The acquiring "Eagle Star Insurance Co."'s main interest was Rosehaugh's farmland, which they wanted to continue to operate commercially or sell as parcelled land. At the time, considerable sums would have had to be invested to maintain the manor house. The clay tile roofing, which was not sufficiently resistant to the Scottish winters, instead of the usual slate roofing, would have been a significant and costly element of restoration. The manor house was demolished in 1959 as no buyer was found and the owners had no interest in preserving it. Before the demolition, an on-site auction was held to sell the inventory and items from the exterior of the property. The auction, organised by "Thomas Love and Sons" from Perth, was the largest ever held on the Black Isle. The items for sale included "valuable English, Continental, Eastern and other furniture and furnishings". Interior details, such as stucco ornaments and library shelves, were transferred to Novar House. Today, a modern villa stands on the site.
"Broadland Properties Ltd" currently owns Rosehaugh with the aim of converting the preserved buildings into living, office, and retail space, as well as a kindergarten. The local population has been using the parkland for recreational purposes for years. Several outbuildings have been restored and are now rented out as private or holiday houses. In 2022, the local council approved the separation of 39 plots of land near Avoch for residential development.
Manor house.
The manor house is situated 2.5 kilometres northwest of Avoch and 5 kilometres west of the harbour town of Fortrose. Inverness, known as the capital of the Highlands, is located 10 kilometres to the south. To the east, Rosehaugh once bordered the Avoch House estate, which was destroyed by a fire in 1833. The neo-Renaissance building exemplifies the magnificent architecture of the late Victorian era, with opulent and high-quality interior design that has been highly praised.
The literature only provides fragmentary descriptions of the architectural details of Flockart's Rosehaugh House. Flockart presented his designs to the Royal Academy of Arts after finalising the plans. The mansion was later featured in the trade journal "The British Architect", despite being only an extension and reworking of an existing building. Despite this, the scale of Flockhart's commission was equivalent to that of a new building. The construction costs for the manor house itself amounted to around £60,000. S. D. Adshead was initially in charge of the work on site. However, he was replaced in 1901 by Flockhart's son-in-law, Leonard Rome Guthrie, who later achieved some prominence as an architect. Foster