Location

Situation: Newton House is situated just to the north of Bennachie, a well known Aberdeenshire landmark with easy access to both Aberdeen and its airport, on the A96.   Locally there is salmon fishing on the nearby Deveron, Don and Spey, together with golf courses at Insch, Alford, Huntly, Inverurie, Royal Aberdeen, Cruden Bay and the Trump International Golf Links.

There is a primary school and local shopping in the nearby village of Insch (2 miles) with secondary schooling in Huntly and Inverurie. There is private schooling in Aberdeen including Robert Gordon's College, St Margaret's and Albyn as well as the International School of Aberdeen. There are two universities and several colleges of further education. Gordonstoun is also easily reached.

The nearby A96 provides ease of access to Aberdeen and its airport which provides excellent links to London and other UK and European cities.   The Western Peripheral Route has improved travel in and around Aberdeen, and provides a quicker and more direct route south. Insch railway station, on the Aberdeen - Inverness line, is easily reached and there are regular mainline services from Aberdeen, including a sleeper. Aberdeen provides all the services expected of a major city including business and leisure facilities, theatres, restaurants and a wide range of shopping.


Historical Note: In Gordon, An Illustrated Architectural Guide (Rutland Press), I A N Shepherd describes Newton House as a 'Gordon house of immense serenity and dignity, on a site of an earlier castle. Exceptionally tall and narrow, harled, three storeys, attic and full basement, with four widely set windows and a pedimented doorpiece reached up railed steps. . . Important garden divided into four (now three) by stone capped brick walls.'

In The Queen's Scotland, The Eastern Counties (Hodder and Stoughton) Nigel Tranter writes 'The fine wooded estate of Newton, with its splendid garden. . . The mansion is a tall, dignified and substantial building . . . full of character, on a terrace site above the Urie meadows. . . In the garden just east of the mansion are preserved two notable Pictish sculptured stones, about seven feet tall.'

Newton House is believed to date from 1692 and is built on the site of an earlier property which was known as Culsalmond Castle.   The gardens were originally laid out in 1846 by Alexander Gordon, and were restored between 1946 and 1979 by his great grandson, Alexander Parkin-Moore. Historic Scotland includes the gardens in The Inventory of Garden and Designed Landscapes, describing the walled garden as 'an outstanding work of art, separated into a series of rooms and containing a wide range of plants. The wider designed landscape makes an impressive setting for the significant architectural features.' Between the house and the garden are two Pictish stones.

Environmental Stipulations: Newton House and the garden walls are Listed Category B. The Pictish stones are a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The gardens and grounds form part of a registered Designed Landscape.

Description

Newton House, a superb country property which is believed to date from 1692, sits attractively within its own landscaped grounds and has far reaching views to Bennachie. A delightful and extremely elegant house, its window bays were added in the 19th century and greatly enhance both the drawing room and the morning room. There is a date stone over the front door of 1779.

At the centre of the house is a stunning hall. Off this are the morning room and the drawing room which in turn links to the dining room. All these rooms are most impressive and perfectly designed for entertaining. The bedrooms are at first and second floor levels. The basement below also has its own entrance. At present it is used as part of the main house, providing an office, gym, studio and cinema room, as well as extensive storage. A two bedroom annexe, known as Yew Tree Cottage, to the rear of the house, has its own access from the courtyard.

The house and the gate lodge have benefitted from considerable renovation and refurbishment in recent years, including a new kitchen and en suite bathrooms, rewiring where necessary, re-tanking of the basement and upgrading the central heating. An ambitious programme has included bedrooms and bathrooms being refurbished, many with bespoke Clive Christian fitted furniture; the hall and kitchen have been panelled; the house has been redecorated along with new curtains, and the windows have been restored. The annexe has also been refurbished and the lodge has been completely renovated. The fountain in the garden was restored, together with fencing and other works around the policies. Since 2010, the current owners have refurbished the basement, installed deer fencing around the 'secret garden' and fitted electrically operated gates. More recently a new summer house has been erected, as well as new flooring in the kitchen. Having been executed to the highest standards, the refurbishment programme has resulted in Newton House being a most attractive house of considerable architectural merit yet at the same time fully modernised and thoroughly manageable. It is in exceptional condition, retaining its original character, so is particularly suited for both modern living and grand entertaining.

From the lodge a tarred drive leads over a bridge over the River Urie and up through the attractive grounds to a gravelled drive and circle at the front of the house.

A detailed accommodation description of Newton House can be found under additional information.

To the rear of the house is a pretty enclosed gravelled courtyard with a date stone over the gates of 1913 giving access to the annexe and garaging with a coal bunker and a log store. Behind the house is a range of outbuildings including two wooden garages with electric doors and concrete floor, wooden stables with three loose boxes, wood sheds and various stores.

Immediately around the house are some fine trees and rhododendrons, tennis court, a small greenhouse, a pond and paddocks to the front and side. The front paddock runs down to the River Urie. There is a pony shelter in the side paddock and a hen house.

The woodland has some fine trees, including American redwoods, and two important Pictish stones. One of the paths to the garden leads past these and some interesting wood carvings and statues. On entering the gardens there is an inscription in memory of Alexander Parkin-Moore, who restored the garden. It states that he hoped it would give pleasure to everyone and includes the words: 'Consider the Perfection of the Infinite Unseen'.

The garden is historically important with a distinctive design which was originally divided into four compartments (now three) by internal walls (on the points of the compass), rather than having an external wall. It is further divided into sections with clipped yew hedges, herbaceous borders, a series of three ponds, one of which has a fountain and lawns.

The gardens overall are a delight with sheltered seating areas and a new summer house. They are surrounded by trees for shelter and privacy.

The Lodge
An attractive harled gate house with a slate roof and an open plan living room / kitchen with a central stone chimney housing a Villager multi fuel burning stove. The fitted kitchen has granite worktops, fridge / freezer, Hotpoint washing machine, Hermitage Shanks Belfast sink, dishwasher and a Stanley cooker. Off a lobby is a bathroom with bath with shower, circular washbasin and WC. There are two bedrooms, one of which has an original fireplace with wooden mantel.

To the rear of the lodge is an enclosed garden, mainly down to lawns with some good beeches and shrub borders. There is a wooden garage. The Lodge is currently let under terms of Scottish Letting Professionals' Model Tenancy.

Directions

From Aberdeen take the A96 northwards passing Inverurie. The lodge and the turning into Newton House will be seen on the right some 1.2 miles north of Pitmachie, and some 10 miles north of Inverurie.

If coming from the north on the A96 the drive will be found on the left, some 12 miles south of Huntly, and just after passing the junction with the B922 signposted Insch and Auchterless.

There are right to access in favour of the neighbouring farmer to get to the fields adjacent to the drive and the walled garden. Newton House has a right to access over the back drive past the farm.

*Please note that all distances are approximate